Who 'invented' sun tanning?

[The_Burg]

Yes i know it's a natural process. But who decided sun tans were cool?
Till comparatively recently a tan was a sign of being poor and having to work outside, in India they even bleach skin to remain as light as possible, Asians often disappear under an parasol at the first hint of sunshine, amongst Africans the darker the skin the lower the social standing.

So when did it become cool for us?

And why do many spend a fortnight abroad desperately trying to tan? Risking skin cancer and premature ageing?

[davepoth]

Coco Chanel, if memory serves. Before then it just meant you worked in the fields.

[Cupramax]

The_Burg said:

And why do many spend a fortnight abroad desperately trying to tan? Risking skin cancer and premature ageing?

Because exposure to the sun is not all bad, for a start insufficient exposure can lead to all sorts of nasties like Ricketts and brittle bones, vitamin d deficiency etc etc.

[mrmr96]

The_Burg said:

Till comparatively recently a tan was a sign of being poor and having to work outside

But not many of us have to be poor and work outside - so instead it's a sign of having enough time and money to go on exotic holidays and enjoy the weather.
Being un-tanned 'means' you're stuck inside doing a st job, not going on holiday.

So I imagine it became popular around the same time as travel go cheap enough to make foreign holidays accessible to the masses.

[van cleef]

I work outside as a roofer and being out of the shade all the time I couldn't think of anything worse than spending my holiday constantly in the sun rather than being under a parasol.I can't get it into my head when you come back tanned and some people say you look healthier ,maybe rested but you actualy come back with possibly damaged skin which will heal ,and that 2 weeks you forced a tan will be gone in less time than it took to get it.

[scorp]

The_Burg said:

Yes i know it's a natural process. But who decided sun tans were cool?
Till comparatively recently a tan was a sign of being poor and having to work outside, in India they even bleach skin to remain as light as possible, Asians often disappear under an parasol at the first hint of sunshine, amongst Africans the darker the skin the lower the social standing.

So when did it become cool for us?

I think for the opposite reasons, in the UK having a tan says you're at least rich enough to go on a foreign holiday.

[koolchris99]

uk - tan = rich enough to get out the office to get a tan

Asia - tan = poor because your stuck in the sun all day with poor job

same with Chinese and male long pinky nail, means you don't do manual labour so were able to grow it

[Matt..]

What i don't understand is why people have to get a fake tan before they go on holiday to sit on a beach all day sun tanning?!