We all know it – but that doesn't stop us being gobsmacked when the usual fashion victims fall prey to the latest fad.

So what's the latest must-have?

To be fair, it's an absolute corker.

If you want to be in with the it-girls, it seems you must now sport a white tattoo. That's right, a white one.

They cost the same as normal ones, are just as permanent and, it seems, are even more painful.

They are applied in the same way as ordinary tattoos but white ink is much thicker so the result stands out from the skin.

The result? Fans love them because, they say, they are subtle and charming. They are certainly being marketed that way.

A quick trawl of the internet brings up sites describing them as "secret pleasures" and "something just for you. Something to make you feel extra special, that no one else knows about." One site even calls them "the tattoos you can wear to work".

Now I've only seen pictures but, to be honest, they look a bit odd. At best, they look like the wearer has been branded – which some people might like, you never know – and at worst they look like scar tissue. Very attractive.

And anyway, isn't the whole point of tattoos to be noticed? To show off your individuality or tribal loyalty?

But, hey, what do I know?

No, white tattoos are great – even though they will fade if they are exposed to the sun and don't show up on very white skin. Which you are likely to have if you have lived through one of Britain's so-called summers.

But they must be great because they are the latest essential among the Hollywood elite – you know, such arbiters of good taste as Lindsay Lohan and assorted reality TV presenters. And Kate Moss.

She is said to have white ink hearts all up the side of her body. And that's a worry because, as we all know, where Kate leads others follow. Now that's fine if you have a body to die for and loads of cash. But for those of us who couldn't quite cut it on the catwalk, well you can imagine how it could end up.

It makes you wonder how people see themselves – though we probably know the answer. Shows like The X Factor prove our capacity for self-delusion is boundless.

Having said that, a trip around any town centre on a Saturday night has much the same effect.

Come on, we've all done it. We seize upon the latest fashion fad and parade around thinking we look wonderful. It's only when we look back that the truth hits us – and I can honestly say I didn't really look that good with multi-coloured hair and yellow eye shadow.

As the original fashionista Coco Chanel once said: "Fashion fades, only style remains."

What's the betting the fashion for white tattoos fades far faster than the tattoos themselves?

jane.percival@halifaxcourier.co.uk