InkCraftHip Tattoo Designs for Men Below the Waistband
20 men's hip tattoos photographed on skin for InkCraftBy Uladzimir TumanauUpdated
A hip tattoo on a man sits where a waistband would cover it, on a hip that is usually narrower and straighter than the curve the placement is known for. Many of these hip tattoos for men are photographed in swim briefs by a pool, the rest with jeans or trousers in frame, or in close-up.
- watercolor · colourTry it on — Color watercolor tattoo on a man's hip
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork wolf tattoo on a man's hip
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork raven tattoo on a man's hip
- watercolor · colourTry it on — Color watercolor tattoo on a man's hip
- traditional · colourTry it on — Color traditional skeleton tattoo on a man's hip
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork demon tattoo on a man's hip
- ornamental · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey ornamental tattoo on a man's hip
- dotwork · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey dotwork tattoo on a man's hip
- illustrative · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey illustrative demons tattoo on a man's hip
- new school · colourTry it on — Color new school eagle tattoo on a man's hip
- geometric · colourTry it on — Color geometric tattoo on a man's hip
- neo traditional · colourTry it on — Color neo traditional bee tattoo on a man's hip
- tribal · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white tribal tattoo on a man's hip
- new school · colourTry it on — Color new school tattoo on a man's hip
- watercolor · colourTry it on — Color watercolor tattoo on a man's hip
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork anchor tattoo on a man's hip
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork wolf tattoo on a man's hip
- linework · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white linework bird tattoo on a man's hip
- neo traditional · colourTry it on — Color neo traditional cat tattoo on a man's hip
- illustrative · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey illustrative angel tattoo on a man's hip
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 men's hips, in numbers
- Body parts
- 1
- Black and grey
- 11
- Colour
- 9
- Most common style
- blackwork
A flatter hip and the line of the oblique
Many men have little curve between the waist and the hip, so the surface is closer to a flat panel sloping down and forward from the hip bone. The strongest line in the area is the ridge where the oblique muscle meets the top of the pelvis, running diagonally towards the front. Designs that follow that diagonal, such as a dagger, a feather, a koi, a vine or script set at an angle, sit with the body; a squared design set level looks tilted when you stand.
Because the hip is narrower, a man's hip piece usually reads best at a moderate size or as part of something that continues, up the side onto the ribs or down onto the outer thigh. Settle that route before the first session so the piece ends in a way the next one can join.
Waistbands, swim shorts and briefs
Trousers, belts and underwear bands all sit across this spot, which is what makes it private. Your swimwear decides whether it is ever seen: swim briefs show the whole hip, while board shorts cover most of it. With long swim shorts, a hip piece is largely a tattoo for yourself, and that is a perfectly good reason to have one.
Hair on the hip is usually light, thickening towards the lower belly and the thigh, so a piece kept to the upper hip avoids most regrowth. For the bone, the healing and the rub of waistbands in the first weeks, see the hip page.
Common questions
- Where does a hip tattoo go on a man?
- Over the side of the pelvis, from just above the hip bone down towards the top of the thigh, often angled forward along the line of the oblique. It sits under the waistband of most trousers, so it is covered day to day and shows with swimwear or a waistband worn low.
- How big should a hip tattoo be on a man?
- Around the size of a hand is a sensible starting point on a narrow hip, set on the flat panel below the hip bone. Much larger and the design wraps round to the back or down the thigh, which is fine if planned. Much smaller and it can look lost between waist and thigh.
- Will a hip tattoo show in swim shorts?
- In most board shorts, very little: the waistband sits across the hip and the leg covers the rest. Shorter swim shorts show the lower part, and briefs show nearly all of it. A piece that reaches up over the hip bone shows above the waistband of most swimwear.
- Which hip tattoo styles suit a man?
- Blackwork suits the flat panel below the hip bone: bold and simple, it reads at a glance when a waistband slips. Neo-traditional and illustrative subjects, a wolf's head, a raven or an eagle angled along the oblique, carry colour and fill a hand-sized space. For a small hip tattoo, a single bold symbol such as an anchor keeps its shape better than fine detail.
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.