To embrace being pale!

[Boo2012]

Hi all, I'm very fair and freckle. Ginger/Strawberry blonde. I have been tanned in the past. Mainly when I was younger from the sun. But I'm more careful now I'm older. I've tried fake tan but I'm not great at it plus I have eczema so it doesn't all agree with me.

Anyway, like I said I'm trying to be much more careful in the sun. When I was younger I was guilty of getting burnt. I've never been a sun worshipper who sits in it all day though. But I've been sunburnt a fair few times.

My own mother is exactly that - a sun worshipper. She just sits in it for hours and puts oil on to burn. No good for anyone but that's her choice.

I seen my mum recently. I had some shorts on. She told me that my legs were too white for it and I should tan them up before wearing shorts again. Aibu to think that's really bleddy rude? It takes a lot of confidence for me to wear a pair of shorts as it is as not so skinny since having dc.

I agree a tan looks incredible but aibu to think people should embrace pale too? Particularly those fair headed people like me who are more at risk of the sun rays. My mum is naturally much darker skinned than me anyway. I don't know where I get the ginger gene from tbh.

So yes aibu to embrace the pale? And just think bugger it I'm going to go out with shorts and pale legs. It's so hot here! 😒

I don't have enough time to sit in the sun (with suncream) to even get a slight tan. I'm just not a fan of sitting around in it.

@MedusasBadHairDay

I nearly got sent home from school once because I looked too pale, I had to point out that it was my normal skin colour 😳 Bit awkward.

I've had that. They thought I was going to faint!

Another pale and ginger here.

I've had all the comments, milk bottle legs, you need to eat more meat, get your iron checked, are you ill, etc.

Very tricky finding a foundation that matches my skin, I always seem to have the staff at the counter pushing to go a shade darker and use a bronzer. Each to their own, but it's not me. I look ridiculous.

Actually it's true that both kids came out at times saying that teacher asked today if they were feeling well because they looked ...pale.

YANBU

Another pale ginge here! Only recently have I started embracing the pale. Wearing dresses etc. I used to be so paranoid about my legs being pale now not so much.

I'd ignore what your mum says and just embrace your healthier more natural self.

I do need to up the sun cream though! I lack in that department.

My DD is beautiful and alabaster with red hair. No fake tan and she looks stunning. Orange is not the only fruit !

I'm not pale but I tend to burn really easily, plus, I just dont like how a tan looks. My mum is a massive sun worshipper and I think her skin now looks aged rather than brown.

Imo tanned people look older than pale people. I'm happy staying pale and skin cancer free

I use tretinoin so I have no option but to keep away from the sun and embrace my paleness. I honestly don’t think anyone cares although I will admit I don’t get out my legs in public.

Yanbu.

I'm so pale everyone always comments on it saying how I look ill and I need to get a tan. I have been horribly burnt with huge blisters everywhere far to many times when I was younger. I then stayed a tiny bit tanned before turning back bright white again each time.

I embrace having pale skin now. I still get constantly told I need a tan and I am sick if it. It is so rude to tell people to risk their health to conform to what society considers as good looking.

People's attitudes need to change not their sunbathing habits.

@UthredofBattenberg

Another pale and ginger here.

I've had all the comments, milk bottle legs, you need to eat more meat, get your iron checked, are you ill, etc.

Very tricky finding a foundation that matches my skin, I always seem to have the staff at the counter pushing to go a shade darker and use a bronzer. Each to their own, but it's not me. I look ridiculous.

I must have found an unusual makeup counter the only time I was looking for bronzer - they looked at me and admitted they had nothing light enough!

Dark hair, green eyes, pale skin and freckles here. I look like a ghost in winter. I do go very gently less blue in the summer, but have had plenty of "gosh, aren't you pale" comments. I've given up caring.

It's so so so rude, basically not even hiding the fact they think you look shit! Does my head in!

I am so pale that people at work used to come and stand near me when their tan was fading so they could check! Used to make me laugh, pale and interesting all the way.

I'm pale and whilst I've self tanned in the past not very effectively I might add. I now don't bother and embrace it.

I have once had a girl/ young women comment about how pale is was to her friends whilst on holiday she was very tanned and wearing a very fetching gold bikini I should of said something back but I was young so just ignored.

I'm allergic to fake tan and don't want cancer so I'm pale all the time too. Nobody's ever insulted me for it. In fact in the last couple of years I think it's becoming more trendy as I've even had some compliments!

Also not tanning means you'll age slower!

I'm getting so sick of people who think they have a right to comment on someone else's appearance!
Be proud of your pale legs!!

Excuse my ignorance but do really pale people suffer from some sort of shame for being pale? Really?

They absolutely do. I'm very pale but in Ireland so it's not atypical. Still, was always encouraged to 'get a bit of colour on your limbs' growing up...told clothes didn't look good without a bit of a tan, whether real or fake. I don't tan easily, burn easily instead, get heat rash etc so never felt attractive wearing shorts or short skirts in the summer. Sensitive skin meant fake tans often caused rashes too.

A friend got in trouble for saying she was too white in the States some years ago. She was being self-deprecating and complaining about her skin colour (as was very common at home where a tan was seen as much more attractive), but was unfortunately misunderstood. Working in the States as a student myself, I once managed to burn quite badly in literally 3 minutes while chatting outside with colleagues. (We were standing in front of a large reflective window - won't make that mistake again.) The colleagues - mostly of Spanish and Italian heritage - couldn't believe it. Word spread and we had many visits to our office over the next couple of days by others in the building who came to wonder at the scientific curiosity!

I've embraced the pale now that I'm older though
It's a much better idea OP.

@MedusasBadHairDay

I nearly got sent home from school once because I looked too pale, I had to point out that it was my normal skin colour 😳 Bit awkward.

I must confess...

If I've felt like a day off work, I will put a little bit of purple eyeliner around the edges of my eyes. It makes me look like death and I get sent home