Chinese Dragon Tattos

The History of The Dragons and why Dragon Tattoos Are So Popular
By Becky McClure

According to the Webster-Merriam Dictionary, the word dragon is Middle English, from Anglo-French dragun, from Latin dracon.



The definition of dragon is:

• A mythical animal usually represented as a monstrous winged and scaly serpent with a crested head and enormous claws.

• Or someone who is formidable

The many depictions of dragons are incredibly diverse and complex. No other creature in mythology has appeared in so many cultures from such remote parts of the world!

Many of us think of dragons as a terrifying beast. However, the Eastern dragons are portrayed as good, kind, ancient and intelligent. The Asian Dragons have the most recorded history in the world, especially in China going back thousands of years.



The Difference between the Eastern Dragons:

Chinese dragons have all five toes. The Chinese believe that all dragons began from China. They believed that as the dragons flew south, they began to lose their toes. The farther the dragons flew, the more toes they lost. So, Korean dragons have four toes, and Japanese dragons have three.

Korean dragons have four toes. The Koreans believe that when the dragons leave Korea and go north to China, they begin to gain toes. When the dragons leave Korea and go north to Japan, they begin to lose toes.



Japanese dragons have three toes. The Japanese though all dragons originated from Japan. They also believed that when the dragons leave Japan and head north, they gain toes. The farther the dragons went, the more toes they gained. This is why the other dragons have more toes. The Japanese believed the breath of dragons could turn into clouds, which could produce rain.

But here's the kicker, unlike most types of dragon, most of the Eastern Dragons have no wings!

The Western Dragon

The Western dragons or medieval dragons have a more ferocious and primitive appearance. They often look like giant lizards with long tails and a pair of wings. While the dragons are thought of as calculating and thoughtful monsters, they have also been viewed as mindless beasts. We think of dragons as having talons, fangs, breathing fire, scaly skins, and red eyes in our drawings and paintings. The Western Dragons were also known to have huge hoards of gold and jewels hidden in their lairs.

Early Christianity condemned the ancient, benevolent and malevolent serpent deities. As a matter of fact, in Christian art, the dragon is a symbol of the pagan religion and was often drawn as overpowered by the spirit of the holy figures of Christianity.

The Vikings had figures of dragons on the prow of their boats. The dragons on the ships were believed to bestow sharp eyesight and craftiness to the Viking warriors. The Welsh flag has a red dragon on it and the dragon is their national symbol.

Why are Dragon Tattoos so popular today?

Dragons are a classic choice for a tattoo design and they are one of the more popular mythological creatures picked for inking.



Dragons are depicted as powerful, wise and free. Their legend is always cloaked in magic and mythical realm. They come from the tops of sacred Japanese mountains and the bottom of the deepest seas around Greece.

Dragons have been drawn in a wide variety of forms because of their popular appeal. Today's tattoo designers have taken the art of the dragon to amazing new levels. Whether you want a traditional dragon tattoo or one with a cutting-edge, modern look you will find an incredible gallery of amazing images to choose from.



Tattoo artists have paid extra attention to creating images of dragons because they look great on the skin. They can be in color, or black & white. Dragon tattoos can wrap around the body and flatter the contours of the body. Dragon tattoos can be designed as tribal, Celtic or jade designs. The dragon tattoo may appear with wings or fire breathing or not.

Ancient Dragon lore and illustrations have inspired many of us to select a dragon tattoo because that design represents how we feel about ourselves -- powerful, ferocious, and free...

Chinese Dragon Tattoos

Chinese and Japanese Tribal Dragon Tattoos
By Bernice Eker

Dragon tattoos are one of the most popular designs all over the world. It can go in any category, whether abstraction, naturalistic, dedication, stylized or combination tattoos.



Throughout history, dragon tattoos have never been out of fashion and had been used as a symbol in some parts of the world. It can be drawn as menacing or regal depending on your choice of design.

Dragon tattoos come in two popular forms: the Chinese or Japanese dragon of the east with its long, snake-like body and the European dragon of the west with its powerful wings and long neck. The European dragon usually symbolizes power and fear, a depiction of evil where as the Chinese dragon usually symbolizes unity and conformity, a depiction of good.



