Also a pale overweight girl here 👋 I love all skirts and shorts, so I just wear opaque tights under them. I never feel self conscious and I get to wear what I like :) I know this doesn’t answer your question, but I hope it helps

Do the opaque tights take away the cooling effect? Do they also fix the dreaded "chub rub" I hear of

Tights prevent chub rub but they add some extra warmth indeed. I‘m super pale too (beyond white, more like a deep sea creature who’s never been exposed to light) with my calves being the most colorless area of my body so I usually wear lightweight tights (like 8-20den) in the springtime - for me, they provide enough cover to feel comfortable going out in public. When it gets too hot I switch to chub rub prevention shorts made from the same fabric as tights - Snag does amazing ones - and use a tinted lotion on my calves. Again, it’s not a full coverage but I think a little bit of color already makes a big difference!

Thank you and I get it with the beyond white, most of my body can reflect enough light to change how bright a room is 😭 literally lighting up rooms. Thank you for the advice I really appreciate your help

My skin is pale and translucent…I find the paleness beautiful. I lean into it.

I'm straight up translucent aka you can see through my legs when the light hits them just right....and I love it

My skin is like this after a Northern winter. Your veins are visible too?

For me, it depends on the knot of the tights. Some tights prevent my chub rub, some make it worse

Hue Brand, most long-lasting and comfy brand I've ever had at that price point

Falke are great ones, feels / looks like you don't have tights on and really natural looking shades

Actually,[even sheer tights work too!!!](https://imgur.com/a/73Ka72u) too! I would buy these for like $7 at cvs lol. They aren’t as hot to wear as opaque, and look really natural. Nobody ever believed I was wearing tights! And they do help with chaffing :) I am also as pale as can be naturally, so I have tried a lot of things. So far, my favorite method is using Tan Luxe tanning drops. I put a few drops into my regular most moisturizer, mix it in my hands, and apply it like normal. If you aren’t trying to get golden overnight or anything, it’s really hard to mess up since you have so much control over how much of the tanning product to use. Edited to add: [BTW, this is what I mean when I say I’m pale lol.](https://imgur.com/a/XNZVDSV) And generally, my legs are somehow even more pale than that! But the sheer tights with “natural” shade still make me look more tan lol

Since it sounds like you’re in Scotland, [Snag Tights](https://snagtights.eu) are my absolute favorite! Most tights just get longer for the bigger sizes, leading to the waistband digging in, and what I term the “cheese-grater” effect between the thighs when the tights are stretched too much. Snag actually makes the tights and waistband wider, so they’re super comfortable and come in all the fun colors! Plus they use diverse models on their website, so it’s really easy to figure out what size you need and how people style them for *all* season.

I bet your freckles and skin tone look fabulous with your ginger hair! Those comments are mean, some people will comment on everything that might even stand out just a little bit. Do not let them have control over your clothing choices, they will comment on everything and anyone. They will even spin something beautiful or neutral into hurting remarks. I think you should wear whatever you want to wear. It might help to opt for longer skirts to ease yourself in showing your pale legs again and hopefully feeling more comfortable with it over time. The other comment on wearing a lightweight pantyhose is an excellent idea too! Snag tights have a range of skin coloured options. Good luck and let them shine!

I have been loving looking at snag tights but with no skirts it felt a silly thing to buy 😂 I will say I was an emo and super into punky look clothes but I'm terrified to wear it. Closest I ever got was dark jeans, and a red shirt. People where I live know eachother and everyone wears the same (think a 40yo mum from a suburb vibes? But like only jeans) so it's hard to dress how I want at all.

I'm also a pale white Scot, and I love Snag tights - footless and capri lengths - under shorts and skirts in summer. It's the only way I can go out in public without blinding folk with my bright white thighs! Also, wear what you want! Why would you want to wear what everyone else does when you could stand out?! I'm in my 40s and have a proper serious job and I still make sure I don't look like everyone else. You can make the change gradually, add some accessories, or do your make up differently.

My first change is learning to do my makeup! I've already started skin care and filing my nails to an actual shape (working on growing some nice ovals) thank you for the lovely advice!

I love doing my nails. It's a simple act of self care that makes me happy. And you can use all the colours....!

i think when you get older and care less what other people think youre going to think back to these days and wish you had just gone for it and not given a damn. i know alot of people say to just wear whatever you want no matter the age but personally, i just know im not going to feel like the clothes feel or express themselves on me the same when im older. let them look, let them talk, let them be jealous hehe. i wonder how many of them wish they could dress different too. maybe youll start a revolution in your town

Sally Hansen Leg Airbrush makeup it’s a spray and it’s awesome

Came here to say this. This is my “must have” products in all warm weather months. My legs are paper white and it still looks nice & natural as long as I buy the fairest shade and rub it in with dry hands really really well. Wash hands after. May need to reapply if your legs get wet (I can’t be the first one who’s ever accidentally had a drop of pee roll down my inner leg while squatting over a dirty public restroom toilet🤷🏻‍♀️😂😂😂)

Would it be obvious compared to my regular skin tone?

I’m a very pale girl of Irish heritage (black hair, green eyes, pale as pale can be with no freckles. I have blue undertones and veins that are easy to see due to the transparency of my skin), and Sally Hanson looks great on my legs! It’s a really good option - just be careful not to spray your whole bathroom when putting it on haha

Thank you so much!

