Tattoos of the day

Interview with Mandy Bronner

1. What is your current occupation?

Business owner and fashion designer for Miss Happ clothing & accessories

2. What is the reason for you deciding to get a tattoo or tattoos?

I have always wanted a tattoo - from way back in my school days!

3. Tell me about your tattoo/s and the symbolic or personal meaning behind them?

I have quite a few now, it's hard to count as they are beginning to all join up! I started with a little black butterfly at the base of my neck which my artists calls (to this day) a little black job! The day I had it done I also got a little blue flower on my hip - always a person of extreme's I had to do 2 in one day - even for my first time!

My second one was a phoenix at the bottom of my back down my right side stretches from my bra strap to my bum. It's in full colour and is more an oriental style. 

Then I had a stunning old school rose with an anchor in the middle which sits on my shoulder - it's a fairly big size. I love old school tattoos, the look and the history behind them so it was perfect for me.

Next I was going through a bit of a victorian fascination and wanted a portrait of some sort, so we decided to work from a photo of my Gran taken in the 1940's – she was beautiful and such a lady! She has pretty pearls wrapped around her head and is surrounded by roses and vines and a moth. It's still one of my favourites. She sits on my other shoulder and takes up the whole shoulder to my phoenix. We eventually joined the two pieces with roses so that it becomes one.

Then it was my birthday and as a prezzie my artist added a cute traditional horse shoe to the blue flower on my hip – very old school and very sweet. I needed lots of luck that year so it was perfect for me at that time!

Then following on with the more victorian look I decided to have a cameo style portrait on the inside of my right forearm, but wanted a more Spanish Senorita feel with curly hair and a scarf in her hair. I also had the word "patience" put in a banner below her – something I do not have, but need more of!!

Then I travelled overseas and came back with the most amazing 1950's pin up swing dress with pretty island pinup girls, hibiscus and frangipani's all over it. I am a Durban-by-the-sea girl originally and just loved this! I grew up with a frangipani tree outside my bedroom window! I showed the dress to my artist for inspiration and my next tattoo was born. I have a pinup girl in a swim suit sitting in a large orangey red hibiscus on my thigh which I adore!

After this I decided it was time to show off all this amazing art from an artist I love and take the plunge…I started work on my sleeve. First Milo did the most amazing WW2 fly girl with a proper leather flying cap and goggles – you can even see the folds and worn look of her hat! Underneath her is a B25 bomber – it's actually the Miss Happ bomber – the plane that my clothing brand is named after. We wanted to stick to the more 40's theme, although the style is more new school than old school – the subject matter is pure old school though! Underneath the bombs are super cool bombs in black and white. I can say this is my best piece – the art is amazing!!

Then we carried on with this and added some more flowers in a more Japanese style – the Miss Happ bomber had flown in the Doolittle raid against tokyo in retallition to the bombing of Pearl harbour, so we had to add a Japanese Zero fighter plane – if you look carefully you will even be able to see the pilot..and he's yellow because he's Japanese!! He's about 7mm tiny!

And…down the arm we carried on working on the outside of my forarm and this time we moved into the 1950's with a stunning blue 1957 Chevy. I am a chevy girl at heart – and always have been! From when I used to go to car shows with my dad as a kid it was always the Chevy's I loved. She's super cool and has the best back/tail fins too!

I had a strange open space by my elbow so we decided to do an oldschool sailor in his uniform!  My most recent one – as of yesterday is a photo-real 1950's Zombie lady on my right thigh– very pretty, and very green! Her skirts become a deep maroon rose. She's almost done – we are just need to add sunrays behind her so that it's a similar shape to the Hibiscus pinup on my left leg.

 

4. Do you think in 40 years time you would still love your ink?

Absolutly. This is me. I am comfortable with who I am and where I am at this point in my life. I think that when we get to our 80's there are going to be a bunch of super cool tattooed grannies and granpa's!! I look at the tattoos on my arms and legs every day and love them!

5. Do you think tattoos have become more of a trend than it being something with meaning or a way of expression?

I think tattoos go through phases and different trends. In the 90's everybody was getting tribal now it's taken a turn to back old school..Everything goes full circle I guess. I think it's become more acceptable too. Far more people in the work place, on tv and in the movies are wearing amazing tattoos. It's not so taboo anymore