Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: People sometimes call this kind of tattoo a “tramp stamp.” However, that doesn’t mean you should immediately rule it out as a potential spot to put your tattoo. Your lower back can be a beautiful, sexy area to display a part of your personality and style. It’s also an area that is relatively easy to hide during everyday activities, but it can be a nice little surprise for significant others or during a night on the town while wearing a half-cut shirt.

If you’re worried about you tattoo looking like a run-of-the-mill design, talk with your tattoo artist before you decide on putting ink anywhere. He or she can tell you about common designs and how you can deviate from that to truly get a badass, unique tattoo. You can even incorporate a lower back tattoo into an even larger tattoo that covers you entire back later on.

Remember that your happiness is all that matters when it comes to picking out a tattoo that represents you and your interests. Gather ideas from the examples shown in this gallery, but keep in mind that it is always your decision in the end. Use the tattoos that you see as a guideline for deciding what you like and don’t like. Keep your assessments of other people’s tattoos in mind while you come up with a design of your very own.