David Beckham has had "VII" tattooed on his forearm, standing for his favoured number 7 shirt.
Style expert Stephen Bayley says using Roman numerals, particularly when used in the Times Roman typeface, does tend to lend a certain dignity. And that includes Beckham.
"To use Roman numerals in clocks and watches does tend to say: 'I'm a bit cleverer than you are.'
"By the intellectual standards of the locker room, Beckham is certainly showing lofty ambitions. It's a statement of sophistication but, at the same time, by having the tattoo on his inner arm, he is keeping quiet about it.
"There's also an interesting tension between the two sorts of statements he's making - the vulgarian taste for a tattoo and the relative sophistication of its content.
David Beckham has had "VII" tattooed on his forearm, standing for his favoured number 7 shirt.
"By the intellectual standards of the locker room, Beckham is certainly showing lofty ambitions. It's a statement of sophistication but, at the same time, by having the tattoo on his inner arm, he is keeping quiet about it.
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