InkCraftFoot Tattoo Designs for Women, Along the Instep
20 women's foot tattoos photographed on skin for InkCraftBy Uladzimir TumanauUpdated
Ballet flats, court shoes and sandals all leave part of the foot bare, so a foot tattoo on a woman is often seen through the opening of a shoe rather than whole. The pieces that suit it run along the instep, where most shoe openings fall.
- Japanese · colourTry it on — Color Japanese koi fish tattoo on a woman's foot
- tribal · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white tribal tattoo on a woman's foot
- biomechanical · colourTry it on — Color biomechanical wolf tattoo on a woman's foot
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork tattoo on a woman's foot
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork tattoo on a woman's foot
- biomechanical · colourTry it on — Color biomechanical tattoo on a woman's foot
- fine line · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white fine line angel tattoo on a woman's foot
- biomechanical · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey biomechanical tattoo on a woman's foot
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork cherry blossom tattoo on a woman's foot
- dotwork · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey dotwork rose tattoo on a woman's foot
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork moth tattoo on a woman's foot
- ornamental · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey ornamental hummingbird tattoo on a woman's foot
- fine line · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white fine line tattoo on a woman's foot
- new school · colourTry it on — Color new school skull tattoo on a woman's foot
- watercolor · colourTry it on — Color watercolor sunflower tattoo on a woman's foot
- geometric · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white geometric owl tattoo on a woman's foot
- fine line · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white fine line owl tattoo on a woman's foot
- Japanese · colourTry it on — Color Japanese peony tattoo on a woman's foot
- watercolor · colourTry it on — Color watercolor tattoo on a woman's foot
- illustrative · colourTry it on — Color illustrative dragon tattoo on a woman's foot
Every pair is one tattoo: the design as it was drawn, and a photograph of that same design on the body.
These 20 tattoos on women's feet, in numbers
- Body parts
- 1
- Black and grey
- 12
- Colour
- 8
- Most common style
- blackwork
What each shoe shows of the foot
The cut of a shoe decides how much of a foot tattoo anyone sees, and most open shoes cut across the foot somewhere between the toes and the ankle. A piece that starts near the ankle and runs forward shows in the widest range of them; one that begins at the toes is whole only when you are barefoot or in sandals. Decide which end of the foot the design grows from before choosing what it is.
Straps are the detail to check. A T-bar, a toe loop or a crossover sandal lies across the foot at fixed points, and a design can either sit in the spaces between them or be cut up by them every summer. Bring your most-worn sandals to the consultation and try the stencil with them on.
A narrow foot and fine tendons
Many women's feet are narrow, with the tendons to the toes showing as fine ridges across the top. On a narrow foot a design has little width to spread into, so the pieces that fit best are long and slim, running from the ankle toward the second or third toe. Wide motifs have to shrink to fit, and shrinking is what closes up detail on a foot.
Tights add one more layer. Sheer ones show a foot piece as a faint shape through the nylon, and their reinforced toe covers the front of the foot, so the part of a design nearest the ankle is what stays readable in winter. The foot page is frank about the session, the healing and how often a foot needs retouching.
Common questions
- Does the side of the foot suit script?
- Yes, it is one of the placements that suits it best. The outer edge of the foot, from below the ankle bone toward the little toe, is long and narrow and shows in most open shoes. That edge rubs the inside of every shoe, though, so keep the letters firm and not too small.
- Will my foot tattoo stretch if my shoe size changes?
- Only slightly. Feet can lengthen or widen a little over the years and after pregnancy, and a design running along the foot stretches evenly with them. Symmetrical and geometric pieces show a change most; organic designs almost never do.
- Can a foot tattoo be hidden at work?
- In closed shoes, completely, and in court shoes or flats, partly: they cover the toes and the front of the foot and leave the upper instep bare. If your workplace needs it covered, keep the design on the front half of the foot, below the line where your work shoes open.
- What makes a small foot tattoo look classy?
- A slim shape that follows the foot, and a clean line. Fine-line flowers such as a rose, a peony or a sprig of cherry blossom can run from the ankle toward the toes, while a moth or a hummingbird fits the upper instep. Blackwork keeps a small piece readable for longest, because it has no fine detail to close up.
See it on your own skin first
InkCraft places a design on a photo of you — scaled, wrapped and shaded to the spot you pick, so you can judge the size against your own body before it is permanent.