11 daring outfits Lady Gaga has worn that show off her tattoos

In the early days of her career, Lady Gaga wore a studded bodysuit that shot fireworks from its bodice and showed her shoulder tattoo.

She also wore fishnet tights, heeled boots, and leather gloves with the outfit that showed her ink: a cluster of daisies.

A few days later, she wore a mirrored minidress with no sleeves, revealing her wrist tattoo.

As Refinery29 reported, Gaga once told radio host JoJo Wright that the peace sign tattoo was inspired by John Lennon.

"You will notice that if you're looking at it, it's upside down, but for me, it's right side up," she said. "The reason I had it put upside down is because I wanted it to be a reminder to me that, even though I write fun music about sequins and panties and fame and money, I make sure to always keep in mind the important things."

At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, Gaga donned a corseted leotard that showed a new tattoo on her left bicep.

The ink — a quote from poet Rainer Maria Rilke tattooed in German — could be seen directly underneath her puffed sleeve.

PopSugar reported that it translates to: "In the deepest hour of the night, confess to yourself that you would die if you were forbidden to write. And look deep into your heart where it spreads its roots, the answer, and ask yourself, must I write?"

While performing in 2010, the musician wore a two-piece set that showed a hip tattoo she'd gotten from Kat Von D.

Von D tattooed a floral design on Gaga around 2008, as the Daily Mail previously reported.

A resurfaced video of their encounter shows Von D tattooing Gaga next to a car as they chat about their respective careers. Von D also asked the musician about her family, and whether or not they like her tattoos — Gaga said they do.

Speaking with Billboard in 2010, the tattoo artist said she "had no idea" who Gaga was at the time.

"She wanted to get these roses on her hip. She came in and was this little firecracker," Von D said. "And I said, 'What are you all about, your music and stuff?' And she goes, 'I'm here to make it huge. I'm going to make it big.'"

"She'd just moved to LA and I was like, 'Yeah, yeah, you and everyone else.' I didn't say that, but cool, whatever happens," Von D continued. "I swear, like three days later her face was everywhere. But man, she did it. It was really cool to see that."

You probably remember Gaga's meat dress in 2010, but you might not have realized that some of her tattoos peeked out of it.

Because the garment was sleeveless, it showed the heart-shaped tattoo with "Dad" written inside it on her left shoulder blade.

According to Refinery29, Gaga got the tattoo after her father had open-heart surgery.

At the 2011 International Emmy Awards, Gaga wore a black gown with a giant cutout across its skirt that revealed a thigh tattoo.

The asymmetrical gown was the perfect garment to showcase the tattoo.

Done in blue and black ink, it depicts a unicorn with a banner that reads "Born This Way" wrapped around its horn.

She essentially wore a wedding dress for a London outing in 2012, and showed a shoulder tattoo in the process.

Her lace ball gown was strapless, which made for the perfect silhouette to show her "Tokyo Love" tattoo.

She told Interview Magazine in 2009 that the ink was an ode to Japanese photographer Araki, who she once visited a members' only bar with. There, Araki painted portraits of Gaga and took photographs of her and their friends throughout the night.

"I was honored to be the first American woman he's photographed, and only the second pop artist, in the company of Björk," she said. "He signed the Polaroids 'Tokyo Love,' and the Haus got tattoos of his marking in celebration."

During Paris Fashion Week in 2014, Gaga donned a Versace gown that highlighted ink on her rib cage.

Her hooded gown wrapped around her chest and had a floor-length skirt that she held with a small, fabric hook.

There were also triangle cutouts on each side of its bodice, showing Gaga's tiny anchor tattoo done by artist Henk Schiffmacher across her ribs.

The silver gown she wore to the 2015 Grammys perfectly complemented her two arm tattoos.

Designed by Brandon Maxwell, the sleeveless gown was both glamorous and daring thanks to its plunging neckline and thigh-high slit.

It also showed two tattoos on her arm. The first, according to Billboard, is a trumpet inspired and illustrated by Tony Bennett, the legendary musician and Gaga's frequent collaborator.

The smaller ink — which reads "12/18/1974" — is the date of her grandmother Joanne Germanotta's death.

At the start of 2018, Gaga wore a white bikini that showed an array of her tattoos, including a portrait of David Bowie.

The portrait mirrors the photo used as Bowie's "Aladdin Sane" album cover.

According to Refinery29, Gaga once said on Snapchat: "This was the image that changed my life."

This year, you could see Gaga's back tattoo at the Oscars.

Her long-sleeved Versace dress had a sheer corset bodice, a full skirt that reached the floor, and a crystal-embellished belt across her hips. The outfit was one of three she wore at the annual Academy Awards.

And because the back of the gown was see-through, you could see pieces of the "La Vie En Rose" tattoo on Gaga's spine, which references the iconic song by Édith Piaf that Gaga's character Ally sings in the 2018 remake of "A Star Is Born."