American Traditional Tattoo Ideas

What Is American Traditional Tattoo Style?

American traditional, also known as Americana or Old School tattoo style, is an iconic Western tattoo style popularized in America in the early 1900s. The style was often touted by sailors, soldiers, bikers, and other early tattoo adopters who traveled the world.

Unlike other tattoo styles, American traditional tattoo is characterized by thick, bold lines, a limited color palette, minimal shading, and iconic imagery.

The style was largely influenced by famous tattoo artists like Sailor Jerry and Ed Hardy, who are known as some of the early pioneers of the style.

So what are some examples of the common themes or iconic imagery often seen in American traditional tattoos?

• Pin-up girls
• Nautical stars, anchors, and other nautical symbols
• Heart tattoos with a name banner
• Roses
• Skulls
• Daggers
• Swallows

Obviously, these are just a few examples of old-school tattoos that you’ll see inked on the arms, legs, chests, and bodies of tattoo fanatics around the world.

The thing is, however, that almost any type of image can be drawn and tattooed in American traditional style. And often, tattoo artists will combine different styles with American traditional style to create truly unique styles and designs for their clients.

Best American Traditional Tattoo Placement

Placement for an American traditional tattoo largely depends on the specific design being chosen and the size.

Smaller Americana-style tattoos can be placed virtually anywhere. Thanks to their basic outlines, most American traditional tattoo outlines can be shrunken down, without sacrificing too much detail. Daggers, hearts, horseshoes, and snakes are all great examples of American traditional tattoo designs that can be placed anywhere.

Similarly, swallows and eagles are often done in pairs and placed symmetrically on the body. For instance, people often get swallows placed on either their shoulders or their hips. Whereas anchors, knives, and some skull designs look great when centered on the chest, back, or arm.

Women’s American Traditional Tattoo Ideas

Even though it was sailors, bikers, and soldiers who popularized the style, that doesn’t mean that women can’t get American traditional tattoos.

In fact, this style is often used to create stunning pieces of body art that embody romance, love, and other more feminine symbolism.

Women might choose to get hearts, roses or other flowers, mermaids, or animals like tigers, swallows, eagles, or snakes, which all look great when done in American traditional style.

Men’s American Traditional Tattoo Ideas

Men often go for rougher, grittier Americana-style tattoos.

Check out our AI-generated gallery above, and you’ll find great, manly-looking examples of Flapper girls surrounded by roses, Americana-style anchors, Grim Reapers, canons, and plenty more.

A few other slightly more masculine examples of American traditional tattoo ideas include daggers, skulls, pin-up girls, and ships.

American Traditional Tattoo Meaning

The meaning of an American traditional tattoo largely depends on the design you choose.

For instance, back in the day, sailors often got tattoos of anchors, nautical stars, and other nautical symbols to embody their travels around the world. But some people might just get heart tattoos in American traditional style with names or “mom” tattooed on them to express their love for another.

Ultimately, the meaning of your American traditional tattoo is entirely up to you.

And you can and should use your new tattoo to make whatever bold statement you want to make!