Lydia, oh Lydia, say, have you met Lydia?

July 28, 2015 6:41 PM

Isobel Varley had her first tattoo when she was 49, then went to become a Guinness Record holder for the most tattooed female pensioner. She died recently. Part of a Guardian photo series of "Aged Rebels"[slightly NSFW]
posted by growabrain (17 comments total)

(Found via).
posted by growabrain at 6:42 PM on July 28, 2015

After a brief period of rigor, up the hill comes Andrew Jackson.

.
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 6:45 PM on July 28, 2015 [5 favorites]

When her robe is unfurled, she will show you the world
If you step up and tell her where
For a dime you can see Kankakee or Paree
Or Washington crossing the Delaware

(la la la la la la)
posted by growabrain at 6:47 PM on July 28, 2015 [1 favorite]

And on a clear day you can see Alcatraz, you can learn a lot from Lydia.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 6:48 PM on July 28, 2015

I wonder if anyone told her how ridiculous she was gonna look when she turned 50.
posted by phunniemee at 6:49 PM on July 28, 2015 [5 favorites]

She had commitment and nerve, I'll say that. Not everyone could rock a forehead penis butterfly.
posted by kinnakeet at 7:38 PM on July 28, 2015 [3 favorites]

*gets on their lawn*
posted by jonmc at 8:31 PM on July 28, 2015 [1 favorite]

I so love her smile! She looks like such a warm human being.
posted by E. Whitehall at 8:49 PM on July 28, 2015 [1 favorite]

My dad the Marx Brothers expert once told me that the "Lydia the Tattooed Lady" lyric originally had a bit that was changed by the studio, worried about offending the German market (the USA was not yet in the war).
It went:
When she stands her lap gets littler.
When she sits she sits on Hitler.
posted by w0mbat at 9:14 PM on July 28, 2015 [3 favorites]

.
posted by assenav at 9:59 PM on July 28, 2015

And he sings to her nightly, he says
"Lydia, oh, Lydia, I wish I didn't get ridda ya
Lydia, I miss your rose tattoo
There's some things I can't forget
Oh, honey, why did I dis ya? You can learn a lot from Lydia
I gotta move it like this
posted by daninnj at 11:18 PM on July 28, 2015

Ok I am a Marx Brothers ignoramus, I had to look up this song you're all quoting.

But Isobel looks awesome, and I'm glad that she discovered something she loved and pursued it, damn whatever expectations society had of what women in their 50s-plus are meant to do and look like.

And the rest of that photo series is pretty great too. Why are only young people allowed to have strange/kinky/abstruse interests? Kink and needlepoint? Why not!
posted by Athanassiel at 12:31 AM on July 29, 2015 [1 favorite]

And the rest of that photo series is pretty great too.

Yes! Those are photos containing a lot of stories; every one made me want to know more.
posted by Dip Flash at 3:49 AM on July 29, 2015 [1 favorite]

From this one:

"Paul ‘Elvis’ Chan used to own Gracelands Palace Chinese restaurant on the Old Kent Road in Peckham – the Las Vegas of London. "

Lovely. Wildly, hopelessly wrong, but lovely.
posted by fatfrank at 5:43 AM on July 29, 2015

If I had the money - I'd have my entire body done. Though probably not my skull, just from the neck down.
posted by Sophie1 at 6:50 AM on July 29, 2015

She looks like she was a super fun lady.

\m/
posted by St. Hubbins at 7:27 AM on July 29, 2015

The fire breathing photo is fantastic.

Also, I should make an appointment with my tattoo artist soon.
posted by gingerbeer at 7:31 AM on July 29, 2015 [1 favorite]