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Original poster

Orange people. Is it a mistake or do they think it's nice?

45 replies

Ormirian · 16/06/2011 21:15

Because I am confused.

If you are, like me, a pallid-skinned, Northern European person, prones to freckles and with quietly dull-coloured hair, your natural skin colour isn't orange. And IME a lot of people are like me. So why do so many seem to think it looks nice? Along with aggresively blond hair?

It is a mistake surely? They mistook tangerine poster paint for fake tan? Yes?

OP posts:
notnowbernard · 16/06/2011 21:22

Agree it looks hideous but I hope think it's on a downward turn

It's rather 'WAG'ish and I reckon that all things WAG related might be turning somewhat pantomime-esque (what with all the prostitutes/inter-marital shagging/superinjunctions/TOWIE and all that crap which surely must be on limited oxygen supply by now?

scarlettsmummy2 · 16/06/2011 21:25

yes, I think its because of the idiotic WAG culture- I know a girl who wasn't even offended to be told she looked like a WAG- she thought it was a compliment!

PureBloodMuggle · 16/06/2011 21:27

Asked someone in work this (whose usually orange) and yes she thinks it looks nice

WillieWaggledagger · 16/06/2011 21:28

to some colour blind people it looks like streaky green

TattyDevine · 16/06/2011 21:53

I think they think it looks better than their white colour, yes. I suspect they'd prefer the look of a natural tan that had been obtained by lazing round on the beach, sure, but I think its commendable enough that they are not going out of their way to really damage their skin (though I'm not UV shy per se - I don't sunbathe myself, because I don't like it, but I'm not all paranoid or anti-UV either, but I'm aware of its ageing effects)

I think you also find that the blonde hair happens and then the orange starts happening to contextualise the blonde...I myself have been guilty of this, not the super blonde hair but I recently went fairer with a head of higlights and I was finding it washed me out, because really its not my natural colour, I am supposed to be a brunette, so I was having to pile on a bit of bronzer round my temples and hairline just not to look ill. I knew then that it wasn't the colour for me and that I would change back when the time was right and I now have. I was never orange though - I don't do fake tan, its grotty, it stinks of biscuity curry and it has always looked wrong on me.

notnowbernard · 16/06/2011 21:56

It does make me chuckle how in years gone by it was fasionable (as in status/wealth) to be fat and pasty... to be tanned and thin = peasant/socially deprived

mercibucket · 16/06/2011 21:59

interesting prog on radio 4 about this recently
it's the 'fake' look - so yes, they do want to look fake

Original poster
Ormirian · 16/06/2011 22:06

But tatty - what is so wrong with white? I go the colour of milky tea when tanned. Possible slightly less milky-tea when deeply tanned! And very freckly. I am no beauty but why does anyone think that looks so hideous? It's very odd.

I wondered this after I saw someone sitting on a bench outside work yesterday. She had very blonde hair, pale lips and an orange skin. She didn't look horrible, but she looked unusual and I just wondered if it was how she wanted to look, or simply something that had gone wrong.

OP posts:
trixymalixy · 16/06/2011 22:07

My neighbour has been permanently orange for the past 6 years, so I suspect it's not a mistake. I suspect the velour tracksuit and jewellery a la vicky pollard are not a mistake either.

wineisfine · 16/06/2011 22:12

I think it might be addictive. I was a bridesmaid for my sister and we all had to have matching xen-tan fake tans (we did not in fact match - base colour must have a bearing!). I like to think I was brown rather than orange but nonetheless, the compliments!

My natural colour is either blue-white or splotchy red so it was a bit of a rush. I haven't done it again but I've been somewhat tempted to do so ahead of glastonbury...

adamschic · 16/06/2011 22:16

Fake tan, white/black hair, fake nails, tatts, skin implants and labels, just about sums up the current fashion. Gawd help us.

MrsMc82 · 16/06/2011 22:16

Had a trashy tv marathon tonight watching Geordie Shore and Made In Chelsea and was wondering this myself..... The girld (and boys actually) in both are very orange, though very different "types" of people ie chavvy vs kind of sloane-y and the fake tans are kind of different but still far too fake looking in both cases!!!

