So, what’s up your sleeve —tattoos? Well, not everybody has Vin Diesel’s Xander Cage arms. While tattoos increase your edgy quotient, not everyone wants to get permanently inked. For those people, wearing a tattoo sleeve is a much better option. And that explains the rising popularity of this fashion accessory.
Rekha, who works at Party Mania, a store selling party accessories in Mantri Mall, Malleshwaram, says that the sales of these sleeves have gone up recently. It is particularly a hit among young men, who are fashion conscious but want to escape the pain. “I feel the concept of wearable tattoo sleeves are great, especially for people who are scared of needles and are not so sure if they want a permanent tattoo,” says Farheen Ayesha, a student of Mount Carmel College.
Apart from style, it is also preferred for practical reasons. Made from nylon, they cover your arm from shoulder to wrist, thus giving one protection from sun and heat. And this makes them a hit with bikers. Manish S. Byatroy, an engineering student from Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology (NMIT) Yelahanka, says, “I like my tribal print sleeved tattoos a lot. My friends compliment me whenever I wear it. Because it is porous in nature it helps the skin to breathe especially while riding the bike.”
The tattoo sleeves come in free size and bear vivid imagery — tribal and animal prints, flowers, Buddha and quirky motifs drawn from playing cards. In skin colour tones, they look quite real. They are usually transparent which helps them blend well.
They are priced between Rs. 150 and Rs. 250 and are available at clothing stores and websites such as Amazon, Shopclues and Flipkart. Zulekha Mariam, a fashion design student of Lisa School of Design feels “A real tattoo is cooler and at the end of the day, a sleeve is a sleeve and it is fake.’’
Actor Tanishka Kapoor, who has been seen in films like First Rank Raju and Uppi2 is also a fan of tattoo sleeves. “I think it is good to be worn sometimes, say during a dance or when you want to dress up all funky.”
