Ankle Tattoos

A band that wraps all the way around, just above the bone, is the first thing most people look for in temporary ankle tattoos. It reads like an anklet you never have to take off, and it's the only one of the three families here that circles the leg.

• Bands and anklets: a fine line, a chain of dots, a wider floral or geometric strip.
• Small motifs for the ankle bone: celestial symbols, little flowers, animal outlines.
• Short lines and single words set lengthwise on the inner ankle, just behind the bone.

Which one fits depends on how much you want it seen.

Spot, size and sock line

Measure before you order a band. Wrap a strip of paper around your leg where it is slimmest, about two fingers above the bone, and compare that length with the format listed on the design. If it comes up a little short, turn the open end toward your heel. Single motifs are simpler. The outer ankle bone shows with sandals, low-cut socks and cropped jeans; the inner side stays more discreet. Keep the whole design above the point where your socks stop.

That last detail matters for wear. Sock cuffs and shoe collars rub this area all day, and the foot just below is one of the spots where color fades fastest, so temporary ankle tattoos tend to sit at the shorter end of the one-to-two-week range. Water is fine: showers and a swim won't lift them. Expect a pale design on day one, since the jagua-based ink needs 24 to 48 hours to develop into blue-black. More on that in how long temporary tattoos last.

Looking for the top of the foot or the toes? That's foot tattoos. The smallest formats of all are in tiny tattoos, and the same formats, sized just as small, in wrist tattoos. Initials or a date running around the ankle in a fine line can be printed as a custom tattoo, minimum order 3 copies.