As 2024 draws near its end, we come to that time when everyone gets the crystal ball out and starts forecasting what will happen in 2025. This is particularly true when any issue of fashion is concerned, with predictions galore for everything from hair and makeup to home interiors.

Tattoos are no exception, and there are plenty of ideas about what will be in fashion next year. The question is, how seriously should you treat them? It’s worth asking as you order new stock, like stencil supplies.

In all these cases the reality, which soon reveals itself as you read through these predictions, is that there is seldom a consensus on what will be in fashion.

That means there are three approaches you can take to such predictions: Look for any areas of consensus that do exist; try to take your own guess, or ignore any attempts at predicting and just deal with whatever clients ask for.

Tattoo Trends predicted that 2025 fashions will include patchwork tattoos, which consist not of one single tattoo, but a series of smaller images bundled together. It is forecasted that this will be very popular with younger people.

Another one tipped to be a hit with youngsters is Lo-Fi aesthetics, apparently because their lack of specific meaning appeals to those with a post-modern mindset. Cherries or the words ’why not’ in a minimalist design are among the “meaningless” designs they are tipped to go for.

Some very small and dainty types of tattoos are also on this list, including mini heart tattoos and minimalist finger tattoos, while bolder designs include images of jewellery and the distinctive Memphis Patterns, which evoke the 1980s Memphis Group style.

Scripts, lower back tattoos and portraits complete the site’s list, with these, of course, being anything but new fashions.

So, you may ask, how does that compare with other sites? According to Mastering Tattoos, there is a very different outlook. Popular tattoos will be eco-themed, inspired by nostalgia and a love of retro, feature smart black and white designs, or ‘whimsical and colourful designs’, which at least would match up with the Memphis style.

These are just a couple of examples of the very varied lists of predictions. Many of the things that are forecast are hardly original, so it is questionable whether you will be caught by surprise very often.

If you do encounter something very novel, that’s fine; you can treat it as a learning experience. After all, even if something really does emerge as a dominant trend, there will still always be the occasional left-field request.

Of course, there are bound to be some popular tattoos in the year ahead. Come May, fans of football teams who have won trophies or got promoted may want to celebrate in an inky style. And at other times of year, new fashions and trends may emerge suddenly.

Indeed, there is no reason for the end of one year and the start of a new one to be the time when it becomes clear what is going to emerge soon. It can be very easy to look at the year ahead as if we know what is coming, when the reality of life is we don’t. That is why every tattooist should be looking out for new styles and trends all year round.