You can find many different designs of dragon tattoos in different forms and colors. Some of these dragon designs have additional background scenery where they are depicted flying in the clouds, swimming in the ocean, crawling on top of mountains or ravaging small villages. But the most common depiction of a dragon is being done as tribal dragon tattoos due to both its simplicity (the majority color being in either black or gray with the additional color to highlight the dragon) and its complexity.



Most often, the eastern dragons are the ones being used as a basis for the designs for the tribal dragon tattoos. Chinese and Japanese designs are the ones most common to be created into tattoos. Both have similar features: long, snake-like body, wingless and have horns. The only difference between these two dragons is their claws. Japanese dragons have only three claws where as the Chinese dragons have five. Their long, wingless bodies are less complicated to draw and since tribal tattoos are mostly being done in one color (two at the most), the outcome of these dragon are more elegant looking and sophisticated.



Though, some in today's society, eastern dragons that are being created into tribal dragon tattoos is being depicted as a symbol of fear and power; a contrast to the real symbolism of the eastern dragons.

Some people today would ask for a tribal dragon tattoo when they want to look tough or powerful. They would look for the best dragon design and ask to have it done. But there are still those who see the eastern dragon as a symbol of wisdom and would ask for a dragon as a sign of respect. And still, others would just like a tribal dragon tattoo because the artistry is very well made and it looks good in the body.



The most common place to find a tribal dragon would be on the whole arm length or at the back.

There are still some parts of the world where dragon tattoos are still used as a symbol in society. Whether they are being used as a status symbol in an organization or a clan, they are a mark of respect and power to the people who still value them.

Chinese Dragon Tattoo Pictures

Tree Tattoo Pictures
By R. Dercks

Tree tattoo pictures are not very common. Are they? Not many people will be having tree tattoos. Have you wondered why it is so? That is because trees have a great significance in many Asian and African cultures. It also has links with Celtic history. The meaning of tree tattoo pictures is linked with all these cultures and the impact and significance is so strong that many people prefer not to get it.



Now if you are thinking that you see so many girls with different flower tattoos like roses, daisy, lily, sunflower and leaves like shamrock and others. Are they not tree tattoo pictures? NO! They are not. They are flower tattoos. I am talking about a tree as in whole.



So here are some popular tree tattoo pictures for you!



The most popular one is the cherry tree tattoo pictures. This female-only tattoo is a symbol of sexuality and beauty but not in literal terms. This tattoo gets its meaning from the Japanese cherry blossom which is a symbol of life which is short and beautiful and Chinese cherry blossom which means power. Both these are close to beauty of a woman which is her power and is also short lived. However there is this not so popular tattoo of cherry tree with falling cherry. It means that a girl has lost her innocence and Beauty just as a cherry fallen from a tree loses its beauty and juice. So many girls avoid it fearing it might convey wrong message.



Then there is the Bodhi tree; A tree under which Buddha sat for years and meditated. He finally got his enlightenment under this tree. People who firmly believe in the teachings of Buddha have Bodhi tree tattoo pictures. Very few in today's world who firmly believes and follows his teachings may get one!!



Then there is the acorn which grows to mighty oak tree. Acorn has so many different meanings in different cultures. It varies from strength to fertility. Even in tattoo pictures it differs in the way it's drawn. Then there are other trees as well.

Chinese Dragon Tattoo Pics

Chinese Tattoos Symbols, Designs, Ideas And Themes
By Chris Ryerson
Recently there's been a huge rise in the field of tattooing. With popular TV shows like Miami Heat in LA Inc. being broadcast on national TV more and more people are getting tattoos. Of particular fascination to many are Chinese tattoo symbols and designs. The art of tattooing in China actually dates back much farther then its western counterpart. In the West until he didn't come into fashion until very late in the 20th century and mainly in the early 21st century. However, the art of tattooing has a long history in many Asian cultures including China, Japan, and even Thailand just to name a few. What is ironic about this is typically tattoos are used in many of the Asian cultures to mark criminals and other social deviants.



Regardless of the past Chinese tattoo symbols have been widely adopted into the western tattoo lexicon. The mystique and foreignness of an Asian tattoo and the beauty of Chinese and Japanese writing have really sparked a lot of interest among western tattoo enthusiasts. There are many beautiful Chinese designs of themselves well to the art of tattooing. However in much of Asia since tattooing was done in criminals and social deviants many of the designs are very large and often full body pieces especially in Japan.