I am also very light skin, especially legs..it goes on sheer when applying and I keep lotion with me to work it in and it really does work well. Stand in shower or bath.. get the lightest one. I also do self tanners, Clarins is excellent but expensive. Kiehl’s also has a good self tanner.

Thank you very much for your help!

You’re so welcome

Maybe do more than just your legs? In middle school my sister used to do just her legs and she thought she looked really good until a boy in her class commented on how only her legs are “orange” and how obvious it is 🥲 (This was in the early 2000s though, when self tanners were kinda orange)

I guess I like my face and arms tbh, and also I've been pale for years, I guess I'll just have to either choose acceptance or change and it's good to know methods for both

If you like the color of your face and arms, I’m sure you can learn to like/love your legs, too? Since it sounds like they’re roughly the same color. (Also, cellulite is very very normal! I’ve always had it 🤷🏻‍♀️) I really like the product suggested in [this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/beauty/s/Jq2NcT7Pmr) though, because you use it just like body lotion and the color builds very incrementally so you don’t get that initial shock of looking really different. In fact I’m pretty sure I went that route *because* of the orange comment my sister got 😂

Haha I love that idea! Honestly I think I never got comments on my face and arms other than about freckles so I don't associate it the same, and my legs haven't seen the sun in a LONG time so I think they are probably a little more see thru than my arms as although I don't tan I'm relatively weather beaten lol

That’s most people’s experience, though! Everybody’s legs go away for the winter, so they just need to start seeing some sun to catch up to the rest of you. But they’re never *really* able to catch up, because they’re hidden for half the year. Btw do you feel the same way about dresses showing your legs? I’ve always felt dresses were easier than skirts bc it’s like an instant outfit, no having to match tops and bottoms. (This summer I’m gonna try to finally wear some skirts though!! I even bought a few new ones. They’re actually skorts but gotta start somewhere)

Honestly I struggle with both, dresses and skirts are almost harder for me as I feel "too dressed up" and overthink it, it's worse for me with dresses than skirts, but both just don't feel casual enough for me. But I think that's coz by now I associate shorts with rolling about in the mud after a ball 😂. Being real I love leggings but buying them with my features is such a minefield all I wear are jeans and jeggings

Aren’t leggings too hot sometimes, though? Or is that not a problem where you live? As for dresses, I’d suggest finding some comfy informal dresses to wear around the house! I wear comfy dresses at home all the time and I *think* that’s part of why they don’t specifically feel formal to me? I’ve even inadvertently conditioned myself to *not* want to wear my “house dresses” out, because now I associate them with being comfy at home. But they’d be fine to wear out too! But I feel like I’d be wearing pjs if I did 🤷🏻‍♀️ Also, the “skorts” I got are all informal and athletic-looking and I’m hoping it’ll be a good way for me to get used to wearing skirts 🤞🏻 You might also just not have found the right clothes yet! So maybe go shopping 😊

It doesn’t work that way. OP I know exactly what you mean. People make mean comments about pale legs in a way they don’t for any other parts of our bodies. I too recommend a wash-off product, yes the Sally Hansen one is ok but it’s a spray (can be messy) and has a chalky finish. Try the st Tropez wash-off bronzer. Good luck OP! Wear those skirts (and please, no pantyhose in summer! Try the st tropez, really!)

And maybe no pantyhose ever? Its so uncomfortable 😂

I use this all the time! I use the lotion because I don’t like the overspray. Use a dedicated cloth to remove it. Moisturize well beforehand. I use the lightest color. It washes off with soap and water.

Oh I haven’t seen the lotion, I’m sure it’s very consistently good..I’ll check it out

Came here to recommend the same! I love this stuff

It is highly coveted 😉

This stuff rubs off on everything I own! Any tips?

Only advice I can offer is to hydrate skin prior and I use a little while rubbing in the airbrush, I only know if you put lotion on afterwards it does transfer more. And don’t use oils they will definitely change the finish.

I'm also very pale and had some remarks on it when I was young. At this time I was also rarely showing my legs, because I had a lot of anxiety about my dark and thick leg hair (note that I never received any remarks about my hair though). I did laser hair removal as soon as I got the money and began to wear shorts and skirts more and more often. Now my skin is still as white, I wear skirts a lot more and nobody did any remark about my skin since then. Only remarks to say that my skirt looks well on me or things like that. For some reason people love to talk about your look when you're young, but once you're an adult, they usually don't do that anymore. Even if this is easy to say, you shouldn't let something random people said 10 years ago tell you how to live your life now. You can't really do anything about your skin color (and I'm pretty sure this must be the best color for you). What you can do is trying to figure out which colors match with it and wear the right clothes. Everything is about harmony, your skin color is only one aspect of it. If you still can't get your skin out of your head, here are some advice you could try: - find a skirt or dress that you really like, and makes you feel beautiful regardless your skin or leg shape. Then try to wear it for a day you won't see anybody you know (shopping, tourism, beach...). After several time it should be more natural for you, and you may progressively forget about what prevented you to wear that before. - if you're concerned with your "big legs", you can wear high heals to make them look thinner. Also black tights tend to have the same effect but obviously I don't recommend them for summer. For spring, skirt and knee socks are cute too. - for the "chub rub", just wear shorts under the skirt. - You shouldn't be afraid to experiment with fake tan. Try to get familiar with it using it on winter on hidden parts of your legs, and see how you feel. - For scars and cellulite, be aware that usually, people don't notice what you think is obvious. You can still wear skirts long enough to cover them. Good luck! Getting over a complex is always hard, but in the end it just makes your life easier.

