Fashion and the colour of skin

[budafist]

I guess fashion can be related to our industry as can beauty. I'm not after a heated debate or any racist comments, I just want to know out of curiosity.

I'm Chinese and all my family in Hong Kong have light skin. This is because in Hong Kong, it is fashionable to have light skin. People keep out of the sun and protect themselves from the sun when they go out.

I read that Coco Chanel was the person that made tanning fashionable. Before her, it was milky skin all the way (to the point that some cultures would chalk their skin).

In New Zealand, it is now fashionable to have a tan. People pay for sunbeds and bake in the sun to get brown. We are now using sunscreen because of the the skin cancer risk, but it's very hard to changes people's minds about fashion.

Over the holidays, I got really brown. I mean really brown. Someone pointed out that I am actually darker than my Maori friend. This surprised me when I thought about it because no one in my family is this brown and it's simply because they avoid the sun.

Just wondering, what is the fashion/trend for skin colour where you are?

[CkretAjint]

I live near Miami Florida. What do you think the fashion here is? ;)

[Drazan]

I used to tan about 10 years ago. Now however the "summer tan" has been really toned down. I'm also part native American and if do desired, can turn from my normal irish creamy skin to really dark.

I've known three people to have skin cancer and have several moles removed as well as one who had a skin graph. I don't tan any more and use sun screen whenever I'm out. Even so I'll still very easily get that "sun kissed" look during the summer.

That said, there's still many tanning salons in full business here. And people still do that tanning thing for summer, or prom, or their wedding.

Jade

[hewligan]

I've actually had a few people think I was Maori, despite the fact I was born in entirely the wrong hemisphere for that to be true...

It's summer now, and I get very dark, whether I like it or not. I think I could actually get a tan from someone just saying the word "Sun" loudly :D

[GraphixNPrint]

I live near Miami Florida. What do you think the fashion here is? ;)South Beach tanned fashion? or more conservative Palm Beach tanned fashion??

http://www.4cusa.com/dom/bootyshake.gif

[graphicsmama]

I live in the desert and after moving here, I abandoned suntanning altogether...you can totally tell those who have sunbathed all their lives....it destroys their skin and they look waaaay older than they are. At first it was hard....I have very pale skin naturally so I had to retrain my mind to accept my whiteness..LOL...even though everyone else my age is always tan...

Anyhoo...I still get tan in the summers, even though I cover up with SPF 50 and wear a hat to the pool and everything...it just happens....

I want to be like my mom...she's 51 but people don't think she's nearly old enough to be my mom. She has fabulous skin.

[PrintDriver]

I can't figure out what the fashion is here in the Northeast US. One thing I've noticed, there aren't nearly as many tanning salons as there used to be.

[budafist]

I think I could actually get a tan from someone just saying the word "Sun" loudly :D

LOL Me too! :D

[Tea]

Drazan and I are from the same area, so I just can validate for that one. A bit of spray tan goes on up here though for the special occasions. Weird.

[urstwile]

I don't tan very easily, and never have. Nevertheless, living in San Diego, even with sunscreen, I do tend to get a little browner than I did when I lived on the East coast. That's mostly because it's sunny here 9 months out of the year, sunny and warm enough to go to the beach, for the most part. Last year, I got a lot browner than I wanted to because we did a fair amount of camping out in the desert. I prefer not to tan, primarily because of the early aging look and the skin cancer risks (my complexion type is at the top of the risk list).

A friend of mine is a sun nut, and even though she's ten years younger than me, her skin doesn't look it (she's got a similar complexion to mine). My sister is also the same way, to a point where I worry about her.

I'd say that the fashionable skin tone for white people here anyway is a light golden brown, due to all the beach goers. Surfing is a big part of the culture here as well.

I'm not sure if this is still the case in the black community to the same extent as it was around the turn of the century and upwards into the middle of the 20th century, but lighter skinned black people tended to be perceived as more "presentable" than those with a darker complexion. The term was "high yaller".

[budafist]

That's interesting about that with black people, because from what I see of American culture it seems to be true. Especially light skinned black women seem to be highly desired.

I've never thought about what Maori people think about getting browner. I know my Maori friend (that I'm now darker than) doesn't wear sunscreen, but it could be more due to the fact she doesn't burn rather than a fashion thing.

