32 Best Hello Kitty Tattoo Ideas
Josie Costigan
Table of Contents
About Hello Kitty Tattoos
We’re sure that you’ve seen or heard of Hello Kitty before. That’s because this cartoon character is one of the most notable, iconic, and well-recognized cats in the world.
The love for the cartoon spans worldwide—so much so that people have been getting Hello Kitty tattoos for a long time.
Even though the character’s appearance is standard, and never really changes much, lots of people have added their own flair to the Hello Kitty tattoo designs.
Whether you’re obsessed with the cute look of the kitty or there’s a tattoo meaning that resonates with you, there are a variety of Hello Kitty tattoo designs to choose from.
This Hello Kitty tattoo guide includes the following info:
- Hello Kitty tattoo meanings
- Where you can get the design tattooed on your body
- Average costs you can expect after your trip to the studio
- Photos of the best Hello Kitty tattoo ideas
- History of this cute tattoo
The Hello Kitty tattoo, with its sweet, iconic figure that we all recognize, is relatively versatile.
You can attach your own deeper meaning to the tattoo design and also tailor it to suit your personal style. So it’s no wonder why this tattoo is so popular and trendy.
What Do Hello Kitty Tattoos Mean And Symbolize?
Hello Kitty, also known as Kiti-chan, is a famous cartoon character born and raised in Japan. In fact, it is quite literally the symbol of ‘cuteness’ in Japanese culture.
Since she was created in 1974, the kitty has taken over the world. And now, people everywhere adore the sweet-looking character.
Hello Kitty is often seen as a children’s animated character. The cartoon is a symbol of sweetness, charm, and kindness. One look at her face and she easily captures the innocence, youthfulness, and cheerfulness most associate with their childhood.
Due to the softhearted look of the cat, for many, Hello Kitty symbolizes friendship and love. Plus, since the character is designed without a mouth many believe this symbolizes speaking from the heart.
Naturally, Hello Kitty has a blank round face with a few whiskers on either side. She also has a yellow oval nose and basic black eyes. Most notably, the kitty has a red bow over her left ear—it’s her staple accessory.
And as we mentioned, since the basic look of the kitty is always the same, it’s common for many to use the character as a canvas so that they can add their own unique touch to the design.
Basically, due to Hello Kitty’s simple design, it’s very easy to add to the illustration and personalize your tattoo.
For instance, some will choose to replace her pretty bow with an edgier, punkish hair accessory to showcase their personality. While others may combine Hello Kitty with another favored character, like a superhero.
Where To Get A Hello Kitty Tattoo
Now that you’ve learned about the different meanings behind the Hello Kitty tattoo, one of your next questions might be, where is the best spot to get the tattoo design?
And the answer is, anywhere you want. Since the Hello Kitty cartoon character doesn’t include any added details, you can easily get it in a range of sizes—including a trendy tiny tattoo.
Here are the best places you can get this tattoo:
- Wrist
- Forearm
- Hip
- Ankle
- Ribcage
- Behind the ear
These are all areas that could feature a dainty design or a larger one. Since Hello Kitty tattoos typically incorporate simple linework, you’ll want to make sure the ink and tattoo are taken care of.
Otherwise, your tattoo could begin to fade and the linework might start to look uneven.
If you’re an avid sunbather or one of our readers from down south, you’ll need to be a little more cautious. Frequent exposure to the sun might cause your tattoo to fade quicker than you’d want.
The best way to combat this is to always wear sunscreen or try to cover up your tattoo as often as possible.
Another thing to keep in mind is that certain areas of the body might experience more rubbing or sweat. For example, straps from a purse or a backpack constantly rubbing against ink can also cause it to fade or become distorted.
Taking care of your Hello Kitty tattoo during the first few weeks of the healing process is super important. This is when the ink is the freshest and most sensitive.
While your skin heals, you’ll experience itching and scabbing, but you’ll have to try your best to avoid touching or scratching it.