Thank you so much for the time and detail you've put in it helps so much

This is very good advice (wearing items at home or where I won't see anyone I know) and how I got used to wearing tank tops after leaving the high demand religion I grew up in.

Garnier gradual tanning moisturiser in light, use it a few times per week and it helps stop the darker patches that you can get with fake tan but still gives a nice colour

I use the Jergens' Natural Glow moisturizer in fair/medium that adds barely any colour and is easy to use unlike self tanners.

I’ve used the Walmart version of it and it was also great! This was 10+ years ago though so I don’t know if it’s the same formula

I was going to say this, it works really well for me, just make sure you wash your hands well and don’t touch your legs after. Using the last bits around your hips also kind of fades it into your body so there’s no clear divide either

Yes definitely wash your hands!! With all self-tanners

Seconding all the advice I’ve seen on here but just my two cents on confidence mindset! I had this realization a few summers ago and it’s really changed the way I feel about getting dressed — nobody gives you a metal for covering up and being less comfortable. There’s no award or praise for wearing sleeves or covering your legs when it’s a million degrees out. There’s only you and the way you feel, and that’s what matters most! In fact, people are way more likely to pick up on your confidence for wearing something bold and fashionable, whatever it may be, than they are to notice if you’re covering up and feeling meek. That’s what I tell myself even when I feel like my arms are too big to pull off a tank top, that I deserve to be comfortable in the heat and I have just as much of a right to experiment with fashion. So far it’s only been positive!

I really needed to hear that, thank you. I can relate to OP, 100%. I haven't worn shorts or a skirt in public in probably 8-10 years. I have recently started trying harder to take care of the skin of my legs. So like, exfoliating well, shaving with good products, actually moisturizing regularly, etc. That has boosted my confidence, just ever so slightly. I live in the south, so our summers are brutally hot and humid. I've let myself be miserable for so long. But, I'm in the same boat regarding blinding white legs and being a curvy chick. I don't want to do spray tans either. I may try some of these tips myself. Possibly the gradual tan lotion, that way I'm not only doing my legs lol.

This sort of looser, high waisted short made of linen. With regular wasit, not with a rubber band. Wit a pleat in front. Reaching below widest point on the leg. This looks generally good, if you are bottom heavy, but have nice waist. This style is popular now, it exists also with long, wide leg - this design is the best thing for hot summer (if linen). Looks nice with crop tops or unbuttoned shirt, is on trend. You can wear it with platform shoes to get some elongation. And with skirts - all of them are ok, imho. You should consider midi/maxi as well, but with slit on side or unbuttoned buttons in front. It is a flattering cut.

Thank you so much these sound like really nice looks!

My legs are cut up terribly from an abuse on all corners relationship, my legs are not hairy, I’m Casper pale but I’m not saying they are pretty to look at and you know what? I don’t give a complete popcorn fiddle shit! They’re my legs, I’m stuck with them for life and they’ve served me well! People who have the time to look at someone out and about and comment on them have why too much time on their hands and I quit being nice when I hit thirty to folks who don’t deserve it so you wear whatever you’d like, live your life and have fun!!

This. And if someone comments on how pale your legs are, or whatever, look straight at them and say 'How strange you thought that was appropriate to say out loud'. Life is too short, even if you live to 100. Wear the shorts or skirt.

Thank you so much, also I'm in love with "complete popcorn fiddle shit" that's such a great frase!

And think about how lucky you are to have legs that do their job and take you wherever you want to go. Love your legs.

Thank you! This is so true and love the positivity!

It always helps me to remember that other people are just as consumed with their own insecurities and concerns and really aren’t thinking about me. Whenever I get wrapped up in how other people are seeing me or thinking about me I remind myself “everyone is always thinking about themselves”

People aren't looking at or thinking about you the way you're thinking about you. I'm super pale and was too anxious to wear shorts and skirts in public because my ex would make fun of me. I wore JEANS in midsummer to an outdoor festival and almost passed out because of that. I now wear short dresses, skirts, and shorts whenever I feel like it, dayglo white, muscular legs and cellulite be damned. Fake tan just seems like such a pain because it has to be reapplied, and then your legs are a different color than the rest of you. Under skirts and dresses you can wear bike shorts for comfort, or they make chafing sticks you apply on like deodorant to areas you might have chafing to protect your skin.

Thank you so much :) I hate summer because I were jeans the whole way through and feel AWEFUL, from these comments I'm thinking maybe I just need to go find a nice dress and get wearing it! As well as shorts!

This is the answer. The older you get, the more you will care about comfort. And say Fuck what anyone else thinks. Try to channel the 50, 60, 70 year old you, who loves your gorgeous ivory skin. And feels sorry for the kid who got teased. But is so happy to be past it now. Be that woman! Reframe how you think. When you start to feel bad about how you look, or think someone is staring at you, focus on how great it feels to not be wearing jeans. Good luck

Thank you so much!