[undressedmonster]

I'm in Arizona and it's more "fashionable" to be tan. Especially on the campus of Arizona State U. I used to lay out in the sun, and go to tanning salons when it was too chilly to lay out, but I've really stopped doing both. I see the wrinkles and sunspots on the older people who tanned a lot in their youth and it scares the heck outta me. Call me vain, but I'm more scared of wrinkles than I am of skin cancer.

[budafist]

Call me vain, but I'm more scared of wrinkles than I am of skin cancer.

I have a friend that is the same. Also why she quit smoking! Smokers tend to age faster. I thought it was hilarious.

[undressedmonster]

Oh yes, buda. I know a gal who smoked and tanned all her life and looks 15 years older than she probably is. Her face is all wrinkles. It really takes its toll!

[hewligan]

Hey! I got asked for ID while buying smokes last week, and since 18 is something I only vaguely remember, it can't have aged me that badly ;)

[budafist]

Sure does, maybe my fiance will buy that one. He smoked over 40 cigarettes on Friday. I was disgusted! His norm is 20 a day but he doubled that for no real reason.

[CkretAjint]

South Beach tanned fashion? or more conservative Palm Beach tanned fashion??

Boca Raton, a nice mixture of both, even old people tanned.... eww! :p

[GraphixNPrint]

Boca Raton, a nice mixture of both, even old people tanned.... eww! :p
You mean that saggy 90 year old man still walks the beach in his thong?? Now I remember why I left there and moved to the desert! :p

[CkretAjint]

Yes, or the old lady that played volleyball with Jesus and wears 10 lbs of make up....

[Red Kittie Kat]

People tend to just tan in the summer here. At least in Upstate. There are a few tanning salons but I never see anyone in them.

I don't have a tan .. never have ... I've been burned pretty bad on a few occasions and it just heals and goes away.

Sun and me don't mix at all.

My driving arm is a little dark than the rest of me just from the constant damage over the years. I now have to cover it when I am driving on a really sunny day or it blisters and gets a rash.

Not fun :(

[GraphixNPrint]

Sun and me don't mix at all.

:eek: I think we have found a vampire among us! ;)

[budafist]

But I'm almost sure Kittie doesn't hate garlic.

[Red Kittie Kat]

Nope I am a progressive Vampiress ... I love Garlic and a good bloodletting session :D

[Drazan]

I know someone here that's alergic to the sun. He actually has a medical bracelet for it. He also has a permit for his car to have super dark tinted windows. Even driving short distances would make him blister up.

[Red Kittie Kat]

I am allergic as well .. it affects me just like pollen does people who suffer with hayfever.

My windows are tinted but it still isn't enough. I haven't sat in direct sun for years and I can't drive or ride in cars with sunroofs that don't have a slider.

I don't wear a bracelet because I just don't go out in it enough. I love to be outside .. but I'm always on the porch or under a tree or huge umbrella ella ella ella

:D

[urstwile]

I'll bet your skin is in fantastic shape, though, Kat. :)

[budafist]

And I bet Kat isn't going to die of skin cancer in this lifetime.

[frankster]

I don't tan at all. My natural skin colour is pale purple. Really, I make Kate Blanchet look tanned. I think that the old fashioned desirability for pale skin (apart from the weird painting your skin with lead thing that the french courts and geishas and elizabethan people did) stemmed from the victorian era, when ladies in high society were expected to stay away from the sun and even sheild themselves from the fire in the hearth, so as to be as pale as possible, because only people who worked outside (lower class) had tans and they wanted to be as far removed from that as possible to prove how well to do they were. Then in the 70s there was a revival in the healthy wholesome look that demanded a year round tan because by then if you had a tan then you were clearly a person with plenty of leisure time and it again became proof of your high status. Not sure where we are today after the pale as death herion chic era wore off. Are we back to the healthy wholesome permatan of the cycle again? If we are then I'm stuffed. :rolleyes:

[John G]

sorostitutes in the mid-west evidently think the orange look is in.

[budafist]

I thought you said that your skin was pale green Frank? so is it green or purple? Or is it so pale it's mostly white and it reflects whatever colour you're wearing? So if you're wearing a green shirt, you're green, and if you're wearing a purple shirt, well, you're purple.

So a tan once meant that you spent hours in the fields but now it means that you enjoy a leisurely life? I see.

[urstwile]

Yup, Frankster's got it right about the status of a tan. I'd say the tan prestige came earlier than the 70's, though, probably around the time people started being able to travel to sunnier climes on their yachts and private planes. Then tan equated to wealth and prestige as opposed to field hand.

