Michelle Griffin NANNA loves Laura Cains's new tattoo. Ms Cains is decorated shoulder-to-wrist in smoky lacework, like the sleeve of a ghostly wedding gown. ''Nanna was always wanting me to show her the progress,'' says Ms Cains, 35, an assistant retail manager. Tattoos are all about the sleeve these days. From Collingwood footballers to MasterChef contestants to baristas - and, perhaps, barristers - Melburnians have started wearing their art on their sleeve. While there hasn't been a reputable tattoo census since 1998, when one in 10 Australians said they had at least one, more recent polls suggest a third of people under 30 have a tattoo. University of Queensland anthropologist Dr Mair Underwood - who is planning her first sleeve to celebrate her baby daughter - has interviewed lawyers, police officers and a clergyman about their body art for her documentary. Going big and visible right away, she says, seems to be mainstream for the first time. Tattoo Sleeves ''Sleeves are a much bigger deal than they were 15 years ago,'' says Brian Greydon, manager of Korpus Tattoo, an arthouse outfit sitting in Brunswick's bridal precinct.''Now people come in and go, 'I want a sleeve,' and it's their first.'' Advertisement For Ms Cains, the sleeve was a way to celebrate life after a severe asthma attack almost killed her. ''I decided it was time to embrace life and not wait,'' she said. Several long sessions at Chapel Street Tattoo and $2000 later, she's thrilled with the result. Luckily, so is