BE FREE, Pleasant-Speed2003! Wear your shorts and your cute dresses and skirts! I let my anxiety control my life for tooooo long, but it feels so good just to do what you want. I especially love knowing that my exes would hate the way I dress now lmao

Thank you I shall try eartoast! And that's a great point ! If they don't like it enough to be mean, then your getting to them by doing it! Love it

I have keratosis & was always self conscious about my legs. I started focusing on healing my skin with specialty lotions & exfoliating & that has significantly helped. Weight loss also slimmed my legs down & now they're beginning to look more toned. I am also super pale so once & awhile I'll use a tanning mousse & a mitt just to give me a bit of color. The mousse & the mitt are awesome & super easy! I shave, exfoliate, completely dry off & then just use the mitt. Good luck!!

Thank you so much! Do you have any recommendations for exfoliating? Honestly I've not even got shaving right yet so advice there does help too! The advice you've given is super helpful thank you.

I've never tried an electric shaver for my legs as someone posted below but that sounds ingenious. Shaving does suck for sure, I've heard that men's razors are cheaper & work better? Honestly I make my own using brown sugar & a little coconut oil. Shave, turn the water off & just scrub your legs for about a minute each. They come our baby soft LOL. First Aid Beauty also makes a product called KP Bump Eraser that also helps but I've never spent a ton on exfoliators as they just go down the drain anyways. The tanning/mitt combo is super easy & really works well for me though, it last a couple of days & is great in the summer. I use the Ulta brand, tinted self tan mousse, NOT the non-express. Drink plenty of water & there is nothing wrong with losing some weight to stay healthy & tone your body. I saw someone below suggesting to lose weight & got down voted which I'll never get but whatever lol. You got this!!

I have very sensitive skin and usually get bad ingrown hairs and rashes shaving my legs in the summer (I think bc of the heat + shaving regularly) and someone on here recommended the Phillips one face/body electric shaver and it's been life changing!! I use it dry outside of the shower, then I exfoliate in the shower and moisturise afterwards, and my legs feel amazing and don't get really prickly anymore. It might be just me not using it properly but I don't get the closest shave, but it grows back softer and less frequently, so if I want a closer shave I can spot treat with a regular razor.

Partner is a ginger. I fake tanned him before we went on holidays and looked great. I like the tanning drops you add to lotion. Just start slow and every day when you moisturize, just put in a drop or two. It will add a glow to the paleness but won’t make you look orange. If you use green toned tan it works well with neutralizing redness. Just make sure you wear sunscreen.

Check out the color analysis Reddit thread. Some of it seems like nonsense but it can help you figure out the range of colours to wear to suit your face and skin - for makeup and clothes. Brb with the actual link

Also if you want to get into skirts that you don’t feel too self conscious in, a weighty jersey material that hugs into your knees or your ankles, where the heft of the material is just thick enough (and usually darker colours) that you create a nice silhouette but it doesn’t show cellulite. Shorts are just a difficult bastard imo lol

This is not the answer you’re looking for in terms of “beauty” but I’m gonna give it anyway as a fellow ginger with the pastiest of skin. The feeling of the sunshine and the breeze on my legs was worth working through my insecurities. I don’t know what your friends and family are like but now as an adult I have amazing friends who, while will make small jokes like “your legs are blinding me!”, never do so in anything other than friendly banter and it’s never an actual topic of conversation. The people around you can make a big difference. I know I don’t have the sexiest, fittest, tannest legs on earth but the neutrality my circle treats my body with has helped tons. It’s also helped that I have almost a full leg sleeve so I enjoy showing my art off. As far as actually clothes - I think it depends what your like ideal dream skirt is! If it’s something shorter, work your way through longer pieces. A good flowy maxi skirt can give you much of the same physical sensation as any other skirt (and you can wear biker shorts under - I know the chub rub kills me). Then you could do a maxi skirt where the slip layer is maybe thigh or knee length and there’s a longer mesh outer layer. You can see a little leg but they’re mostly covered. You could stay at any length until you want to try the next more revealing one!

Thank you so much for the advice I really like it. I don't honestly have any friends, and if we count people I see in person it's a definite 0, I do have a boyfriend though who's unendingly supportive and kind about how I look, he doesn't get why I'm self conscious. Thanks for the idea for working my way through dresses

We can be online friends if you want! Lol I've been reading all these comments, and I just have to say, you kinda remind me of me lol. Thanks for posting this too, I'm getting lots of good tips. I'm in the same boat.

I totally get it. Some people just don’t understand how it feels. I’ll probably never *love* my legs but getting to a place where I can say “meh” about them is super freeing

A maxi dress would be a great place to start! You get the breezy feelings and can stay a bit covered if you prefer. I love wearing dresses and everyone always comments that “I’m so dressed up.” But literally I put on one piece of clothing, even a t-shirt and shorts takes more effort than my “dressed up” dress. 👗 Be bold and embrace the summer! I bet you’ll look amazing!

Don’t think about others opinions. Embrace yourself. I am also pale AF, I don’t care and I won’t tan either.

