With summer fast approaching, many people will be showing more skin — which means showing off their tattoos too! And one area of the body that's a popular place, especially for a smaller tattoo, is the foot. When it's the season of flip-flops, beach days, and lounging by the pool, what better time is there to add some cute new ink to one's foot? There are so many ways to get creative with a cool, small foot tattoo!
Whether someone plans to live in strappy heels all summer or will spend most of the hot days without any shoes at all, a foot tattoo can be a really awesome (and permanent) accessory. A short quote tattoo, an empowering image, or a really simple black and white piece can be expertly placed on the foot and express a little personality. Foot tattoos are also a popular choice for those who want to be able to easily hide them for work.
Mermaid-inspired designs, travel tattoos, animals, and flowers are just a few of the many possibilities for a small foot tattoo. Foot tattoos have a reputation for being painful, but honestly they're usually worth it because they look so great! And if the chosen design is small and simple then it will be over in the blink of an eye.
Here are 50 really cute small foot tattoo ideas that can make the best summer accessories!
Sun & Moon Small Foot Tattoos
These small moon and sun foot tattoos are a classic, and they look really great mirroring each other on each foot. Perfect for showing off on beach days (and nights)!
Bumble Bee Small Foot Tattoo
This sweet, happy bumble bee is adorable and really sets a carefree, outdoorsy mood for summer. It has such a happy vibe!
Elephant Small Foot Tattoo
Just because a tattoo is small doesn't mean it's lacking in detail. This little elephant foot tattoo has amazing shading and line work!
World Map Small Foot Tattoo
World travelers would adore this world map foot tattoo. It's such a cool idea and it looks great along the side of the foot. Small world, huh?
Sunflower Small Foot Tattoo
The detailing on this small sunflower tattoo is phenomenal. And we love the placement on the round part of the foot — it fits so perfectly!
Infinity Small Foot Tattoo
An infinity sign is a simple, meaningful idea for a small foot tattoo for women. This one incorporates the word "love" and it turned out to be really cute!
Filigree Small Foot Tattoo
Filigree designs are cool because they can be customized however the person wants. This one has elements of dots, swirls, and flowers — it looks very delicate and pretty.
Turtle Small Foot Tattoo
This turtle design has a combination of really vibrant colors that totally bring it to life. It's really stunning!
Butterfly Small Foot Tattoo
A butterfly makes a great foot tattoo because it can be small and delicate. And really, butterflies look great almost anywhere. We love how this woman is showing hers off with super cute shoes that match the tat!
Dinosaur Small Foot Tattoo
This little dinosaur foot tattoo is quirky and cute! A simple line drawing like this would probably get done pretty quickly.
Toe Ornament Small Foot Tattoo
Toe rings are a common accessory, but how about toe tats? These are so fun and unique, and won't get lost like jewelry can!
Fox Small Foot Tattoo
The coloring in this fox is so well done! We love the subtle pops of pink — they give it a feminine twist.
Homer Simpson Small Foot Tattoo
How funny is this big toe tattoo of Homer? Simpsons fans will probably love this!
Leaves Small Foot Tattoo
Leaves are a sweet and simple option for a foot tattoo for women. This particular design is very clean and precise.
Mountain Range Small Foot Tattoo
A mountain range is a cool tattoo idea for the side of the foot, especially for adventurous types. While this tattoo is small, it still feels very majestic.
"Believe" Small Foot Tattoo
This "believe" tattoo gets a little extra pizzazz from the cute arrow design incorporated in it. And of course, it looks even better with those sassy sparkling stilettos!
Zodiac Small Foot Tattoo
A zodiac symbol is always a fun and personal tattoo to get. This Cancer got creative and went with a beautifully designed, colorful crab.
Lotus Small Foot Tattoo
Lotus flowers make really pretty tattoos, and this line drawing is no exception. We like it placed in the center of the foot — that make it easy to show off in flip-flops!
Hummingbird Small Foot Tattoo
This hummingbird design really soars at the center of the foot. Its expanded wings offer a sense of freedom and adventure to this small foot tattoo.
Anchor Small Foot Tattoo
An anchor is a popular and beautiful symbol for a tattoo. This one is small and delicate enough for minimalist tattoo lovers, and it's placed really strategically on the inner part of the heel.
Mandala Small Foot Tattoo
These mandala tattoo designs are so whimsical! They have a very bohemian aesthetic, and they really complement each other.
Birds Small Foot Tattoo
Three birds flying up the foot and ankle are a simple and clever tattoo idea for women. They look so pretty and can symbolize freedom or a love of nature.
Blossoms Small Foot Tattoo
These watercolor blossoms have such a pretty and bright color combination. It's a perfect tattoo to show off in the summer.
Palm Tree Small Foot Tattoo
For someone who lives somewhere tropical or who just loves to vacation, this palm tree could be the perfect foot tattoo. These ladies have matching ones, and they both look amazing!
