We all love tan – no question about it. Even though there are a number of health risks associated with sunbathing and prolonged sun exposure, we still choose to roll the dice. All that for the perfect, natural tan. A lot of us don’t shy away from using questionable products – like fake tan, temporary solutions – like bronzers, or various types of boosters, accelerators, and countless bottles of sun tan lotion in different shapes and forms. But the question remains – why? What is so great about tan? After all, it hasn’t always been this way.
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Shift in Beauty Standards
It’s hard to say when exactly this happened – but it did. No wonder trends tend to come, and they go as they please. Nevertheless, we went from a pale complexion to the cult of a tanned, sun-kissed glow. Once upon a time, fairer skin was a symbol of status – it used to be a sign of aristocracy. They didn’t participate in the back-breaking field jobs, where normally people would get tan, simply because they didn’t have to. They had money, power, and the status that came with it.
Also, some research indicates that fair-skinned women appear more attractive to men because it’s associated with innocence, purity, goodness, and natural beauty on a very subliminal level. It’s been like that for ages; in some cultures, it’s still very strong – like in China, for example. Ancient Romans used to put on very dangerous lead-based cosmetics just to make their skin appear whiter. Nevertheless, we’re witnessing a big shift nowadays, with plenty of people chasing that perfect tan. It’s best evidenced by the ever-growing range of suncare products, like lotion for tanning, various oils, and accelerants.
Definition
Have you ever seen a bodybuilding competition? Apart from oil, they always seem to put on ungodly amounts of bronzers and fake tan. And why is that? Darker skin creates more contrast and shadow, which helps accentuate and highlight muscle definition.
Simply put – you look more toned and “ripped,” while your physique appears even more impressive and intimidating. For the rest of us mortals, it just makes us look thinner. Based on a recent study, it appears women prefer darker skin tones – unlike men. It also helps cover up any skin imperfections and appears more radiant and healthy – probably for that very reason.
Beauty in All Things
It’s hard to answer the question of what makes tan so attractive. Typically, the participants of various studies simply stated that tanned skin “looked better.” Perhaps that’s the objective truth for some reason, and for ages, we’ve been worried about status and social convention.
One way or another – it doesn’t matter. We should all remember that beauty is a subjective thing, and there’s no reason to follow trends or let them affect our self-image – especially without considering the price. Safety and self-love should always come first. If your complexation is naturally very fair and gets easily sunburnt – why fight it? Be yourself and play your strengths.
Fashion
Let’s consider clothing for a minute since it has become bigger than ever, with a wide variety of different pieces, colors, and design choices readily available. And while there are definitely some luxury brands out there, with such a selection, we can now find a stylish option for every wallet. But what does tan skin have to do with clothing? Well, fashion is based on contrasts and color combinations. Your skin tone is another piece of that puzzle.
And just like any other color, it gives you a chance to mix and match. Tan happens to be more versatile. Of course, we can wear whatever we like; some people don’t even care about their style. That’s fine. But there are industry professionals who worked their entire lives to create simple guides and the best color combinations that go together well every time. It’s an art of contrast, so a fairer complexion looks better when there’s something that adds a bit of color.
That means your navies, browns, greys, and some shades of green. These are mostly considered “safe” or “boring” options. But something bolder, like light blue, olive green, red, even pink, a whole variety of beige or sand-like hues – they go really well with a darker complexion. These bolder colors are also often associated with having more style. That’s why a lot of people try to copy it, but often it’s just not for them. Not everybody can pull it off.