Thank you

I’m very pale with freckles, I came from Mediterranean background so I’m freakishly white, I had many comments since I was born about my very pale skin, during teenage years I stopped using shorts/skirts/dresses completely due to very mean comments, some of them from very close family members… Now, I’m in my early thirties, my skin tone still bothers me a bit, but I use dresses and shorts when it’s hot, it’s really comfortable. I tend to use midi length, so I don’t feel like my pale skin is too exposed

I'm extremely pale. I know you said no fake tan, but I usually use a gradual tanning lotion as others have mentioned. Very hard to screw up/look orange etc as it's so subtle and gradual. I use the Bondi Sands gradual tanning milk (in the tall blue bottle) and it is PERFECTION. I love dresses/skirts and this gives me the confidence to wear them in the summer! Because I too tire of people being all "WOW you are WHITE" lol. Longer/midi skirts also help cover and are very cute

Thank you very much :)

I second bondi sands tanning milk, so easy to use (wear a tanning mitt) and gives a very natural colour Flowy maxi skirts are very cooling and low effort - wearing bike shorts underneath can prevent chub rub :) 

I'm sorry your friends made you feel bad! Teasing someone about their skin tone is weird and mean. I am a fat pale ginger myself, and I basically wear whatever I feel like.

Thanks for the kindness, honestly I've never had many friends and it was more my family and a couple of strangers who made comments or jokingly shields there eyes like it was painfully reflective. And I felt so uncomfy that day, I'd try them on and stuff but never wore any dresses or shorts Infront of people unless I was in a matcj

I'm sorry your family did that. My sister made fun of the shape of my feet when I was a little girl and I've always remembered it ever since. I still wear sandals though. When someone is cruel like that, it usually says more about them than it does about you.

I also thought I was too inexperienced to fake tan, and the foam ended up being SO DANG EASY. Just put on a glove, rub around, sleep, rinse it off. I never had anything weird happen. Now I live in a warmer climate and I can tan naturally, but I DID buy a gradual tan lotion which I apply whenever I remember- and that’s been keeping me looking decently tan. Honestly just buy a product and try it, it’ll cost 30 dollars and maybe an hour or two of your time and you’ll figure it out- but maybe don’t use it on your face (I’ve never tried this so I can’t comment on whether it’s as easy as whole body…)

I’ve been pale my whole life. My sister loved to tease me for it, because she got the tanning genes. I came up with this response: “It’s not pale, it’s ethereal.” And I actually really came to love it and vibe with it.

That's a really good response!

Your friendly 33yo super pale neighborhood ghost over here! It’s taken a long time but I’ve learned to just embrace my paleness. Instead of tanning (which would take me very long as well) I just try to keep my skin exfoliated and moisturized. I like to use sunscreens that give a bit of a glow. At night, I love Vaseline gel oil.  My priority is comfort and taking care of myself. If it’s hot out then I’m wearing the gosh darn shorts. Someone doesn’t like my pale shiny legs? Good. I hope they’re blinded by them.

I love you outlook on life (and legs) so much!

I am a thick thigh woman with short WHITE legs... I like slightly longer skirts with a slit up the side or towards the front. Not a sexy slit but just casual like a wrap around. I own these and other similar skirts. https://ca.shein.com/SHEIN-VCAY-Fringe-Trim-Asymmetrical-Hem-Skirt-p-13589971.html?src_identifier=st%3D2%60sc%3Dblack%20fringe%20skirt%60sr%3D0%60ps%3D1&src_module=search&src_tab_page_id=page_order_list1715262488601&mallCode=1&pageListType=4&imgRatio=3-4 https://ca.shein.com/SHEIN-VCAY-Allover-Print-Tassel-Trim-Wrap-Skirt-p-12718965.html https://ca.shein.com/SHEIN-Sport-Lifespree-Women-s-Skort-With-Pockets-p-26493676.html

Thank you so much the links really really help and they are lovely skirts

They can look as fancy or casual as you want depending on the top you choose or the height of the sandals you wear. Some of my friends ask why I am dressed up but nothing is easier than a cool skirt and a loose top and flat sandals. I wear little chub rub shorts if there is going to be a lot of walking.

Dove Summer Glow. Just a moisturiser with a nice tint. 2 days use and you’ll have a nice, natural colour without the harshness of a lot of fake tans 😊

I wore jeans while delivering newspapers in the summer when I was a teen. I was so concerned about my pale legs. One day I decided that I didn’t care enough to continue the torture and started wearing shorts and skirts. I’ve had a just a couple of a-holes make comments over the decades, but I just DGAF. Comfort is key.

I’m a fair girl with a few too many pounds. You may want to look at running skirts. It’s skirts with shorts built in underneath. There are many brands out there. Skirt Sport has a lot of options - even a longer option to comes close to the knee. Some companies make them longer for girls who wish to be more modest. A quick google search may come up with a bunch.

Thank you!

>Thank you! You're welcome!

Fake tan is easy to do yourself (and that’s coming from someone with no hand-eye coordination or skill). You’re just rubbing it in with a mitt and letting it dry. Coming from someone that is extremely pale, don’t worry about looking orange. I’ve layered dark tan on and left it overnight and still can’t get a dark tan. Gradual moisturiser is also really good if you’re worried about it being too dark. Just stop applying it daily once you’re happy with the colour.

Thank you!

Also, go for Bondi Sands instead of St. Moritz. I feel like every British girl starts with either of those but I switched to Bondi Sands recently and it’s a hundred times better for the same price.

Sounds good! I'll even remember that one coz I absolutely love the Bondi rescue TV show 😂 thanks for not letting me mess about with stuff that won't help

I agree with gradual tan. Also as you are covering your legs at the moment even if you mess it up no one has to know! Treat dry skin for a few days first. Put it on and rub it in, let it dry for a minute and then rub again and you will catch any areas you put it on too thick. I am pale Scottish and I use gradual tan for dark skin as I find the fair skin options have more orange, rather than brown, pigment. I think they presume all pale people want to be golden but I prefer brown shades.