I was orange by mistake once from a bad spray tan, it even stained my big-toe nails. Orange for months afterwards I didn't realise how awful it looked till the pics from the wedding I'd been to came back - never again (mainly to avoid weird looking toe nails!!!)

I also think I look nicer (thinner??) with a tan, just not a fake one. I know its v bad but I have been known to hire a sunbed for a month or two cos it give a more naturtal looking tan (tho in mid december it may be looked a wee bit out of place)

said · 16/06/2011 22:18

I think they also lose all sense of how orange they are. I have a friend who loves tanning in all its forms and she will say she's looking white when she is the colour of how people used to look when they'd come back from a week's holiday. She has never been her normal colour for over 20 years so I think she, like many, has just lost sight of what she really looks like.

sweetkitty · 16/06/2011 22:22

My 18yo neice is a very strange colour, sort of orange/brown.

The thing is she absolutely trowels on the make up and fake tan and it looks so caked and unnatural, her hands look stained and in need of a good wash, all her clothes have "tide marks" round them as well. She also has that trendy hair style, you know the two lengths one with the fringe and dodgy extensions? Her face is about 10 shades darker than her neck as well.
Oh and 3 pairs of fake eyelashes and we are there, apparently it takes her 2 hours to get ready at least.

I think I am getting old as I don't think it's a good look.

adamschic · 16/06/2011 22:23

tbh I couldn't be bothered to fake it and very high maintenance for me but
tans are attractive, I love how I look when I come home from my hols.

HouseOfBamboo · 16/06/2011 22:32

Orm - I think these days if you walk down the street sporting your own hair and natural skin colour you're (ironically) regarded as some over-the-age-of-25 freeekoid.

The youth of today can feck right off, at least I don't have to hang my 'hair' on the washing line to dry.

pepperrabbit · 16/06/2011 22:32

A work colleague accidentally went orange (as in didn't read the instructions and put on 4 coats as she thought it hadn't worked - 12 hours later...)
She was mercilessly teased at work, took it in good spirits and still has the satsuma with her face drawn on it that was made for her so they could do a Spot the Difference competition Grin
We work in Finance, mainly with men. None of them found it attractive.

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 16/06/2011 22:36

It's certainly becoming a rarity to have your own hair, your own teeth, your own boobs, your own nails and your own skin colour. If only these girls (and it is mostly girls) could see that they would look better as their natural selves!

HouseOfBamboo · 16/06/2011 22:49

I'm looking forward to the backlash, where we all go back to nature.

Or maybe not, at least at the moment the current self-hijacking under-25s fashion evens out the playing field a bit. Hmm

adamschic · 16/06/2011 22:55

Oh I forgot the teeth whitening.

It must cost a bomb all this stuff! My friend spends a fortune on it all and it does make me wish I could afford to have my nails done or something. I reckon they get a bit addicted so am pleased I haven't gone down that route.

I have a DD 17 who just doesn't look like her peers as she is natural and isn't into fashion much. She look like a complete beautiful oddball.

puffling · 16/06/2011 22:58

They don't know it's odd because the people they're friends with look that way too. They post endless pics of themselves on fbook about which their mates say they look 'gawjus babe.' Oddly some of the men of this culture have a good laugh about this orangeness but this criticism passes the ladies by.

TheCrackFox · 16/06/2011 23:06

I am absolutely disgusted with this thread.

Oompaloompas are born orange and can't bloody help it. Mumsnet at its worst.

adamschic · 16/06/2011 23:07

Puffling, totally agree, If I look at DD's facebook page, if she leaves it open, I cannot distinguish one picture from the others. Seems like there isn't any individuality with the young girls nowadays. Guess they will all look the same at 30 and spend a fortune on looking this way all their lives.

adamschic · 16/06/2011 23:08

Crack, so is the honey monster, your point is? Grin

superjobeespecs · 16/06/2011 23:16

bout 6 yrs ago me and my mates used to bully the barbies and on a night out we decided to dress like them and whilst not going orange we did go ott with blusher eyeliner and got clip in extensions it was a great night the barbie clones freaked right out about non barbies invading their teritory and 'stealing' their men like we would