Up until recently, I wasn't exactly sold on butterfly tattoos. Partially because of the way they often look (I've never wanted to get a huge, brightly colored blob of color on my body, tbh), but mostly because of how freakin' popular they've been in the last decade (does original even exist anymore?).
So if you're wanting a butterfly tattoo and feel caught in this very dilemma, let this roundup of fun, minimalist interpretations inspire your next design. Screenshot them, DM them to your best friend, and get ready for your new ink.
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A delicate half-butterfly
With lines this thin and small, your old-school grandparents might not even notice you have a tattoo.
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A geometric butterfly tattoo
I'm not sure a wing pattern like this actually exists in nature, which is what makes this butterfly feel super cool and original.
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Red butterfly tattoos
This red outline of this tattoo incorporates the vibrant color of a butterfly, but in a totally unexpected way.
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Flower-fly tattoos
When you take two popular tattoo designs—butterflies and flowers—and merge them together, you get something that feels refreshing and different, like this gorgeous hybrid.
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A minimalist moth tattoo
If you're not feeling the cutesy vibes of a butterfly, why not try an equally pretty moth? It's the perfect choice if you want to go the butterfly route, but also want something a little more ~unexpected~.
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An itty-bitty butterfly tattoo
This little guy is so cute it hurts—but not as much as getting it done probably felt.
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A butterfly and bouquet tattoo
At first, you might think this tattoo is just an assortment of flowers, but on second look, you'll find three hidden little butterflies.
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An ombre butterfly tattoo
This fade from black to negative space creates the effect of a butterfly's dimension, without having to go full-on colorful.
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A cluster of butterfly tattoos
Rather than getting one big tattoo (if you're not into that), try a smattering of smaller tattoos, like this pattern of falling petals and floating butterflies.
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A minimalist monarch tattoo
You don't need the bright orange shades in this design to tell that it's a Monarch butterfly. Case in point: this tattoo, which focuses on the butterfly's classic shape, black border, and white spotted detail.
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Teeny-weeny watercolor butterflies
If you're not a fan of the traditional black outlines of a tattoo, you might be into the organic look of this blended butterfly that fades from pink to blue with no harsh lines.
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A dainty butterfly outline
Sometimes where you put the tattoo is as important as what the design is. The location of these tiny wings in the center of her back is what makes it so clever.
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A butterfly finger tattoo
An adorable, nonthreatening butterfly design? That's one way to make your middle finger less offensive.
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A pastel butterfly tattoo
Thanks to the light strokes and faint touch of color, this tattoo feels as delicate as an actual butterfly.
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A bold butterfly with negative space
Balance out an intricate design with a light amount of shading and plenty of negative space.
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A watercolor wing tattoo
The obvious choice (nothing wrong with it! Just sayin') is to go with a super-saturated color scheme. But the intentionally faded shades of this tattoo feel soft and unique—just like a butterfly.
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A continuous line butterfly design
When you think butterfly, you think rich color and intricate design. This abstract silhouette features neither of those things, but still, somehow, is recognizable. How the tattoo artist drew this in one line I'll never understand, but props to them.
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This article originally appeared on Cosmopolitan.com. Minor edits have been made by the Cosmo.ph editors.