[captain spanky]

i guess the trend round here is to have a 'healthy' tan but as we know, health and tan aren't really two words that go together... my brother always managed to have a 'healthy looking' tan but then he got skin cancer and has to stay out of it at all costs now. He uses fake tan to keep the look.
...kinda like a pantone 466 or 7508... something like that.
I prefer pale skin myself. I'm not bothered about what colour i look but i like my girlfr.. ahem ..fiancee's pale tones. :)

[budafist]

lol, I'm several different shades of pantone. My arms and shoulders are the darkest. Don't have a book handy to tell you right now.

I personally don't have a preference. It depends on if they person wears their shade well or not I guess :)

[Takayuki]

I'm in Japan or japanese. In 2003 sun tan salon was a boom in japan. Now it's still going on among certain fans but I don't see them much these days. In japan we call them "ganguro":)

Some pictures of them:
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%94%BB%E5%83%8F:Yamanba.jpg
http://images.google.co.jp/images?svnum=10&um=1&hl=ja&q=ganguro

[seamas]

Summer tans and "I've been on vacation" tans are somewhat popular in the New York City area -at least for white folks.

I grew up on Long Island, summer beach culture is pervasive, and one normally "lays out" when at the beach.
I used to do that sort of thing -I'm normally fairly pale, but tend to tan OK (and burn badly when not careful).
The I think very slight tan looks good. The overly super dark tan (ladies who use olive oil to help the sun cook their skin) are nuts.

As for tanning salons -If you must tan, using a salon is safer than the sun.
With a tanning bed the type of light rays are controlled, so the "bad" rays that cause cancer aren't used.

[budafist]

I'm in Japan or japanese. In 2003 sun tan salon was a boom in japan. Now it's still going on among certain fans but I don't see them much these days. In japan we call them "ganguro":)

Some pictures of them:
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%94%BB%E5%83%8F:Yamanba.jpg
http://images.google.co.jp/images?svnum=10&um=1&hl=ja&q=ganguro

Ganguro is certainly an intersting look. Is the pink hair a must?

[frankster]

I thought you said that your skin was pale green Frank? so is it green or purple? Or is it so pale it's mostly white and it reflects whatever colour you're wearing? So if you're wearing a green shirt, you're green, and if you're wearing a purple shirt, well, you're purple.

When I'm ill I look green/grey, when I'm not ill I am veeerrry white and when I'm cold I am purple (particularly my finger nails).

I did have bright pink hair for a few years and that reflected a bit of colour on my cheeks. I tried snot green once when I was 16, alla sean yseult, but I just looked very very ill. :rolleyes: I'm back to the regular frank colour now, but still tempted to go pink again, as I think they kids would find it fun.

[Virgo Nightingale]

I know someone here that's alergic to the sun. He actually has a medical bracelet for it. He also has a permit for his car to have super dark tinted windows. Even driving short distances would make him blister up.
Sounds like xeroderma pigmentosum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeroderma_pigmentosum).

A few of you were talking about how tanning fashion has changed – same thing with weight. At the same time as pale skin was considered a sign of wealth, so was having a little extra padding. It meant that you had enough money to hire other people to do your physical labor for you, and thus could afford to sit on your ass all day long. I wish that would apply today. I'd be damn sexy.

[Virgo Nightingale]

I did have bright pink hair for a few years and that reflected a bit of colour on my cheeks. I tried snot green once when I was 16, alla sean yseult, but I just looked very very ill. :rolleyes: I'm back to the regular frank colour now, but still tempted to go pink again, as I think they kids would find it fun.
I always wanted purple hair. The closest I've been able to come and still hold down a job is burgundy.

[budafist]

I never actually dyed my hair. Always wanted to, but with my black as Chinese hair, I'd have to bleach it first. Used to have a lot of problems with my skin so bleaching freaked me out.

[CkretAjint]

My forearm is a PANTONE 480ish color. *shrugs*

[GraphixNPrint]

I would dye my hair... but I dont have enough to dye! ;)

[Silence04]

i work in the tanning industry and i would say fashion in the US is all about being tan.

[Virgo Nightingale]

I'm more of a PMS 727. I hope to be a 729 when I get back from my honeymoon. But that will depend of course on where we go. :D

[budafist]

PMS 4635 was the closest to me.

[Virgo Nightingale]

Damn girl, that's pretty darn dark!!

[Silence04]

my skin tone is closer to Warm Gray 1...

[frankster]

PMS 4635 was the closest to me. Did anyone catch you and ask you what you were doing when you had the book out? :D

[budafist]

Damn girl, that's pretty darn dark!!

