While it is unclear of what the star may mean, everyone is clear that the first to emblaze it on their skins were sailors.  For many of the sailors, life on the high seas was treacherous and often fatal and with only the stars to guide them.  Navigating by means of the North Star, the only star not to move around the skies and a fixed reference point for all sailors, the stars in general were symbolic of making it home safely.  The nautical star became a symbol of finding your way in life and looked upon the tattoos as lucky charms.

Nowadays, people still hold the belief that nautical stars are a symbol of safe journeys and are popular with travellers as well as with those living on the ocean.

While most people see the nautical star as a five pointed design, there are those that feel that the four sided star is more relevant to nautical terms and reflects the directions of a ships compass.  This may be the case, but when looking at various old ship maps, you will find a lot five sided stars representing the compass points.

Pin up tattoos have always been popular with men who are away at sea or war.  The old sailor pin up tattoos tended to be lurid and often depicted buxom women in sexy posses.  As far as that is concerned, not much as changed, but the pin up of today is weapon savy, sexy as hell and has a hint of sophistication that her predecessors lacked.

Take a look at some of the pin up pictures and tattoos that we have collected.

Over the last decade the old school tattoos have had a bit of a renaissance.  With high profile celebrities such as Amy Winehouse sporting a pin up on her arm, the idea of having a sexy old style tattoo is no longer for aging grey haired bikers or salty seamen.

For a complete look at various old school tattoos ranging from pin up tattoos to nautical star tattoos all the way to harley davidson tattoos, you are sure to find something that will fit your style and your personality.  It is no longer just copying someone elses idea of a tattoo, but the building and incorporating of different elements into a tattoo that make yours so unique.

We hope that on these pages you will find elements that you can include in your tattoo as well as the meanings behind all the tattoos depicted on this website.  Our collection will also include cherry tattoos,  heart tattoos, dagger tattoos and anchor tattoos.

Lets also not forget the great eagle tattoos that are such a huge emblem of the spirit of freedom and the American way.  There are also classical tattoos in the shape of skulls and roses as well as crosses that have experienced a revival due to the massive improvement of the art of tattooing.

Half the journey is about finding the right design for your tattoo, the second half is finding the right artist to create it.  Knowing what works long term and what will look good for years to come has a lot to do with how the tattoo is drawn on you, how you care for it in those first days and also how you treat it for years to come.

Your old school tattoo doesn’t have to look like a sailor forearm twenty years from now, but knowing what you want and making it your own could revive an old school classic which you can be guaranteed will never go out of date.