These often are very expensive designs and take many hours in a tattoo shop this is led many western tattoo enthusiasts to opt for Chinese symbols. The beautiful script used in China lends itself well to creating a mysterious and ancient looking tattoo that is not easily discernible by the average Westerner.



The most common Chinese tattoo symbols that are sought after are often representative of important values. For example a simple word that represents themes like love, strength, or power. Another common theme among western tattoo enthusiasts is to seek a translation of something important in the Chinese. For example it's very common for men and women alike to get the names of their children translated into Chinese and the tech to them on their shoulders arms or back.



For those wishing to embellish their tattoo their many smaller themes designs they can easily accompany Chinese Japanese writing a script. For example, men will getting Tiger, lion, or dragon to accompany their design. Women tend to opt for a more delicate designs such as the cherry blossom, yin yang symbol, or a koi fish design.



There are a wide variety of very beautiful tattoo designs throughout Asian cultures. Anyone considering getting a Chinese or Japanese tattoo would be well advised to check their overall design especially the writing with a native speaker of the language. Their many incidents where a person is purchased a flash tattoo at a local tattoo shop thinking that it meant one thing later find out that that's a totally different.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I'd like to wish everyone....

Let's welcome the new decade with new a vengeance.
Better fashion! Better trend! Better shopping experiences!

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And more 'golden boxes' :)

Retail Therapy @ COS

Forget about going to rehab at the Priory. If you really wanna put any shopaholics like me into a therapy better get me into any stores. No shopping required. Put me in just to get all the juices flowing by only looking at what the stores has to offer. I think that's what I've been doing all these while. Nggg...

Hey, shopping (or window shopping) is a major exercise too, you know. And exercise gives you endorphin. Endorphin makes you happy. And happy people don't kill others (oopps, think I just borrow that line from Legally Blonde, lol!)

Btw. One store that really make me feel good is COS. Why? It's their decor. Full stop. Very simple, modern, chic Scandinavian feel really put me at ease. That's even before I look at the clothes, which is another feel good factor. Though Zara also has modern decor, but COS is never messy. Everything is very neat and clean, the clothes are in a thematic color scheme, and the fitting room is great - with proper door which I can lock.

They're a couple of COS in London. About 5 to be precise. Regent St, Long Acre @ Covent Garden, High Street Kensington, Westfield and their new concession @ Selfridges. The one that I always go after a long day at highstreet is their Regent St store, coz it's just around the corner at Oxford Circus Station. Pop inside, and feel the warmth of the store - then I'm ready to leave for home. Lol. True therapy, isn't it? :D

Btw, indulge yourself with the cool pics of their store. Truly wonderful. :)

(P/S: They're missing their Westfield store pic, btw)

COS @ Regent Street

COS @ Long Acre, Covent Garden

COS @ High Street Kensington

COS @ Selfridges

[pix from cosstores.com]

New @ Uniqlo: Cotton Cashmere

The Business of Fashion website recently branded Uniqlo as the feel-good commodity and listed the highstreet store as one of their top 10 article in 2009. The article says;

"Our always-sharp contributing editor in Tokyo, W. David Marx,
penned a piece on Uniqlo, which in our view,
was the most important fashion brand of 2009.
In the middle of the greatest economic slowdown in several generations,
Uniqlo continued its global expansion, increased profits and sales,
and brought in the formidable talent of Jil Sander to create
one of the most successful high-street designer collaborations to date."

Looking at what's in my wardrobe - the jeans, the cardi, the jumpers and all of other stuff from Uniqlo - I couldn't agree more. I love their clothing line. And they're by far the most highly visited store in Oxford Street. Always full, even during weekdays and non-sale seasons. With the price that is always highly affordable, they keep on updating the pieces season after season.

And talking about what's new in Uniqlo, I grab some cardi and jumpers which I think quite cool. One thing about them is the material used: cotton cashmere. Softer than usual cotton, yet at a cost of much cheaper than the luxe cashmere.

I love the white cardi with navy trim. Love the contrast look it made. The fit is great (though I should tried a smaller one instead). Because of the material, it hugs the body nicely.

