Fashion

The Celebrities Who Got Fresh Ink In 2015

by Maxine Builder

Whether you're famous or not, getting a new tattoo is totally exciting; and just like your average person might, lots of celebrities with new tattoos were flaunting their ink on social media this year. Now, celebs are somewhat infamous for making regrettable tattoo choices, but there are plenty of celebrities with tattoos who absolutely love their ink, regardless of what the paparazzi and media might think, and who keep going back under the needle for more.

There were also some celebs who really wanted to turn back the clocks and went through the trouble of getting offending tattoos removed with lasers this year, like Khloe Kardashian or Iggy Azalea. But others just covered up their least favorite tattoos with newer, less embarrassing designs. More often than not, however, celebs simply added to their already extensive collections of body art, proving once and for all that tattoos were 2015's most covetable accessory.

Whether you have tattoos or not, it's hard not to appreciate the artwork and the stories behind permanent ink, and many of the celebs who got tattoos this year shared some heartwarming stories in the process. So if you've been looking for some tattoo inspiration, or just want a walk down memory lane, here are 13 celebs who got inked in 2015.

1. Benji Madden

Getting a tattoo of your SO's name is usually considered bad luck, but about a month after marrying Cameron Diaz on Jan. 5, Benji Madden threw caution to the wind and got his new wife's name tattooed across his chest. They haven't split up yet, so maybe this is the tattoo that will break the curse.

2. Demi Lovato

This May, Demi Lovato covered up the "vagina" tattoo on her wrist with a giant black and white rose. She then entered into a much-publicized fight on Twitter with the tattoo artist who gave her the original tattoo, which was supposed to look like a pair of lips.

3. Ben Affleck

Few tattoos get as much mockery as the tramp stamp, so some people raised their eyebrows when Ben Affleck stepped out in July, post-divorce with Jennifer Garner, with a new lower back tattoo. But it turns out that it's part of a larger tattoo of a phoenix that takes up his entire back, according to Us Weekly. Who knew?

4. Kendall Jenner

If there was an award for the year's most subtle tattoo, it would probably go to Kendall Jenner. She got a little white dot tattooed on the inside of her middle finger while in New York City. (Her BFF Hailey Baldwin got a little "G" tattooed by her ear at the same time.)

5. Jourdan Dunn

Jourdan Dunn got two new tattoos this year, both of which are pretty inspiring. On her right arm, she got an intricately patterned Hamsa, which is traditionally a Jewish symbol that's come to be a universal sign of protection from the evil eye, while on her left arm, she got the words, "Fear is not an option."

6. David Beckham

It's no secret that David Beckham has a lot of tattoos, and in 2015, he added at least three more to his collection. There was a small "99" on his right pinky, a nod to the year he married his wife Victoria. He then added the words "Pretty Lady" to his neck, followed by a black and white rose above that.

7. Ireland Baldwin

Ireland Baldwin debuted a tattoo of David Bowie at New York Fashion Week, cementing tattoos as this year's ultimate Fashion Week accessory. This wasn't Baldwin's first tattoo on her arm, though. She also has a Hello Kitty tattoo on her forearm, along with a stylized black and white flower.

8. Adam Levine

Adam Levine teased at a new tattoo on Instagram over the course of two months with a series of close-ups of his ink before making the big reveal. Turns out he got a giant back piece of a mermaid, holding a skull, flanked by the ocean and the setting (or rising, depending on your interpretation) sun.

9. Sam Smith

Sam Smith ended the year strong, getting four tattoos in a single day and detailing the entire process on Instagram. First was the equality symbol on his ring finger, followed by two vertical lines on his right ring finger that were "inspired by one of the oldest tattoos ever found on a mummified body that was found buried alone in the ice," according to his Instagram post. The third was the word "honesty" written in cursive on his right arm, and the fourth and final tattoo was the word "alone." The meaning of that one? He joked, "[T]his is just me being a melancholy tw*t haha."

10. Harry Styles

James Cordon came up with a great new game for the gents of One Direction to play on The Late, Late Show With James Cordon: Tattoo roulette. If Cordon lost, he'd have to get "1D" tattooed on imself, but if one of the four members of 1D lost, they'd get "Late Late" inked on themselves. After a long and tense game, Harry Styles had to go under the needle, live.

11. Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner joined her sister Kendall in getting inked. She got a tattoo on her hip and shared the process on Snapchat. She also got a small, subtle red heart inked on her arm.

12. Miley Cyrus

Another celebrity who isn't afraid of tattoos is Miley Cyrus. This year, she got the word "BIEWTY" tattooed on her arm, posting a pic of the fresh ink on Instagram with the hashtag #biewtyispain. She also got a tattoo of an avocado, because why not?

13. Justin Bieber

Way back in March 2014, Justin Bieber swore that his newest tattoos would be his last; but he was just playing. He got a tattoo of the word "purpose" above his bellybutton two months ago — an homage to the name of his newest album. Most recently, he got a set of angel wings tattooed on the back of his neck.

If there's anything to be learned from these tattooed celebrities, it's that you never have to say sorry for your ink.

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Image: mileycyrus/Instagram