Cherries Small Foot Tattoo
These sweet little cherries are a fun idea for a small foot tattoo! The contrast of the red and green really catch one's attention, but the design is still small and easy to conceal.
Ghost Small Foot Tattoo
Boo! This ghost tattoo is wicked cool for anyone who enjoys scary movies and haunted houses.
Weiner-Dog Small Foot Tattoo
Any dachshund owners out there? We're sure they would appreciate this super adorable line drawing for a foot tattoo.
Mermaid Scales Small Foot Tattoo
For anyone who secretly wishes she were a mermaid, how about getting some permanent scales? These look pretty amazing!
Anklet Small Foot Tattoo
Instead of wearing an ankle bracelet made of silver, how about one made of ink? This way, the pretty accessory can't get lost or break.
Polynesian Fishhook Small Foot Tattoo
A Polynesian or Hawaiian fishhook represents strength, good luck, and safe travels across water — all great sentiments of course. The detail in this one, prettily placed on the bearer's foot, is beautiful.
Hang Loose Small Foot Tattoo
It's kind of ironic to have a tattoo of a hand on a foot … but that doesn't mean it doesn't look really cool! This "hang loose" hand symbol is awesome for any surfer (or wannabe surfer).
Wanderlust Small Foot Tattoo
There are a lot of different ways to show one's love of travel in ink form, and one of them simply is to get the word "wanderlust." We really like how this small foot tattoo curves up and around the ankle and ends in a little globe.
Wave Small Foot Tattoo
A wave symbol is an ideal choice for a beach lover, and it can be very small and simple for the minimalist or for a tattoo newbie who doesn't want something that's big and painful to get.
Whale Small Foot Tattoo
There's something undeniably beautiful about aquatic animals, and this intricately patterned whale is a particularly artistic choice. Just gorgeous!
Simple Heart Small Foot Tattoo
For the minimalist, a simple heart outline is a tasteful and subtle choice. This one looks really cute with ankle pants and heels!
Wings Small Foot Tattoo
Reminiscent of Greek mythology, this wing tattoo on the ankle is really cool! Hermes was the Greek god of trade and a messenger for the gods, and he traveled by way of wings on his ankles.
Black Cat Small Foot Tattoo
Cat lovers will likely enjoy this cute little foot tattoo. The small black cat, stars, and crescent moon are a great combination.
Ant Small Foot Tattoo
This creepy-crawly ant has such realistic details! It's not for someone with myrmecophobia — that's a fear of ants! — but could work for a brave soul who's gotten over it.
Star Small Foot Tattoo
A star outline is another minimalist foot tattoo idea for women that's always a good choice, whether the bearer is into astronomy, enjoying starry nights, or just wants to remind herself how much of a star she truly is. This one is so delicate and has very clean, simple lines.
Rosebud Small Foot Tattoo
A rose tattoo is an elegant and romantic design that will be loved for a long time. We really like how this bud was placed on the rounder part of the foot.
"Memories" Small Foot Tattoo
Here, the old-school typewriter font pairs well with the word "memories" for a very vintage aesthetic.
Blue Daisy Small Foot Tattoo
This little blue daisy is so sweet. It works well for a foot tattoo because it's small and doesn't need anything extra added to it. Plus, it can be done in any color at all.
Stingray Small Foot Tattoo
A stingray is more unique animal choice for a tattoo, but it's also genius. Its shape makes a really amazing design!
Seashells Small Foot Tattoo
The shading on these seashells is phenomenal! And imagine how great this foot tattoo would look while walking on a sandy beach.
Fish & Flowers Small Foot Tattoo
This combination of fish and flowers in this foot tattoo is extremely pretty. We love the blue and pink details that give it a very mystical look.
Arrow Small Foot Tattoo
A simple arrow design looks so stylish running along the side of the foot. This design placement really takes a small tattoo to another level, perhaps representing how the bearer is always moving forward.
"Obscurial" Small Foot Tattoo
Fans of Harry Potter or Fantastic Beasts likely know what an obscurial is — it's a wizard who's suppressed his or her powers for so long that he or she gets overtaken by a dark-magical parasite. This design on the bottom of the foot is super unique! Just remember that tattoos on the bottom of the foot have a higher chance of fading quickly.
Quote Small Foot Tattoo
It's hard to go wrong with a meaningful quote. This tattoo has a really nice font, and it's short enough to work along the side of the foot.
Hello Kitty Small Foot Tattoo
Hello Kitty fans will surely appreciate this cute foot tattoo! We love how the pink bow matches her nail polish!
Lips Small Foot Tattoo
This lips tattoo is a fun idea for lipstick lovers. Although the foot may seem like an odd place to put it, there's actually a lot of history behind the idea of kissing folks on their feet.
