Ankle grazers and pale legs

[MsFrost]

It seems like most trousers these days are ankle grazers/ cropped, especially smart/ work trousers.

It's just an awful look on me. I have very pale skin so if I wear them I'm just showing 2 inches of pasty white skin. If I wear socks they always cut into my legs and then it looks like I have bulging flab and pale skin.

I know the answer is just don't wear them, but it's annoying that they are so fashionable and all over the place... it's really hard to actually find trousers that work for me at the moment! Wide leg also doesn't suit me at all which is the other main option.

Anyone else struggling with trousers right now?!

yes, especially for work in winter. i've got really narrow feet and skinny ankles but heavy calves so they look all wrong on me. i've taken to wearing those knee length sock tights in a grey or sheer black colour but i'd much prefer to be able to wear normal socks. tall section in shops might be worth a look at, i've bought tall jeggings fairly recently from "love leggings"

You could use a fake tan up to your knees. I use a wash off one. I also wear socks with brogues or loafers when it gets cold enough. I like argyle socks especially Burlington or Falke. Both can sometimes be found in TKMaxx. When it gets even colder I wear ankle boots.

Just to add look out for socks that clearly have a less tight top to them.

Fake tan is a game changer here. My legs are white tinged with purple and really not fit for public consumption without chemical assistance.

What’s wrong with pale skin?

just wear them and have confidence in your skin colour.

Looser socks or Sally Hansen airbrush legs

Healthy pale skin can look great (Angela Scanlon on Strictly) but pasty purple-grey is not appealing.

I’m pale and freckly but I fake tan just the areas that show, makes a huge difference.

St Tropez gradual tan, I’m so white that just 2 applications once a week does the job.

I have ‘sturdy’ ankles and cut the elastic off socks. They don’t fray, they just roll over a bit. The don’t fall down either. Alternatively you can buy them with no elastic. I’ve not bought these ones but this is how mine look once I’ve cut them.
https://www.calzedonia.com/uk/product/non-elastic_cotton_ankle_socks-DC0093.html?dwvar_DC0093_Z_COL_CALZD=9986

Sally Hansen is good if you want a bit of colour. Rub it in loads. Don’t be put off by the orange, just keep rubbing it in!

I agree on instant tan or fake tan OP. The other option is ankle boots. Thick soles Chelsea boots look great with ankle length trousers and jeans.

Agree with pp that those knee high tights-material things will make you less pale and won't dig in to your ankles. Also Chelsea boots are a fab idea.

But is pasty ankles really a problem? I'm ghostly pale and i'd never even considered hiding/tanning my ankles when wearing trousers because of it😕

I too was going to say get knee high tight/socks. I wear them anyways so that shoes don't rub, but they also add a warmer glow to my white legs.

https://direct.asda.com/george/women/socks-tights/nude-knee-high-15-denier-tights-5-pack/GEM1027734,default,pd.html?cgid=D27M5G1C1

I am quite pale in the winter, and whilst I love my skin tone it doesn't look its best set against dark, heavier fabrics. A white or pale blue linen summer dress? Fine. But not charcoal coloured jumbo cords.

I use a little bit of tan lotion, apply once or twice after shower on lower calves and it does me for a week or so.
I also like longer length ankle socks if wearing boots, these would also work well with a brogue type shoe. For instance, I have some navy straight leg cords from Toast and I love wearing them with fine red cashmere socks, my docs or brown lace up boots.

I'm super pale and I've never felt self conscious about pale ankles showing. Sure, when I wear a short skirt at the beginning of summer I initially feel very aware that my bare legs are... eye catching. But not when it's just a little bit showing with cropped trousers on. It's our natural skin colour, why should we feel embarrassed? Do you wear long sleeves and gloves to hide your white wrists and hands too?

Also, my face is pale and I don't walk around wear a burqa to shield everyone from seeing that either.

I don’t think your skin being pale matters at all, but keep it in good condition, ie regular scrubs and use a nice moisturiser eg this works perfect legs body butter.

I have never really considered the appeal of other people leg colour either 🤷‍♀️

pale is not ugly. Skin colour is not an issue, whatever shade. No one should have to feel they need to cover up their skin because of it’s colour, or perceived “ugliness”.

does someone with “unhealthy” facial skin need to cover up so as to not inflict it on others. Acne, rosacea?

I have a birth mark. When I was young I was advised to cover it as it didn’t look nice. One dr actually said “unsightly”. Fuck that.

it’s only skin.

I mean that's easy to say but in the summer I was just lying around in the sun on the grass with some friends, and a friend of one of them (not mine) came up to us and said 'hey, why are you hanging out with these people that look like DEATH' (which was a reference to how pale me and my other friend were).

I hear comments like that all the time, that's just one example. And I know, I know, "body positivity" and everything but I just cba being the stand out pale girl embracing her skin who people actually think "look like death" or looks unhealthy.

pretty sure you didn’t look like death or unhealthy.

he was just an arsehole who felt like commenting and likely absolutely knew how he was making you feel, and got off on it.

bet he wasn’t the picture of physical perfection either.

Why are you giving any headspace to anything some totally random fuckwit says? Would you think or make a comment like that about someone else's appearance as they were hanging in the park? Why should you feel the need your natural skintone as a consequence, I doubt he's off posting on wankernet about whether he should get his vocal cords taken out.

I’m super pale and have never thought about this. That guy sounds like a complete waste of space. Truly, no one is thinking that.

It's never occurred to me that pale ankles are a problem. I can't imagine anyone is looking/judging.

@Thisismynewusername1 @FluffActually
Interesting you both assumed this person was male.

Anyway, thanks, I appreciate the sentiments, but really, that's not an isolated incident, I get comments about my pale skin all the time. Sometimes insulting, sometimes not that bad but just things like 'omg you're sooo pale!' etc. It's not that I am ashamed of my skin, it's just as I said, I cba with the comments.

And I'm certainly not the only person who covers up pale skin - look at the fake tan industry and the number of people on this thread who are suggesting it, and the number of people who think they 'look better with a healthy glow' etc etc.

It seems it's the only skin tone that it's OK to make offensive comments about.

What shoes are you wearing? High fashion, but fishnet pop sox look great

It seems it's the only skin tone that it's OK to make offensive comments about.

Believe me I've had plenty of comments about my skintone which is not pale. It hasn't made me start dyeing strips of my ankles or wearing a hazmat suit to venture out, it's made me think the people (and usually it's been men who are so openly arsey) are pathetic losers and/or racists.