21 of the Coolest Tattoos To Get With Your Bestie
There are very few relationships — if any at all — that are more meaningful, intimate, and solid as a rock than that of best friends.
Near or far, good times or bad times, there's no question that our ride-or-die will be our biggest cheerleader and a real-talk coach whenever we need it.
And for the BFFs who know their connection will stand the test of time, swapping those matching necklaces for a pair of tattoos, that are as unique and goofy as their bond, is a true celebration of love and life.
RELATED: Whitney Cummings Got a Tattoo Honoring Her Best Friend Jennifer Aniston
Comic Relief
Have a bestie who is snort-through-your-nose hysterical? And when the two of you are together, you never stop laughing? These tiny matching tats by Canadian artist Joanna Roman make a big impact, reminding you of all the good times you've had together.
I Heart You
Sweet and simple, this dainty design captures the love between friends. You can opt for identical hearts, but we love the solid and outlined version. Wear it on your wrist or your body part of choice.
RELATED: Everyone's Getting Dainty Tattoos Right Now
Circling Stars
A true friendship is like a circle; it's neverending. What better to illustrate this unbreakable bond than with two shooting stars in a circular orbit?
Will You Accept This Rose?
For the friend who always reminds you to live la vie en rose, matching rose tattoos are a playful interpretation of this life philosphy. Opting for a clean palette and strong, detailed outline make it lovey, but not necessarily romantic.
Sisters With Treasures
Talk about pirate's booty. These colorful octopi designs — and their placement — are a bold expression of friendship, sisterly love, or in this case, both.
Rock Out
If you've found your mosh pit partner for life, getting matching symbols of your favorite band, like this duo's shared love of The 1975, is a cool way to show your mutual interests and your friendship's artistic side.
Lyrical Love
Do you and your bestie share a favorite song? Getting inked with combined musical notes and lyrics will play tribute to it and your friendship. "They kind of mesh into one tattoo when they're together, but then they also stand alone as well on their own," says Roman. You can even apply the same idea using a line from a favorite book or poem, she adds.
Papaya Halves
Not looking for your best friend ink to be too sentimental? These split papaya tattoos keep the mood fun and light.
Carnival Queens
If the party doesn't stop when you and your bestie are together, then these carnival queen tattoos couldn't be more appropriate. They're a celebration of female strength, friendship, and let's not forget, bacchanalia.
Minimal Portrait
There's nothing quite like the bond between sisters who are also best friends. These minimal portrait tattoos take inspiration from a childhood photograph. The result is heart-warming.
Celestial Symbols
Some friendships are a frick and frack type deal whereas others are more opposites attract. If you and your bestie fall into the latter camp, going with a tat like this sun and moon design is a solid choice.
Fly Away Home
"A big trend that I've been seeing lately are matching butterflies," Roman tells us. "That can mean that [BFFs] get the exact same one if they want it to be a serious match. But I've also seen people get different variations of the same kind of thing, maybe playing with different angles or colors, so they're cohesive but they're not identical. It gives them a little bit of individuality as well."
Head in the Clouds
Sick of always being told to stay grounded? These matching tattoos take having your head in the clouds to new heights. We love its positive and surrealist spin.
Family Ties
If your bestie squad pulls double duty as sibs or cousins, choosing a tat that honors the tie that binds you all together (in this case, it's their grandmother) is as meaningful as it is heartfelt.
Some Like It Hot!
Does your BFF dynamic run more spicy than sweet? Or did your friendship first blossom in the dorms over a shared love of hot sauce? Whatever the background story, this set of jalapeños shows off your bond's playful, saucy side with a mini size, cartoon style outline on the ankle. "Especially for people new to the tattoo culture, an ankle is a very easy segue into the tattoo world," Roman says.
Avocado Halves
Is there anything more fun or sweet than smiley-faced dancing avocado halves waving a heart to each other? No, there is not.
Paradise Found
This lush garden scene playing out on a half sleeve and upper back is head-turning. While you could infuse color into these tats, we're partial to the monochrome black outline. It's subtle and cool.
Est. 1993
Soft, thin script of a specific year, whether it's the other's birth year, the year you first met each other or another important year for your friendship altogether, is as sweet as can be.
Flower Power
Flowers make some of the most popular tattoo designs. On the one hand, a floral asethetic is both lovely and timeless. But there's also the symbolic meaning that certain flowers hold. This pair chose to go with an interwoven lotus and spider lily when creating their customized bouquet.
Royal Connection
Establish your permanent royal status to one another with majestic and powerful matching crown tattoos, so you are free to live like the queens you are.
To make this design — or any tattoo art — look amazing for BFFs with different skin tones is NBD. "There's a lot of under-representation in the tattoo industry as a whole when it comes to darker skin tattoos," says Roman. "I don't think that just because you have a darker skin tone, you couldn't get that small, fine line tattoo. It's just obviously going to look a little bit different, but the artist would make those alterations to make sure that what comes up on the skin tone transitions into a heal the way you want it to look."
Opposites Attract
Is your bestie the ying to your yang? Celebrating your different personalities, while also recognizing that together, they are a sign of harmony that just works, with an all-caps font that states exactly how you support one another says it all.
VIDEO: Chrissy Teigen Paid Tribute to Her Late Son, Jack, with a New Tattoo
