I love a
well done tattoo that has meaning. It is absolutely art when done by a professional. Especially 3D tattoos. Take a look at some of these puppies:
However, I think a lot of people see tattoos the wrong way. Like them get them purely for the sake of getting them, you know? Like it makes you bad-ass for having a tattoo or something. Especially something without meaning. Like some shitty tribal tattoo you got because it looks cool, while you have no clue what it represents or even what tribe it relates to. Or like some 35-year-old overweight dude with a masculinity complex who gets barbed wire tattooed across his bicep. Fuck that.
Piercings I see the same way I guess. Some are bland, boring, and uninspired. Others, however, can be very unique and interesting. Again, it depends a lot on the person. A lot of people take it over the top, again, for the sake of going over the top. You know the whole, "Hey look how crazy I am for having 22 pounds of metal driven into my skull!" bit.
Why do you think having a tattoo/piercing equates to being trashy?