Body Suit Tattoo- A bit of History

Ornamental Body Art

The ornamental body art tattooing did not begin to increase until the eighteenth century, even though the art of abstract tattoo designs go back as far as 10,000 BC in Japan.  These brilliant and magnificent tattoos that nearly cover the skin are known as “body suits” and originated sometime around 1700.

the alternative choice – Tattoo

There were strict laws concerning prominent displays of wealth and that age in time, only the aristocracy were allowed to wear fine, fancy clothing.  Middle class were not allowed this freedom.  So the middle class who wanted to decorate themselves, did so through the expression of  a tattoo.

Full body suits copying the Samurai warrior

The belief is that the full body tattoo was copied from the samurai warrior’s sleeveless coats.  The coats often displayed heroic designs on the back of the coats.  Designs were usually symbols of pride and bravery or even perhaps a dragon or guardian divine being.  Eventually this turned into tattoo designs on the back, and gradually over time extended to the arms, shoulders, and thighs and often extended over the entire body.

Unbuttoned vest illusion

When the tattoos over the entire front of the upper chest or trunk they often look like an unbuttoned vest.  That is with the exception of the vertical strip running from the chest to the abdomen.  The progress of the body suit also coincided with the fame of fictional tattooed heroes.
Towards the end of the eighteenth and the start of the nineteenth centuries the illustrated work of art (fiction) imported from China created motivation and the desire for this type of tattoo.  The Robin Hood (Suikoden) type of tale recounted the adventures of 108 heroes many of which were tattooed.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

This particular type of tattoo became quite popular when the illustrations of Utagawa Kuniyoshi were published in the early to mid nineteenth century.  These images were very powerful to the world of tattoo designs and they remain so and in use today.