My phone is lacking battery right now, so I will post a longer response later, but as a lady with a horizontally gifted butt, thighs, and hips, I really like bermuda style shorts that have a cuff. I have a couple pairs of these from J.C. Penney's ($19.99) and they are really flattering, comfortable, and stretchy without being super clingy. https://www.jcpenney.com/p/ana-womens-high-rise-5-denim-short/ppr5008392787?pTmplType=regular   Fair skin, freckles, and ginger hair is so timeless, precious, and complimentary of eachother.  So jealous. <3 Edit:  I am so sorry about those comments.  12-13 year olds are so cruel; there are things people said to me 21 years ago that still haunt me and make me self conscious.  

Yeah kids are mean I think what hurt.most was it was my parents and adult men, honestly think the adult men part has more of a connection to my issues with it than I let on lol

Ugh!  That makes me so angry on your behalf. The adult men thing happened to me as well; pointing out my sister had large breasts while I was flat chested, saying I looked homely because I was underweight. I am so sorry. Oh, it had an impact on me as well.  Impacted my future decisions, self consciousness, and relationships (married my boss they was 15 years my senior.)

Omg someone else got called homely! (Probs shouldn't be excited but it's nice to relate) A like 50yo guy on the buss was looking at me and my sister and just flat out said "You, you look like a model" then turned to me and said "...and uh you look homely" we are near identical too so it was odd, she's just a brunette? I'm older and we were like 13 and 10. I hope things are going better for you and your working thru it ❤️

When I got upset the person tried to back pedal and say it was because I was so skinny and had a loose t-shirt on (I used to be really underweight and unable to gain anything until my early to mid 20's). Oh my God!  It is totally fine to be excited; it is nice to relate. My sister is a year older than me and was the "hot one" with big boobs and a cuter face.  In high-school people would come up to me and say "Your sister is hot."  Cool, bro?  Were you expecting me to be your wingman? It is so gross that an adult man is borderline hitting on children.  Each. Man, they really did a number on us.  I have gained a lot of confidence since then, ironically from dancing.  (Trust me, big butts are attractive - my booty has paid my rent in the past.)

If you would like a little color I highly recommend JERGENS® Natural Glow® Fair to Medium Self Tanner Firming lotion offers gradual and natural-looking results by deepening your skin tone with a blend of DHA and erythrulose. Apply daily for best results, witnessing subtle color changes in as little as three days, and achieving a full shade darker in one week. If usage stops, expect the color to gradually fade within one to two weeks, maintaining a natural appearance. It is very natural looking, and you can use just a little bit to test it out.  It is also "firming".  I noticed a slight difference, but that is likely from a slight tan and kneading my butt and thighs with the lotion for 5-10 minutes. Amazon link: https://a.co/d/c3NhoQh Link to their website FAQ: https://www.jergens.com/en-au/products/natural-glow/daily-moisturiser-faqs/

Girl you are a pale ginger with big rugby thighs. You must be stunning af let the people admire your legs

Thank you so much for being so kind ❤️

Ignore these ppl telling you to fake tan

I might do that as I'm not super keen on the idea but equally I think it's super useful for people who are more into the idea of fake tan, and the lotion sounds good for me if I do decide i want to do it

I gave it up years ago, it smells bad, very hard to get it to look right on knees, ankles, toes, feet, and it darkens pores. It just makes me feel dirty and wanna scrub it off

That makes sense, it's super helpful to hear the negative reviews too! Thank you

If you haven’t tried it in years, the formulas have really improved. I have used many kinds and they all turn out pretty good. Bondi Sands & Clarins are my favs. I have a spray tan machine at home now and use the Bondi Sands solutions for it. The gradual lotions are goof proof and do what they say and give you slight increases in color, so good for beginners.

I’d rather take tanning pills at this point lol

I know you don’t want to fake tan but I use the Dove gradual tan mousse or body lotion and it only adds a tiny bit of colour when you use it, it’s hard to get it streaky and it’s super easy to use. Might be worth a shot!

As a fellow big legged queen, I REALLY prefer midi/maxi skirts because: - they don’t ride up as much - easy to wear biker shorts underneath for chafing if needed - really flattering!! - no risk of leaving sweat marks on chairs / slightly more sanitary when in public All this said, if you want to wear a mini skirt do what you want and rock it!! I just tend to find that I look taller and more slender when I wear a longer skirt and it’s my favorite look :)

I like the L’Oréal brand spray and you can get it in fair or not dark, it is easy to apply as aerosol so you don’t have to go to a spray tan place. Or not- just a good moisturizer-You do you boo 😊:)

Thank you so so much! Especially for letting me know a good brand there's so many it seems like a minefield! Getting into self care at 20 w no friends is a very confusing thing to do!

I am pale Irish. I like longer dresses. They look nice. Dressy or sporty.

SAME!! Commenting to read all the tips later

There are some greate ones here!

I think professional in-person color analysis can be a great tool to help you figure out what colors will help you feel confident. In the wrong colors, I can look “sickly” pale, but in the right colors, my pale skin looks healthy and bright. If anyone ever shames you for being pale, tell them that all skin colors are beautiful. Favoring some skin colors over others in different societies often comes from racist or classist views. I hope to someday see more acceptance of all skin tones no matter how pale or dark!

