A temporary tattoo of a whimsical whale from a Cracker Jack box would hardly turn a head in 1912, but a portrait painted by hand on a woman’s knee in the ’20s? Now that was scandalous.
Temporary Tattoo History
According to the Tattoo Archive, the origins of temporary tattoos have faded with time. Cracker Jack started making their now-famous “A Prize in Every Box” line in 1912, but it’s unclear when the company started including ink. Temporary tattoos didn’t really take off until the ’50s, and those early ones were made with food coloring and quickly washed off. The temporary tattoos on the plastic sheets that we’ve all come to know weren’t invented until the 3M Company created the technology in the 1980s. Could it be, then, that flappers were early trailblazers of temporary tats as we know them?
Don’t Forget About Henna
The answer is that it’s certainly possible that flappers influenced the temporary tattoo trend in the Western world! However, it’s important to note that the first-evertemporary tattoos were likely henna or Mehdi art. This art form has a deep history in cultural and personal expression for people in Egypt, Pakistan, India, Africa, the Middle East, and more. But it didn’t become popular in the U.S. until the 1990s!
“Henna Tattoo” by Tela Chhe is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Dramatic Flapper Makeup
Women were getting bored with being Gibson Girls—those idealized versions of women with hair piled atop their heads and gowns reaching the floor. With the recent end of World War I, the roaring ’20s saw a boom in women’s desires to shake off their dainty and reserved personas and to celebrate life! The Jazz Age kicked off, and clubs were filled with a Gatsby-esque buzz. While the term flapper was originally an insult to a woman’s modesty, independent women embraced it. Flappers donned dramatic dark makeup, defined their lips, and chopped their long strands.
Rouging Your Knees
It’s hard to imagine a time when showing your ankles was saucy, but in the times of flappers, the hemline of skirts and dresses had only raised to calf-length. A flash of a knee was not a common sight, so dancers would put blush, or rouge, on their knees. When they lifted their hem with the pop of a kick, all eyes were on the pink-hued knees for a moment.
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Painted Patellae
Women stopped wearing garters to hold up their pantyhose and instead began rolling them down below the knee. With a shorter hemline and a blank kneecap, flappers began painting pictures on their legs. Some used makeup, but many used actual paint and even enlisted artists to help. They would adorn their knees with flowers, portraits of their boyfriends, or detailed landscape scenes.
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Most men and older women thought the trend was immature or too provocative. Interviewed for a Maryland paper in 1966 called “The News,” a man named James A. Rice said that cosmetic knees were “more childish than anything else.” Another man said, “I like to see just plain legs.” But rebellious teens joined in on the fun as well. Members of a Baltimore high school basketball team were almost expelled for painting portraits of their boyfriends on one knee and an image of a flapper on the other to bring them good luck during a game.
On-the-View Knees
Temporary tattoos were sold on sheets in the ’50s, and just after, the painted knee trend saw another resurgence in the ’60s. Famous makeup brands started selling kits to create the knee art yourself, like Faberge’s “Madcap Kneesies for on the View Knees.” This lesser-known knee painting trend of detailed tattoo-like imagery, fun florals, portraits, and even depictions of boxers may well have helped spark interest in temporary tattoos as we think of them today.
By Kelsey Roslin, contributor for Ripleys.com
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FAQs
The early history of temporary tattoos is vague, but most attribute their origins to the iconic Cracker Jacks® product, which began featuring a "prize in every box" in 1912. It's believed these original prizes were temporary tattoos, and by the 1950's, they sold sheets of these designs for 1 cent each.
Why did they rouge their knees? ›
Ever wondered about the significance of the line above? Taken from Chicago's All That Jazz, forget cheeks, one of the ultimate acts of saucy rebellion in the 1920's was for Flappers to apply rouge to their knees to accentuate the fact that they were showing their legs!
Were temporary tattoos popular in the 80s? ›
Even though temporary tattoos were being manufactured and available in Europe decades before the '80s, it was at this time period that they became more popular than ever.
What are the temporary tattoos called? ›
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning about temporary tattoos, also known as “henna” tattoos. There have been reports of severe skin reactions, sometimes leading to permanent scarring.
Who invented the temporary tattoo? ›
Spurred on by an increased interest in tattooing during the mid1980s, the look of temporary tattoos began to change. This general interest, combined with Hollywood's desire to have a product that would "tattoo" a person temporarily for the movies, encouraged inventor Keith R. Relyea from St.
Why were temporary tattoos invented? ›
It was a popcorn and peanut trademark, Cracker Jacks, the company that first brought temporary tattoos onto the mainstream market, as a promotional gift. They were included in their packaging in 1912, and that made the brand quite famous. The designs included themes such as pirates, clowns, and whales.
What do dark knees mean? ›
Dark knees are common in people of all skin tones and types. They're a sign of a higher concentration of melanin, the pigment that gives color to our skin, eyes, and hair. This hyperpigmentation on knees and elbows might look odd. But it's nothing to worry about and doesn't need medical care.
What does red knees mean? ›
Seek immediate medical attention if one knee becomes red and feels warm to the touch compared with your other knee. This can be a sign of infection within the joint. Request an appointment.
Why are knees purple? ›
The appearance of purple (violaceous) plaques on the knees may be associated with dermatomyositis. Typically, most lesions associated with other diseases are red (erythematous). This is Gottron sign, seen in dermatomyositis (an inflammatory disease of the muscles and skin).
When were temporary tattoos invented? ›
That's right, temporary tats trace all the way back to the early 20th century. According to Tattoo Archive, Cracker Jacks introduced “A Prize In Every Box” in 1912, which often featured temporary tattoos of things like pirates, clowns, and whales, in addition to small trinkets and toys.
Some theorists talk it about in terms of postmodernism, which is one way of saying that our culture has become fractured...the result is a loss of personal anchors needed for identity. We found that tattoos provide this anchor. Their popularity reflects a need for stability, predictability, permanence and identity.”
What is temporary tattoo facts? ›
Temporary skin tattoos don't last long, which explains their growing popularity. They begin to crack and rub off bit by bit in around a week. However, sometimes you want to remove the temporary tattoo sooner. In other cases, they may last longer than expected — and you need to find a way to remove them.
What does the the Bible say about tattoos? ›
Today they're common everywhere from Maori communities in New Zealand to office parks in Ohio. But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing. Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.”
Why is henna illegal in the US? ›
Henna, a coloring made from a plant, is approved only for use as a hair dye. It is not approved for direct application to the skin, as in the body-decorating process known as mehndi. This unapproved use of a color additive makes these products adulterated.
When were temporary tattoos popular? ›
However, it's important to note that the first-ever temporary tattoos were likely henna or Mehdi art. This art form has a deep history in cultural and personal expression for people in Egypt, Pakistan, India, Africa, the Middle East, and more. But it didn't become popular in the U.S. until the 1990s!
What is the meaning of temporary tattoo? ›
A temporary tattoo is a decorative image that can be applied to the skin for short periods of time. Most temporary tattoos are novelty items made with a special type of decal. A process known as screen printing is used to create the tattoo image on paper coated with a transfer film.
