Amy Winehouse was an icon. In no time, she was adored by millions of fans throughout the world, certainly after the release of her album ‘Back to black’ in 2006. Not just her music, also her no-nonsense personality and striking personality made her extremely popular. The fact that she often made the news with less pleasant things, like drug and alcohol abuse, did nothing to change this. This was part of Amy.

When she died in 2011 it unleased a shock wave on her fans and other musicians. Everyone agreed: Amy was one of a kind. People started looking for ways in which to honor ‘their’ Amy very quickly. Fans published covers of her numbers on You Tube, wore T-shirts with illustrations of her or copied her look and hairstyle. The best way to feel connected with their idol was to recreate her distinctive tattoos, whether or not permanent. Amy had more than 10, some more meaningful than others.

Her funny and romantic tattoos



Amy’s first tattoo was one of the popular cartoon character, Betty Boop. She was only 15 back then, and in her own words, "carefree and mischievous". The tattoo was not of great quality and she said many times that she did not intend for this tattoo to be permanent. The same applied for her "Blake's" tattoo. Blake Fielder-Civil was her ex-husband. The tattoo was above her left breast and was placed above a ‘pocket’. Amy apparently wanted this tattoo covered with a new tattoo.

She also had a ‘romantic’ tattoo placed on her ring finger: a heart with the letter ‘A’. Fans do not agree on the meaning of this. The ‘A’ could possibly refer to her former boyfriend Alex Claire or simply to the 'Ace of hearts’ (the ace of hearts in a deck of cards).

The "Hello Sailor" tattoo on her abdomen is another example of a mischievous tattoo.

Her illustrated arms



Amy had four tattoos on her left arm. The top one says "Daddy’s" above a horseshoe and is obviously a tribute to her father. Although never confirmed, the horseshoe could have been a lucky charm.

These tattoos can actually not be considered separate from the tattoo of the topless pin-up with the text "Girl" below it. Interesting detail: At the Grammy Awards in 2008 Amy was asked to cover this tattoo. The lascivious girl that seductively adorned her arm would shock the viewers. Not planning on entering the podium as a nun, Amy drew a bikini on the tattoo using a marker. Everyone happy!

There was an Indian feather on the inside of her left arm. According to Amy this feather symbolized courage and bravery.

It did not stop here…. Her right arm was adorned by no less than five tattoos!



Right at the top was "Cynthia", a sexy woman from the fifties, accompanied by two hearts. This tattoo referred to her grandmother. Right below this, a little strange perhaps, was another pin-up girl, this time with a fan.

On the inside of her right arm Amy had a bird with musical notes tattooed. The accompanying quote said: “Never clip my wings”. This saying illustrated her incredible urge for freedom. People who wanted to curb her reckless, dissolute life, including her father, where invariably scolded. This tattoo is now also the symbol of the 'Amy Winehouse Foundation’, a foundation dedicated to young people with addictions. Of course Amy knew she was a tomboy, also proven by the lightning bolt tattoo. She had this placed because “lightning is a natural disaster, just like me.”

Eternal life?



The most remarkable and unique tattoo was the tattoo on her back. It was an Ankh sign (or a sign of eternal life) covered with the American flag, on top of which an American bald eagle. The latter stood for power and spiritual growth. The American flag was supposed to refer to the birthplace of her mother: Brooklyn, New York. The inspiration for the Ankh sign, the sign of eternal life, was the Egyptian mythology, something that her father and grandmother was very interested in. Quite applicable, as her music made her somewhat immortal.

Temporary tattoos… also for / of Amy Winehouse



Not all of Amy Winehouse’s tattoos were permanent tattoos. Sometimes she also had a temporary tattoo of a dove on her neck. This was one of the last ones that she wore.

Do you also want Amy’s look? Or do you want to commemorate Amy by wearing one of her tattoos? You can! Several of her tattoos were converted to temporary tattoos and are now available to everyone. Take a look at TattooForAWeek’s Amy Winehouse tattoos and order yours today! The prices vary between 2 and 4 Euro. A bargain!

See you soon!

Charlotte

Check out our video on Amy Winehouse's tattoos!