I told you! Actually, maybe I cheat a little bit, that spot colour is from my arm and that's the darkest spot on my body, my face is a little lighter than that.

Just saw this ad and thought it was appropriate to include in this thread :)
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/1032/tbwabrusselsniveasuntanke1.jpg

[GraphixNPrint]

ok, maybe you cannot do this at work...

take the pantone book home, compare your TRUE skin color (yeah thats right... where the sun dont shine!).

This will not work for those Europeans that frequent the nudist beaches... or for Ckret (yeah he lives in S. Florida where everyone wears thongs to the beach).

http://www.4cusa.com/dom/bootyshake.gif

[frankster]

I told you! Actually, maybe I cheat a little bit, that spot colour is from my arm and that's the darkest spot on my body, my face is a little lighter than that.

Just saw this ad and thought it was appropriate to include in this thread :)
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/1032/tbwabrusselsniveasuntanke1.jpg

That's funny. I wonder where the line in the sand is drawn by disney on copyright of it's characters. Does this come under the fair use and parody law?

[budafist]

But Disney didn't make up Snow White.

[frankster]

no, of course, but they made up that representation of her. The one that everyone recognises as being snow white and not just some lady in a dress.

[budafist]

Oh, right.

I guess they must've tread carefully with this one. The shape of the dress is similar but not identical and the colours are different. The hair is similar but not the same, but they can't copyright a cartoon's hairstyle....can they?

I think it's close enough to be recognised, but not close enough to be the same. But then again, I ain't no lawyer!

http://drawingwomen.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/0638-snow-white.jpg

[Takayuki]

Ganguro is certainly an intersting look. Is the pink hair a must?

I'm not really sure, but I don't think it's a must. In Japan they have special fashion magazine like the one below, so I think many go by those fashion magazine's.

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/5587/20050827194507ky1.jpg

[Red Kittie Kat]

I'm not sure I understand that fad ... to me it's not very attractive :confused:

Why the clown makeup?

[seamas]

I'm not sure I understand that fad ... to me it's not very attractive :confused:

Why the clown makeup?

It is more than strange, but then again, is it any stranger than the "goth" fad/culture -or any of the othersubcultures we have in the US?

[Red Kittie Kat]

no, but I wasn't thinking of Goths ... they are the Anti Tan Culture :D

[frankster]

Maybe we could pitch the two groups against each other in a modern day reinactment of the mod and rocker riot of the 60s! It'd be easy to tell who was on your team. :rolleyes: I think the Goths would loose, because although they like to look tough, they don't like to visually expend energy and that chick in the picture above looks very very mental. She probably eats goths for breakfast! :eek:

[Red Kittie Kat]

well I don't need make up to look goth .. I just need to dye my hair black :D

[budafist]

I thought that Goths became extinct after the rise of Emo?

[Red Kittie Kat]

I can't keep up with all the fads lol .... I'm gettin' old :D

[morea]

Bah... Kittie doesn't follow fads; she SETS them. :cool:

(I'm the same way, RKK... it's the Irish blood. I'm either white and spotted or red and spotted, and rarely anything in between.)

[Red Kittie Kat]

lmao :D

that's me all over Mo ... always spotted with a hue of white or red :D

[budafist]

Bah... Kittie doesn't follow fads; she SETS them. :cool:

You mean to say Kittie was Emo as a bubba? :D

(found this on google image, thought appropriate - it was ALREADY sparkley. Must be Kittie as a bubba!)

http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z27/glitterfy_com-1/graphics/142/emo_baby.gif

[Red Kittie Kat]

lmao ... thats not me .. the hair is entirely too dark :D

[budafist]

Hair changes as you grow up. My fiance was a white blonde baby but now he is most definately a brownie. I still think it's you Kittie :)

[frankster]

My fiance was a white blonde baby but now he is most definately a brownie.

LMAO! He must look really funny in the Brownie uniform towering over all the 7 year old girls! He's got a beard hasn't he? :D

[CkretAjint]

Oh Em Gee. I just shot some water out of my nose. Thanks a lot Frankster! :(

[budafist]

LMAO! He must look really funny in the Brownie uniform towering over all the 7 year old girls! He's got a beard hasn't he? :D

You think he looks funny? :(

I thought he looked hot! Man in uniform and all :D

[Takayuki]

That pierced nose and lips look damn cool.
Oh! and I love that hair style, it ROCKS!!:D