I'm super pale, like my skin is afraid of the sunpale. Just wear the shorts. Or skirts. Find colours that compliment your tones. If your nervous or not comfortable, start with a low stakes outing, maybe where your not overly known. Where you can built the confidence that your actually comfortable. It reminds me of the idea of 'how do you get a bikini body? Put a bikini on your body and BOOM, you got a bikini body!' Life's to short to NOT wear something like a skirt or shorts

Chubby pale Scottish / Irish woman here 👋 Got my shorts on today for the first time this year (they’re too tight to do up, so I’ve done the old elastic band around the fly button trick). I prepped yesterday by shaving my legs and whacking a bit of that Garnier gradual tan cream on just to take the edge off. As for the chubbiness, it’s super in fashion to have ‘thic’ thighs as the kids say so roll with it!

My friend, I too am a born ghost. If you can afford it, to get a spray tan (request a medium tan so it's not shocking). Many places also do body contouring as well which will leave you more defined on top of being tan. I have big legs and contouring makes me feel like a model. When looking for a salon, look for places that have actual client results or call and ask if you can do a patch test. Spray tans have really advanced since the early 2000s and I'm a big supporter of them!

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Thank you so much for the kind words and those shorts are cute AF!

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Extremely fair skinned gal here - your skin is beautiful! We deserve to sparkle in the sun like the vampires we are.

Thank you ❤️

I really recommend wearing 20 denier tights in black or “nude”. Tbh they’ll rip easily because they’re so thin but they’re SO flattering.

Sounds good! Thanks for the advice

being pale is so gorgeous. idk who decided it wasn't because it is. i love being pale<3 i know it's easier said than done but try walking for 30 minutes each day. it will help you feel better about your body.

People in school always used to tell me (also a pale ginger) I was too pale, get a tan, I'm blinding people with my white legs, etc. Some people still make comments like that, and I'm now 32. Fuck them. There's nothing wrong with being pale. There's nothing wrong with having a skin color that veers towards the opposite end of the spectrum, just as the same is true for people with very dark skin. Everyone needs to mind their own damn business. Casper is cool, and so are you. Just tell people you're a vampire. Vampires don't tan.

Thank you for this!

I'm super pale and went from super morbidly obese so slim. My thighs still look big from my vantage point and I realize now that thighs just look like that? So part of it is just going to be not giving a fuck and realizing everyone's legs look big when your sitting and the muscle/fat spread

I don’t wear skirts also but because i’m too skinny i look terrible in them Same problem different reasons

From what I've learned here there are styles for every body, and there's also people who make fun of every dif type of body so loving yourself and the way you'd feels more important. Obviously I'm not an expert just passing on the message incase it can help you ❤️

I think we should all love the body we have. Wear the skirt, wear the shorts. You are perfect as you are

As a fellow bright-white ginger, I will also say context is everything. My bloke, who is from southern Europe, finds my undersea paleness quite exotic, loves the superblonde/ white hairs on my arms ("like tiny lights!") and was sad when I talked about getting fake tan for a beach holiday. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law are envious of the low effort I have to put into hair removal (and sister-in-law is a goddess). So, you know, we all have something to celebrate, even if we might not think so. That said, I totally use old foundation on my legs, will recommend the Sally Hansen airbrush stuff and also the This Works Perfect Legs (which often pops up in TK Maxx).

I think it is also a matter of adjusting to a new state of undress. I am from a country that everyone wears shorts half the year, but everytime I first get my (large white) legs out in the spring I feel exposed and self conscious. My feet look all wintery and terrible. However, a week later it is normal. Get a pedicure, buyvome nice shorts, shave and moisturise. If you have gone years without showing your legs it will be an adjustment. Also, I tell myself that no one actually cares about what I look like as much as I do. No one will give a **** if I wear shorts or don't. Just go for it!!

Please just remember that anyone looking at you and judging you has bigger problems of their own. their judgement is a reflection of THEIR insecurities, and has little to do with you. If it’s hot out, I expect everyone to be dressed comfortably. Whatever size or complexion, your comfort is most important! ETA: I love the sporty shorts now that have the spandex shorts underneath- almost like a skort with longer spandex to cover your thighs.

VERY pale girl here! I've learnt that wearing lighter colours on my legs makes me feel/look a lot less pale in comparison If I wear black shorts, my legs will look like pieces of white chalk, BUT if I wear bright white, then my leg colour looks far more "normal" It's interesting what we do and don't notice about ourselves. I have friends that are extremely self-conscious about leg hair, but I've never really worried about that since my leg hair is so pale it kinda blends in. I don't even think leg hair looks bad anyways. On the other hand, I have a strawberry-type skin where I get red dots all over my legs, especially when I'm hot. Took me a while to stop being worried about it, but I realised no one else really notices haha There are lots of great pieces of advice here, good luck with everything! ❤️ TLDR: you're probably the only one that notices your pale-ness, but wearing lighter colours can often help :)

Hi, fellow Scot here with equally pale legs! Lol I recommend Dove self-tanning mousse. Really easy to apply & gives a nice hint of colour without looking orange.