Here’s the best way to avoid the temptation to touch your tattoo: buy some fragrance-free lotion to keep your new ink moisturized. Staying out of the sun and water for a couple of weeks is crucial too, just until your tattoo is fully healed.
If you’re ever unsure about how to take care of your new ink and want to be extra safe, consult with your tattoo artist and they’ll tell you everything you need to know.
How Much Do Hello Kitty Tattoos Cost?
Of course, tattoo prices will vary depending on the tattoo design. If you’re trying to stay within a budget, there are a few factors to consider when you’re trying to estimate the cost of your ink.
When you consult with your tattoo artist, they’ll take all of these variables into account when calculating the cost of your tattoo.
Here are the top four factors to keep in mind:
- Size of the tattoo
- Time spent
- Amount of details included in the design
- Quality of the ink
If you plan to get a Hello Kitty tattoo on a smaller scale, then you can expect a more affordable, comfortable price range. But, if you want a bigger tattoo then you’ll need to pay a little more for the extra ink and time spent by the artist on your design.
A simple version of a Hello Kitty tattoo will also have a lower price point. But, it’s exciting to customize the cartoon character so that it matches your personal style, preferences, and taste.
Doing this might mean adding some details to the iconic cat face, changing her attire, or adding an interesting background to the design. The possibilities really are endless.
Keep in mind that the more intricate details you add, the more the price will go up. But, it will be worth it if you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind design!
When considering the cost of your tattoo, remember that the quality of the ink is important. In the past, you might’ve made the mistake of being tempted by a lower tattoo price. But, a lower price usually means lower quality ink is being used.
And the lower-quality ink may not look good or last as long on the skin. So, always be willing to pay the extra dollars at a studio that invests in good-quality materials. This will lead to an overall better-looking tattoo and a happier you.
32 Best Hello Kitty Tattoo Designs
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History Of The Hello Kitty Tattoo
Hello Kitty was introduced to the world in 1974 by a Japanese company, Sanrio. At first, she was a pop culture star in Japan but she eventually traveled overseas.
Over the decades, the character has been printed on a variety of merchandise and used for entertainment purposes across the globe.
Sanrio designed Hello Kitty to be British since, at the time, Britain was considered one of the more desirable, admired countries in Japan.
Hello Kitty’s name actually comes from an early adaptation of Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. In one of the first scenes, the protagonist Alice names her pet cat Kitty.
The company added the word ‘Hello’ to her name to make it seem more welcoming, and it suits the company’s motto which is “social communication.”
As we mentioned previously, Hello Kitty was not designed with a mouth. And some people use this to their advantage to create their own meaning for the tattoo.
This design choice was purely intentional by the Japanese company. In fact, Sanrio wanted people to project their own emotions onto the character. So, with a Hello Kitty tattoo, the meaning of the tattoo will change depending on how you’re feeling.
They also didn’t want the character to be exclusive to one language or culture. So, no mouth meant no speech. And this eliminated any potential language barriers.
Ultimately, Sanrio wanted her to be able to unite all nations together. And the company was clearly successful since nowadays Hello Kitty is one of the most recognizable icons worldwide.
So, in its own unique way, the company spread its message of unity, peace, and friendship all over the planet.
Which Celebrities Have A Hello Kitty Tattoo?
Katy Perry has a Hello Kitty tattoo on the inside of her middle finger. The singer was excited about her design when she learned that the cartoon’s release date fell in Scorpio’s month and she’s also a Scorpio.
She took to Twitter and wrote, “OMG HELLO KITTY IS A SCORPIO TOO ILY!!!”
Avril Lavigne covered up her skull tattoo with a more girly cupcake design. The side of the cupcake has the iconic Hello Kitty pink bow. We know the singer is a fan of the cartoon since she has a song titled “Hello Kitty” on her 2013 album.
Ireland Baldwin has a simple Hello Kitty tattoo placed on her forearm. The model added a little bit of edge to her design by replacing the pink bow with a skull and crossbones bow instead.
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