My mother raised me to think that tattoos were Satan's doodlings. The stigmata of the criminal class, tattoos belonged on the burly forearms of merchant seamen or all-in wrestlers. In our house, tattoos were filed under the heading of "common", which also included pierced ears for infants and eating in the street.But these days, even girls from very conservative families may have a "tatt" somewhere on their person.Tattoos have gone up in the world. Wife of the former British Prime Minister, Samantha Cameron has a dolphin on her ankle. Dame Judi Dench's daughter gave her mother a "Carpe Diem" tattoo for her birthday. There's something undeniably stylish and joyously defiant about having an Horation aphorism inked on your 81-year-old wrist, although Dame Judi said the effect was somewhat diminished when her fellow cast members thought it meant "fish of the day".So has the tattoo really lost its stigma?A study by the University of St Andrews done in 2013 found that no matter how intelligent or articulate a job applicant, if they have a visible tattoo, most employers will privately think they are "unsavoury" or even "repugnant"; other research suggests that tattoos can be attractive to companies aiming at a younger demographic. Still, you don't get too many High Court judges with a snarling panther wrapped round their throat.I reckon most people over 50 will always feel deep down that a tattoo is graffiti on the temple of the body. Look at those red roses on Cheryl Cole's lower back and weep for loveliness desecrated. Any tattoo to mark a romance is asking for trouble.But employers should think twice before rejecting a young candidate with a tattoo. Once the sign of a rebellious spirit, these days they are more likely to be sported by a conformist who is desperate to fit in. True mavericks have long moved on to tragus piercings.- ©The Telegraph..