Summertime: Tattoos, Piercings and Excessive Flesh

Rising temperatures bring out the unexpected in the office and around the house. Living in the South, I am seeing creatures that I have not seen in months. The most common is the blue-tailed lizard. As one of my cats found out, they are intriguing, but definitely not edible. She survived her encounter by the hardest. Munching on one led her to walk in circles for weeks.

I know how my cat Blueberry felt.  When I walk into offices and places of business and am greeted by tattoos, piercings and flesh, my head begins to spin and I feel a touch of vertigo.

The hotter it gets, the more skin we see. Hemlines go above the acceptable. Necklines plunge to new lows. We see more than should be revealed in a business environment. Bare ankles and bare legs are common for both men and women. Once all the seemingly unnecessary clothing from cooler months is removed,  tattoos and body piercings that were previously out of sight  are now in plain view.

Tattoos and piercings are the rage. Tattoos at one time were the domain of sailors, and piercing was limited to earlobes. It is not uncommon now to have your server describe the catch of the day with an ornament threaded through his tongue or on her lip. There goes my appetite.

Today I can walk into any number of places of business, perhaps the grocery or the drug store, and be greeted by employees who are tattooed from head to toe. What were they thinking? And what were their employers thinking when they hired them?

It is not yet clear whether these practices are passing fancies or the wave of the future. If you want to get ahead in business, reconsider your piercings and especially those tattoos. One thing we do know is that people change over time. Before you do anything that is permanent, consider the long-term effect. Since your tattoo will be with you forever, you may want to put it where it is only visible when you are at the beach.

If you are job-hunting or planning an upward move, keep in mind that the company or corporate culture dictates how you dress and how you accessorize. Personal preference is not the determining factor. If your boss doesn’t have a tattoo or body piercing and no one else in upper management does, that’s your cue that tattoos and piercings will probably get you out the door faster than up the ladder.

Hire Lydia to work with your staff to improve customer service and employee relations through the use of those priceless and often over-looked soft skills called manners. Lydia is the “unstuffy” business etiquette expert who helps individuals and organizations add the polish that builds profits. We’re talking about your bottom line here.

Since 1996, countless people have benefited from her wisdom through keynotes, seminars and conference breakout sessions.  Her Southern charm and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker and consultant.

Based in Savannah, Georgia, Lydia is available for national, regional and local speaking and training engagements. She has suitcase; will travel.

Contact her via email at lydia@lydiaramsey.com or call 912-604-0080. Sign up for her free monthly newsletter and visit her website, lydiaramsey.com.