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Slide 10 of 12

Harry Styles's Torso Tattoos

Swallows Tattoos
Styles' torso tattoos are probably his most iconic. He has two swallows on his chest, and he told "Us Weekly" in 2012 that they symbolised travelling. "I got two swallows on my chest. I like that kind of style of tattoos, like the old sailor kind of tattoos. They symbolize travelling, and [One Direction] travel a lot!" One of the swallows also covers a previous tattoo that was a banner with the word "love" on it.

Butterfly Tattoos
He also has a large butterfly on his sternum that comes out to play often enough, but sadly, Styles hasn't ever shared exactly why he stamped this ink on himself.

Laurel Branch Tattoos
Styles used to have a tattoo on his lower stomach that said "Might as well," but he covered it with a pair of laurels — or fern leaves, depending on who you ask. He hasn't given a reason behind this tattoo, but as you can tell by how many cover-ups he has, he clearly just gets tattoos that make him happy in the moment and sometimes changes his mind later.

Theatre Masks Tattoo
Two traditional theatre masks are inked on Styles' left side.

Birdcage Tattoo
Styles' birdcage is tattooed on his left side.

SMCL and X Tattoo
Under the birdcage are the letters SMCL, which supposedly mean "smile now, cry later," which ties this all in with the theatre masks if it's correct.

17 Black Tattoo
This tat is on Styles' chest, and the tattoo artist who did it told British GQ that he got it because he'd lost some money gambling on 17 black.

Small Cross Tattoos
Styles has a couple small crosses on his chest, presumably for loved ones.

Broken Heart Tattoo
There's a small broken heart near one of his swallows on his chest.

Image Source: Getty / Dave J Hogan