They comes in other colors too, like black with dark grey trim and blue withdark blue trim. Like this one. All priced at less than £25! (Wait a bit longer then it'll drop to £20. :D)

Another new into the collection is striped sweaters. This navy on white look quite nautical. Stripes are quite hot too this season and are also seen at designers (but for womenswear) like Balmain. Since the material is not typical wool and quite light, it's also great for spring/summer too. They come in various colors like light grey, blue and navy. Great fit, great price. :)

Mentioning new collection , just a gentle reminder to myself that +J collection for Spring 2010 will be in store next Thursday. Gotta save my money for that! :)

GQ Style Tips: Sorting Out Shirt and Tie Dilemma

One thing that I always look for during sale is the shirt. The formal shirt. It's pretty hard to get a nice shirt with a brilliant cut and good quality fabrics. Too thin, then whatever you wear underneath (or not wearing one :D) might be peeking. Too thick, then it's pretty darn hard to iron, and creases will stay for as long as you wear it. I would never go for polyester coz it felt cheap and always cruel to my body contour. And talking about fit - the slim cut (or some store call it fashion fit) is always my choice coz they flatters the body.

So. My quest to find great shirts always brought me to some highstreet store. Either COS, Zara, Mexx or H&M, and sometimes Burton Black Label. They got great selection of quality fabrics and nice design. A friend used to ask why I didn't buy any designer clothes? My take is easy: anything that will undergo detergent, not worth buying designers. They'll eventually worn out and fade. If I ever wanna buy designer stuff, it always has to be leatherwear or things that doesn't make me wash it again and again, like suits and jacket. And shoes. :)

Talking about shirt, the other dilemma is how to pair ties with 'em? Well, our friend at GQ has given some pictorial guide on the ways to match shirt-n-tie. My verdict? They're not too bad provided that you could be sensible in what you choose. Though I'm not pretty ecstatic to go for collegiate tie (the one with diagonal stripe and crest) coz they look more like me going to the University Challenge. Yikes! :P

Another GQ tips. When you're not wearing a tie, the collar on your dress shirt flattens out and sinks beneath the lapels of your jacket. It made you look sloppy. The solution? First, look for dress shirts with firm collars that stand up on their own, framing your face. Second, use collar stays. Every proper dress shirt has slots for them. Even +J shirts by Uniqlo also has the spare little plastic thingy to get your collar erected again. :)

Talking about ties, hmmm.. which one should I wear?

Winter Sale: Day 4

So you think I can stop shopping? No way. Ahaks!

Day 4 Winter Sale.

After the previous three days in and out of some stores, I still found there some I havne't gone to. Oh, it's Westfield. How can I missed that out? So, there I am, not contempt to be missing out bargains at the biggest shopping mall in London, I head west to Westfield in a drenchy rain.

The first thing in mind? No Name, coz I've been wanting to get some pieces I'm lusting before. Thank God, they are having Winter Sale too though not all items are on discount. Yet, i managed to try on the jumper which is very cool and fits very awesomely. (which is later going back home with me :D)

Next stop. COS. I love COS - coz their clothes are very simple yet edgy. Chic without ever need to try very hard. And their shirts are one of the best. The fabric is great and the cut is awesome too. While I was finding some things on Sale, I pulled this new cardi in mesh wool. Pretty nice. Different like no other cardi that I found. Love it. Still, it's quite pricey (given that I've bought a lot of stuff already, lol!). Yet i think pairing it with some nude color underneath will bring the sex appeal to this cardi. Bet I have to have it in my next visit.

Items on sale. One of it is this wool jacket. I love the fit so much, but not pretty crazy about the length. A tad too long under the bum, which is not that cool. But the material. Mwah. Love it. Very luxe yet with a price that i can afford.

But the one that I really love is this waistcoat. Why do I like it? It's monotonal - with all the same color of wool mix fabric front to back. Not like most at highstreet where you always find different material used on back and front. Plus, the neckline is slightly low which is much edgier. The fit? SUPERB! I've got to scour hard on the rails to find a size smaller coz waistcoat is always about the fit under the arm/chest. And good news: I got it! And it's mine at half price. :)

So. That's it for now. Have to take a break for a while otherwise I'll go broke. With massive sale still lurking around London (and luring you to it too), I've gotta curb this temptation. But for how long? That's a big question for me to answer. :D