Betsey Johnson white lace T-shirt; Victoria’s Secret underwear.

Christie Griffiths claims people used TO think she was a boy. Yeah, hard for us to believe too. “I had a boy’s haircut until high school. People see old pictures of me and fall over laughing,” she insists. Look at her today.

Now working for a famous fashion designer, Griffiths has transformed from übertomboy to self-proclaimed “girly girl,” trading Umbro shorts and Adidas sneakers for Topshop dresses, Louboutin wedges, and, of course, her multiple tattoos. Griffiths is well aware she looks different than her non-inked fashionista coworkers. “I was told that if I continued getting tattooed, I wouldn’t be able to work in high-end fashion. Doesn’t make sense to me, but you can’t keep people from thinking what they want to think. I’m going to explore both my passions: tattoos and fashion.”

Still, she makes minor concessions, like covering up much of her ink while on company time. “I work for someone I look up to and am extremely grateful to represent. If that means dressing more conservatively, I will.” And she’s certainly not compromising when it comes to adding to her collection of (definitely girly) tattoos. Her first piece, a “so bad”—her words, not ours—butterfly tribal, recently metamorphosed with the help of Kike Castillo into her current favorite: three blue roses with wings. “I love giving an idea to the artist and letting them come up with a beautiful tattoo,” Griffiths explains of her ink MO.

Yes, the ex-tomboy certainly has bloomed and continues to pursue her fashion career, while taking classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology and playing the role of subway fashion police. “I hate when I see women commuting wearing dresses with socks and sneakers. Ugh. Seriously, buy some simple flats.” Got that, ladies?