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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

....to be annoyed at playground talk of my white legs?

44 replies

Hiyoulot · 17/08/2011 23:45

I've been thinking about a comment a Mum made in the playground a while back. She came over to me and said, "Thank goodness you're here, now I'm not the one with the whitest legs in the playground".
I've typical skin for an auburn haired lady and the only way my legs would ever go brown would be if all my freckles joined up! I have no desire to go orange with fake tan (now noticed the playground is indeed becoming more orange) and was always not bothered about having pale skin but it unsettles me a bit that others are judging my legs! I mentioned it to some other Mums (thinking they would find it a funny story) but they then started on which tanning products would be good for me and how 'they don't all make skin look orange you know?!'

OP posts:
organicgardener · 17/08/2011 23:51

What's wrong with white legs Confused

Bloody hell.

debivamp · 17/08/2011 23:53

I would not worry about it. I am sure that you have more important things to think about than how white are my legs. People seem to be so shallow these days - I am sure you are far deeper than that.

MadamDeathstare · 17/08/2011 23:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

worraliberty · 17/08/2011 23:56

Oh lordy take a joke..surely that's all it was?

blackeyedsusan · 17/08/2011 23:58

i tend to keep mine covered up. the reflective glare of the sun can be confused with landing lights by low flying aeroplanes. they burn at the slightest bit of sun so would have to plaster in suncream.

Salmotrutta · 18/08/2011 00:00

Cheeky bints!
Just say "Oh yes, I'm so glad I don't look like a walnut sideboard"
The latest fashion amongst young girls seems to be turning themselves wood colour.

Original poster
Hiyoulot · 18/08/2011 00:00

worraliberty - yes I thought it was a joke until the other women earnestly told me how I could dye my legs. To be honest my real annoyance it at myself for getting annoyed and slightly paranoid!

OP posts:
carpwidow · 18/08/2011 00:01

I'll come and stand next to you - not only are they white, if the weather turns chilly they go purple and you can see all the little follicles where the hairs were shaved from and I look just like a plucked turkey on the draining board waiting to be stuffed at Christmas. Think yourself luckyHiyoulot :)
(and I'm still gorgeous!)

wherearemysocks · 18/08/2011 00:05

I thought really pale skin was supposed to be fashionable again? I hate the fake tan look.

organicgardener · 18/08/2011 00:06

You can get away with white skin (Neonish) is you shave frequently.

PortBlacksandIsLovelyInAutumn · 18/08/2011 00:06

I'm sure Nicole Kidman or Nicola from Girls aloud really care that they are pale / ginger. You are an English Rose Smile

FWIW i spent several months at one point in a tropical country - all of me went weak tea coloured / freckly (suncream obv) - except for my legs .... still 'English white' (Grrrr) ... much to the amusement of the locals .....

issynoko · 18/08/2011 00:13

I have very pale skin and used to get pissed off with a very tanned old sailor I knew going on about my 'London tan'. Now I just go around with my pale legs and don't care. Wish they weren't so hairy though - terrible combo - like Ernie Wise. Would these helpful women in your playground be telling dark skinned women to bleach their skin to suit fashion? Twats.

Original poster
Hiyoulot · 18/08/2011 00:27

Rant over. I will be pale and proud. As for the ginger auburn hair, I've had real fun on a couple of countries I've visited as it seems 'ladies of the night' typically dye their head red as a sign! Husband was greatly amused. Not so much as me though as when we went to Thailand. My husband is VERY hairy and we went on a boat ride then swimming in the sea. The locals on the boat couldn't stop staring at my husbands chest and a giggling local girl translated that they were saying 'monster'. Hee Hee. He took it very well!

OP posts:
CarnivalBizarre · 18/08/2011 00:30

I would love to be naturally tanned/dark skinned - I'm not though...I am naturally pale blue and look ill unless I am wearing make up

I hate the 'wiped with a wet tea bag' look and would never dare to bare my wobbly white body to a spray tanning specialist so I will be forever white and corned beef looking

RyvitaDiva · 18/08/2011 01:01

I've been blessed with very fair, freckly skin as well - I have never tanned well, and frankly now I can't be bothered. Life is too short to either lie in the sun, or spend hours applying lotions and waiting for them to dry - every fake tan I have ever tried has always streaked and smelt of over-baked biscuit.

I went on holiday recently and pretty much came back the same colour - but I don't mind - I think fair skin is attractive.

I would be tempted to say to playground woman - 'Oh no, I would never tan....' in a faintly snooty way.

MissMap · 18/08/2011 08:21

fair skin ages well- that's a consolation!

HairyGrotter · 18/08/2011 08:25

Cripes, I'm pale and interesting to the hilt when it comes to my pasty white legs, not fussed by peoples comments and I've had a few!

Hellishday · 18/08/2011 08:37

I am dark haired/eyed but very very pale.
I had a ST Tropez before going away for a week, which was so pale it was hardly there, but still came back whiter than when I went.
Dh was amazed at how pale I GOT as the well went on.
I do use factor 50 though.
Roll on autumn.

Hellishday · 18/08/2011 08:37

Week not well.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 18/08/2011 08:38

Another fair one here... I never tan, always burn. I don't have auburn hair though, it's mostly grey blonde. I think that for some women, the fake tans will always look a bit orange and it's even more risky if you have a blue-white skin.

GilbonzoTheSecretPsych0Duck · 18/08/2011 08:42

I have that sexy plucked chicken mixed with a bottle of milk look as well. I've given up trying to look brown. I can't even burn consistantly - I get patches of burn which go back to white within a week. Living in France, most of the mums in the playground are tiny petite and olive skinned. I look like the resident albino whale when compared. I've had to give up caring or I'd never pick my dcs up again.

TeelaBrown · 18/08/2011 09:36

How rude! Of course, OP, trying to change your natural skin colour is the height of vulgarity very sad and you should feel sorry for them. I'm a ginger redhead too, and I've always been told that fair is beautiful... remember the princess in fairytales was always described as the "fairest in the land"?? Also, living in Asia for a year and having women and children ask if they could touch me was quite fun(!)

Hiyoulot - which countries did you go to where prostitutes dye their hair red?? Grin

SardineQueen · 18/08/2011 09:50

People always say this sort of thing to me.

I just think well what do you expect you freak? I'm naturally blonde with very fair skin, I live in England and I normally wear trousers. If you have even glanced at me you will probably have twigged that I'm not the sort of person likely to go in for fake tan... So what do you expect?????

But then they're only making conversation, so it doesn't actually matter.

In this case though, the woman was trying to be friendly! She was saying "oh look you and me are the same, different to the others" which is a friendly overture so I think you should have responded with a smile!

Original poster
Hiyoulot · 18/08/2011 11:03

Teelabrown - re: ladies with red hair

  1. Somewhere in SE Asia (can't remember the town)
  2. A town in Tunisia. After being told, we saw a group of women who had dyed their hair red who obviously were 'working' the red hair!
OP posts:
workedoutforthebest · 18/08/2011 11:08

Well, my work colleague jokingly refused to walk out the car park with me as she said that my legs made hers look even more white (I'm black) :)