I think I’m even paler than TroubleAgain and tremorviolet, and I am not even a redhead! Both of you, by the way, have lovely skin and legs, and you don’t need a tan or pantyhose.
Thanks, nyctea scandiaca. Wanna join me and tremorviolet in showing off our glowingly pale skin?
I think your legs look just fine the way they are. I wouldn’t worry about the lack of tanning.
(by the way, I’m in a skirt and no hose today, and I thought of this thread as I was getting dressed - to hell with everyone, I’m embracing my whiteness!)
I’d give anything to have nice, normal pale skin. Instead, I have pale skin that is so thin you can see my veins, plus it flushes easily. My feet are almost always red. But, I haven’t worn hose in atleast 10 years. I can’t stand the way the seams feel on my toes.
TroubleAgain your lovely red hair gives you a free pass to be as pale as you want.
The only thing worse than pantihose at all, or pantihose with open toed shoes?
Behold the weirdness and horror of toeless pantihose ::cue Psycho skee skee skee music!!! :eek:
Listen, people, I’m getting a little steamed, and not in a good way. My generation worked mighty hard so that people could feel comfortable in their natural-born skin color. I know the job is not finished, but we’ve come a long way. If a black woman can know in her heart that her skin is beautiful, what’s stopping you very pale gals from doing the same?
The palest of us cannot easily tan, and it’s painful to try. Why are we still trying? Are we denying our own genetics? Dr. King’s dream was not just for dark people. He dreamed of people who were seen by the strength of character, not by the color of their skin.
Never be ashamed or embarrassed by your epidermis. That’s 20th century thinking. We are past that, or at least we strive to be.
OK, maybe that’s a bit over the top, but that’s my humble opinion.
Believe it or not, I’ve actually tried those. You would not believe how effin’ uncomfortable they are! They pull up toward the heel and the little thong between the toes becomes like a knife! :eek:
Batsinma Belfry, you too can have lovely red hair! Buy L’Oreal Ferria haircolor in Bright Auburn! 
AskNott, you’re so right, and I’m ashamed. But I really think it’s the scars/broken veins/signs of aging that intimidates me more than the paleness. But I shall proudly bare my legs henceforth! 
Scout! Hiya! Haven’t talked to you in a while. Enjoy your hose-less skirts!
I agree with you - that is why I said in a post above that I am done with trying to get “some sun” and I am just going to be pale and proud. Me being pale has nothing to do with me wearing pantyhose. Like I said above, I like the way the look and feel, for various reasons. But I only wear pantyhose with nice skirts in a work environment and the rest of the time I’m in shorts and could care less.
It does make me upset to see all these tanning salons popping up EVERYWHERE full of teenaged and 20s girls. They are ruining their skin!!
Like, for example - my younger cousin, who is 20, she is so dark that she almost looks hispanic. See this photo to see the difference. I am the second from the left, and she is third from left, with the pale green dress. This was taken last month at my brother’s wedding. My other two cousins, who are also in the photo, were also much tanner than me. The one on the far left hit the tanning salon for several days in a row to be tan for the wedding.
Oh, here is a photo showing my legs. That’s me dancing with my dad at my brother’s wedding.
Here’s another example, with two of my friends (I’m on the right). The one in the middle - she is normally as pale as I am, but you can see how much she hits the tanning salon. We look like a rainbow!
Pale legs a problem? What…?
My wife had/has very pale legs, and Man can she make cut-offs look Hot!!! She’s too ‘dignified’ to wear them much now, but I have a picture in my wallet as proof that pale is beautiful. I remember staring at that pic long & hard during my batchelor party & then laughing at any girl who walked even close to me.
Cover them up? Well, if you must keep every guy in a 3 block radius from following you while drooling, then I can see it.
With great power comes great responsibility…
Seriously, where do so many women get the idea that there’s always something wrong with their appearance?
I was thinking Neapolitan ice cream.
Wow, you all have great legs…and they don’t seem that pale to me! I myself have got really pale legs, and unfortunately, also very sensitive skin, which means that usually I have scratches or bruises or red spots. I did try the bottle tanner, but somehow I seem to always end up looking like a zebra - maybe I will try to use the lotion trick DiosaBellissima mentioned. I hate pantyhose with a passion and will try to avoid skirts in a professional setting at all costs, which means pantsuits, pantsuits, pantsuits (which really sucks in hot temperatures).
O!, well spotted, I’m!
Good thing almost 50% of the population have self-actualized self-images.
Hmm. Relatives, strangers on the street, “friends”, magazines, TV, movies, books, co-workers, custom, cultural expectations … It’s a lot to get past.
Thanks! I really miss those shoes. They were just cheap pink suede kitten heels with a squared off Turkish toe and rhinestone detailing but I loved them. And then one day I stepped into a muddy puddle up to my ankle and they were ruined. Ah, the rememberances of shoes past…
Part of the reason us pale gals have such an issue with our ghostliness is that tans really are flattering. Darker legs look slimmer and tans hide bruises, cellulite, stubble, etc. But, at least I got two legs that work and it’s not like my income is attractive leg dependent. (and my cats don’t care what color my legs are as long as they form a lap…)
This has to be settled once and for all. It is never NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER okay to wear skin colored panty hose. Ever. I know this used to be what people do, but seriously, if you wear them you will be ridiculed for being horribly out dated/stuffy/frumpy. This isn’t Steel Magnolias.
They are LEGS people. We all have them. Men have them, women have them, dogs have them. okay sometimes veterans don’t have them but still. Everyone has seen them. If the color of them bother you, use self tanner. Be sure to exfoliate first and apply a subtle one like Neutrogena Natural Glow or spring to go to a day spa and have them apply the lotion (different from mystic tan). Its guaranteed to go on evenly and non orange.
If its winter, wear opaque black or textured tights with boots or closed toed heels. I’m sorry but as far as I’m concerned these are the rules. Its 2007. If I ever hear of any of you people stretching a piece of flesh colored nylon over your legs I will hunt you down and slap you in the mouth.
Tough love.
You are just jealous of my shiny beige legs. 
What color skin? Is it OK if I wear “nude” pantihose?
Yeah, that’s the one I’m using! So far, so good! Not orange, and not streaky! And the scar and broken veins are already less noticeable!
What???
I wear nude or flesh colored pantyhose all the time (not tan, but flesh, as in a very light flesh tone that matches my skin). I wear the nice sheer ones so you can’t even tell I am wearing stockings. It just looks like I have nice smooth skin. In an office environment with a nice skirt, I think it is much more appropriate to wear stockings. I feel almost naked without them (again, with a nice skirt that is knee-length or above). If I am wearing a below-the-knee skirt, I usually won’t wear stockings.
And I consider myself to be fashionable and I dress nicely and professionally, and keep up with the latest styles (I’m 31). I seriously doubt anyone would characterize me as frumpy.
Also, it is FREEZING in my office and the stockings make all the difference, without me sweating outside in the heat.
You sound like you have some strange notions about pantyhose. Just because the fashion models and movie stars don’t wear them doesn’t mean many fashionable professional women don’t wear them in an office environment. They do, and it looks great with nice suits, dresses and skirts.