# Do You Find Tans Attractive **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 26, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241 "2011-05-26T02:36:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/21 "2011-05-26T10:53:15Z")
I voted other. Summer brown looks better to me than winter pale on most of us UK white people but baked brick red or, even worse, the crispy dark brown of sun damage is not a good look. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/22 "2011-05-26T10:54:54Z")
On the subject of tanlines: Depending on how it goes with their personality, a “farmer’s tan”, complete with sunglasses tanlines, can be attractive in a down-to-earth way. On the subject of redheads in the sun: Freckles are cute. ---
**Author:** ![bahimes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@bahimes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bahimes)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/23 "2011-05-26T11:09:14Z")
Didn’t vote, but had to pitch in. Having lived, worked and played in the sun all my (60+) years, I find the pasty white rather unnatural looking. Then again, my belly is much lighter than my face and arms, as I do concren myself with melanoma (though no history of same). The “professional tanner”, on the other hand, doesn’t attract me, either. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/24 "2011-05-26T11:17:24Z")
Tanning slightly is all most people look good with… Anybody in fake stuff deserves the laugh of all that see their orange tinted skin. I will ask people why they’re orange today. Orange you glad you use fake tan?:o ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/25 "2011-05-26T12:10:21Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > For the life of me, I don’t see how tans make people look better. Wait until you start having sex. 😉 Re tan lines: that’s why I sunbathe nude. Also I think fat looks better tan. ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/26 "2011-05-26T12:12:22Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > When I see a strong tan, all I immediately think is ‘melanoma’… When I see one I can’t help but think of the 40-something sun worshipper that I used to work with whose skin looked like an old baseball mitt. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/27 "2011-05-26T13:04:27Z")
I like natural tans; Airman gets kinda dark in the summer when he spends time outside, and it looks good on him. Ditto for the sprog. On the other hand, I’m a freckle-faced redhead. The only way you can tell I’ve spent time outside once the sunburn peels is if I take my watch off to show the “tan” line. I also have a family history of skin cancer, which I do not want to share, so I tend to go outside for shorter bursts of time. A tan would look ridiculous on me. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/28 "2011-05-26T13:10:27Z")
I guess I’ll have to go with other. In younger women, I think a lack of tanning looks good, as long as your skin isn’t translucent. I always though tanning looked weird as a kid. But now that I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed that tans seems to make older women look more attractive, as long as it isn’t overdone or fake. Still, the most attractive skin of all is this almost porcelain white skin, as long as there are few imperfections. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/29 "2011-05-26T13:11:37Z")
I was wondering if you meant white people or what. I tan on my arms and hands in about ten minutes in the direct sunshine. I went for a 35 minute walk yesterday and when I removed my ring, found I had a new tan line. I’m Indian; I can’t even help it. I start out a sort of coffee-with-cream color and tan to a deep caramel, every year, without fail, and then I lighten back up in the winter. I like tans if they are natural, but I really think tanning booths are a Very Bad Idea and I am amazed at people who still go to them. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/30 "2011-05-26T13:22:39Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > BTW do fairly dark-skinned people (ie such as blacks) ever tan themselves? Yes, some do. A lot of people think they look better with a sun-kissed look. I’m one of them, even though I don’t deliberately tan myself anymore because I don’t want to damage my skin. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/31 "2011-05-26T13:31:27Z")
Earlier this week I noticed that a woman was particularly tan and thought she was striking. What I couldn’t figure out was why just from looking at her briefly I concluded that she was tanned because she gardens or plays some outdoor sport. Maybe it wasn’t completely uniform and that was the clue. It clearly wasn’t salon tanning. I suppose she might just lie out on her deck. I thought she looked natural and healthy. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/32 "2011-05-26T13:34:43Z")
Totally neutral on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/33 "2011-05-26T14:38:07Z")
Other: On Anna Kournikova, a tan looks _delicious_. On Nicole Kidman, it’d look ridiculous. So, it depends. Generally, a tan need to only be a light tanning. Whatever natural shade you are, I can’t see how going any further than just ‘mildly darker’ would be good. Just a light tan seems to freshen up one’s look and smooth out appearances. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/34 "2011-05-26T14:40:35Z")
I’m with the rest of you, except I’m also a fan of tan lines. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/35 "2011-05-26T14:42:04Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > Re tan lines: that’s why I sunbathe nude. I’ll be in my bunk. > [@Anaamika](#): > > I like tans if they are natural, but I really think tanning booths are a Very Bad Idea and I am amazed at people who still go to them. I endorse this statement. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/36 "2011-05-26T15:09:43Z")
I detest that orange fake tan shit [and way too exagerated pout and strange posing] and do not lay out to tan. I do, however go out into the sun for 10 to 15 minutes a day in a bathing suit because I still have vitamin D deficiencies and do it to augment the pills. I am holding at osteopenia and want to keep it that way. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/37 "2011-05-26T15:14:17Z")
Tan marks on the boobs and butt can be attractive. Love ice cream cones. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/38 "2011-05-26T15:19:31Z")
I like the pale look, myself. This is going to sound egotistical, but whatever – I find people with my coloring (pale skin, dark hair, dark eyes) very attractive. Staying pale also keeps you from getting wrinkles as quickly as those who tan, so you look younger longer. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/39 "2011-05-26T15:19:54Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I was wondering if you meant white people or what. I tan on my arms and hands in about ten minutes in the direct sunshine. I went for a 35 minute walk yesterday and when I removed my ring, found I had a new tan line. I’m Indian; I can’t even help it. I start out a sort of coffee-with-cream color and tan to a deep caramel, every year, without fail, and then I lighten back up in the winter. > > I like tans if they are natural, but I really think tanning booths are a Very Bad Idea and I am amazed at people who still go to them. Oops, I assumed a white person. If your tan is more chocolate brown, then I always thought it looked good. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/40 "2011-05-26T15:30:05Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Oops, I assumed a white person. Story of my life. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241.md?page=3)