What were you inking?! Harry Styles has a whopping 55 TATTOOS – here’s what they all mean
His super-toned physique on display when he partied aboard a yacht with friends on the Italian Riviera last week delighted his millions of fans.
But it was singer Harry Styles’ huge array of tattoos, each with their own fascinating backstory, that caused the biggest stir.
Now The Mail on Sunday can reveal the clues behind each of the inks, and how they reveal what’s really going on in the former One Direction star’s life.
Friends of the singer say he has fallen in love with body art and has so far got 55 tattoos since getting the first one months after he rose to fame on ITV’s The X Factor.
From the large butterfly design on his torso to the two swallows and a black heart on his upper arm, some are tributes to his beloved relatives.
Others were inked after he lost bets, while others indicate his stance on political issues or to show his spiritual side.
Here we take a tour of the Sign Of The Times singer’s body art…
The Mail on Sunday has revealed the clues behind each of Harry Styles’ inks
1 Letter G – for his beloved older sister Gemma. They’ve been close since they were toddlers.
2 Swallows facing each other – used by sailors, swallows are a symbol of love and travel. Harry certainly does a lot of that.
3 17 Black – Harry is a big fan of James Bond and got this as a reference to his lucky roulette bet ’17 Black’.
4 Black Heart – denotes his grief over the death of his stepfather Robin Twist in 2017.
5 Three Nails – a sacred symbol demonstrating Harry’s belief in religion and spirituality.
6 Butterfly – represents the transformation of the star through the different stages of life.
7 Eagle – symbolizes courage and freedom, he got this to cover up a previous tattoo with the words ‘Thing’s I can’.
8 Two fronds – to show his growth, stamina and strength – covered a previous tattoo that read ‘Might as well’.
9 Anchor – a reminder for him to stay grounded, despite his worldwide fame and fortune.
10 Big tiger – a sign of determination. When asked what it meant, Harry replied, “Tiger, Roar!”
11 Skeleton in a suit – he got this for Halloween in 2013 to show his love for Octoberfest.
12 Handshake – a symbol of equality, something Harry firmly believes in.
13 “Silver Spoon” words – a reminder that he was not born with privileges and should be grounded despite his success.
14 Anatomical heart – Harry had this done in 2012 to indicate that he wears his heart on his sleeve.
15 ‘You Booze, You Lose’ with an image of a bottle – Harry had this done in 2014 in the wake of a rough period in his life.
16 Holy Bible – a sign inked to showcase the star’s spiritual and religious beliefs despite his wild lifestyle.
17 The name Olivia: A tribute to his ex-girlfriend Olivia Wilde, although some fans have speculated that it is after the One Direction song of the same name.
18 The word ‘Colazione’ – which means breakfast in Italian – Harry’s favorite meal of the day.
Harry’s extensive array of tattoos caused a lot of excitement among fans
From a rose to 99p… the one you can’t see
Star – Harry’s first marking, done on his 18th birthday.
Mermaid – tribute to his father, Desmond Styles, an avid fisherman. It also symbolizes the Pisces zodiac sign and is a nod to his late grandfather, who was a Pisces.
‘R’ – in memory of his stepfather Robin Twist, who died of cancer in 2017.
Coat hanger – a symbol of the reproductive rights movement. Shows Harry’s support for abortion rights and feminism.
Ship – reminder that he is always on his way home.
Late Late – One Direction played a game of Tattoo Roulette on The Late Late Show with James Corden, when Harry lost he had to get it inked on his arm on the show.
Green Bay Packers – Harry is a fan of the NFL team.
Iced Gem Cookie – another tribute to his sister Gemma.
Hebrew letters – meaning Gemma, more love for his sister.
Second set of Hebrew letters that translate as “May I stay?” – a joke among Harry’s friends who think women are always trying to find ways to stay with him.
The mermaid tattoo is a tribute to his father, Desmond Styles, an avid fisherman
Pingu – Harry and Ed Sheeran had the same inking done in 2013 after a drinking session when they discussed how much they love the cartoon.
Small guitar – represents his passion for music.
Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon – rock group tribute.
Arlo and Jackson – recognition for his godchildren.
The word ‘Hello’ – done as a private joke with One Direction bandmate Louis Tomlinson, who has the word ‘Oops’.
Rose – symbolizes Harry’s hopes for romance.
Cross – shows Harry’s ambition to live his life spiritually.
Fly/Insect Tattoo – Done in 2017, it means imminent change.
LA + NY + LON – abbreviations for the three cities where he spends most of his time.
Letter ‘A’ – tribute to his mother, Anne Twist.
Key – former band member Tomlinson has the same decal in the same place to signify their close bond.
Padlock – inked by Ed Sheeran in 2013.
Shamrock – Tribute to LA’s Shamrock Social Club tattoo parlor, where Harry reportedly got most of his tattoos.
99p – a joke Harry likes with his American friends who say everything in the UK costs 99p.
Zodiac sign Aquarius – represents his birth sign.
Birdcage – he had this done in 2012, when One Direction was so haunted by fans they felt like caged animals.
Two theater masks – represents his love for live performance.
‘1967’ – year of birth of his mother, Anne Twist.
‘1957’ – birth year of his father, Desmond Styles.
‘SMCL’ – stands for Smile Now Cry Later – one of his mantras.
Half broken heart – supposed friendship symbol with Kings Of Leon’s drummer Nathan Followill.
Cross with letter B – his maternal grandfather was Brian and his paternal grandmother was Beryl. The B refers to both.
‘Mary’ – his grandmother’s middle name Beryl.
Palm tree – another nod to his sister Gemma who has the same tattoo in the same spot on her arm. Symbolizes eternity.
‘California’ – a tribute to the state.
The word ‘Brazil’: Harry revealed this during a concert at Rio De Janerio in 2014.
Words ‘Never Gonna Dance Again’ – lyrics from Wham song Careless Whisper.
Words – ‘Dance Again’: to show that Harry never likes a concert to end.
Crown Tattoo: Would be a reminder to believe in oneself.
Screw – all members of 1D except Niall Horan have this. They had done it to remind them to stay grounded.
The French and Spanish words ‘Oui’, ‘Non’, ‘Si’ and ‘No’: a joke to refer to Harry’s difficulty making decisions.