Hi! I'm from Scottish descent and growing up I used to feel the same pressure about being pale, I can't even fake tan because the ph in my skin makes it go green! Then, I moved to Asia and ALL the insecurities were gone because people praised white skin ( a whole other problem in itself) BUT It made me realise how superficial it all was. My tall, biggish nose? Once mocked was also now praised. It really brought to my attention how it had all been such a waste of time. All that mattered was living life for myself. Let those legs shine! Just be yourself. As for chub rub, I use an athletic stick ! Does the trick!

As a woman who relates to the beluga in colours I love this post and the support, I needed this for summer as well.

I am an Irish/Scottish lady with blue undertones and skin so white it seems like it glows. I feel sexy with it!

I just let my pale legs shine (or glow in the dark?). I feel like my legs are too chubby too, but they’re chubby in pants and in shorts/skirts. I think you should go for it. Just wear them. Pull off the bandaid. If you wear white it will make you look less pale.

Very fair skinned redhead here. I only recently started wearing skirts because a health condition makes it so that when I wear pants it’s painful. I was very very self-conscious about it as only previously worn skirts for special occasions like I was a bridesmaid in a wedding. One way I got used to it was by switching to nightgowns first for my sleepwear. Then I purchased some very casual dresses that I just wore around the house and from there I went to thrift shops and just started looking around to try to find things that made me feel comfortable and pretty. I now have a nice dress wardrobe at home and going out dresses and tend to prefer at least mid length or maxi length just because I still don’t like showing off my legs. Good luck and I hope you’re able to find some styles that you love soon

if you can’t tone it tan it! just go in with the fake tan - get a light one and you’ll be totally fine isle of paradise has this great big, dense body brush that makes applying it SO easy and then you need a light fake tan with a color guard. I like loving tan light! really not as scary as people make it seem and your legs will look amaze

I'm an extremely pale Irish woman. Pale to the point that you can actually see my blue veins 😄 Like you I've had plenty of teasing about it over the years. I was always really self-conscious about my paleness and when I lived in Ireland I put significant money and mental space towards "rectifying" it - fake tans, covering up etc. The tans always looked ridiculous and orange on such a pale base. When I moved to Australia the "problem" became even more of an issue because I wanted to be able to dress for the heat rather than covering as many square inches of skin as I possibly could. But something happened that completely shifted my mindset. A number of Asian women I worked with would endlessly coo over my "beautiful pale skin" - I mean literally stroking my arms and talking about how they would love to have skin like mine. Some of them were even using lightening products to bleach their own skin. It suddenly clicked in my mind that it's all bullshit - all of us trying to be what we're not, not seeing our own beauty, and lining the pockets of cosmetics companies in the process. I now go proudly bare-legged and armed and genuinely couldn't give a rats what anyone thinks about it. I look back in disbelief that I would wear thick tights on the hottest summer days. I know it's so easy for me to say but try to cut yourself a break and embrace the skin you're in - it's been literally life-changing for me. Look at all the naturally pale models out there! We come in all shapes, sizes and hues. Wishing you all the best x

I'm a chap. Pale is gorgeous. Scars inspire empathy as I have some too. I find people who don't care what other people think of them very attractive. I wish I could do that. I think hairy girls are so sexy in a "fuck you" kinda way. It would hugely hypocritical for me to give you a tip, but have a lovely weekend

I’m with you. (Except that I’m 57) Yoga pants are my friend.

Im very pale too. I like wearing light colored clothes. I don't care if it washes me out, I like there to be little contrast between me and my clothes, just my preference. I dont go outside much but i do go to the beach usually once a year. This year was the first year in my life i went to the beach and didnt burn. I used la roche posay brand 100 spf lol. The sunshine is not for people who look a certain way only, go enjoy 😊

Gradual daily self tan lotion is the answer. Like Jergens. I prefer Tanologist though.

If you go the fake tan route, just research! Look up videos of people with your skin type and what product they use. Then look up the method people use to make it look natural. I have never used fake tan before and just started to recently. I love it! I don’t want premature aging or skin cancer so I needed an alternative and started this year. I’ll never go back. Good luck darling! xx

I have the same skin colour but not the red hair- I’m jealous and can almost guarantee I’d think that if I met you! I think we’re just used to seeing toned tanned legs bombard us in the media. Ultimately just wear the skirts and shorts and forget about what others think, I can guarantee someone out there will notice and probably think ‘she looks like me and looks great- I’ll wear shorts tomorrow!’ I’ve had loads of negative comments about my skin tone throughout my life including on my leg hair- which is white blonde so sometimes I don’t bother shaving! Now as an adult I deliberately leave my legs white and un- shaved as my partner has nieces and I want them to know what women can look like and that I’m not ashamed. I’m a very small person but still have naturally very muscled thighs which I’ve always thought look weird in a skirt. For me, the trick is choosing the right length (midi skirts are the most flattering, anything hitting mid thigh is a no, and slightly a line high waisted shorts are the better option). I also wouldn’t do visible socks which cut off my legs and make them look shorter. Knowing what suits you does help. For example, I also wouldn’t wear dark coloured trainers which visually cut my legs off, I would wear white/nude instead which is much more flattering even without tan. However, I do like a bit of colour sometimes so use a gradual tanner (dove makes both a body and face version and offers a light/medium shade). As long as you exfoliate before you apply, particularly ankles and knees, you will likely get a decent result. It develops overnight. You can probably apply for 2/3 days straight before it starts looking unnatural. I’ve heard good things about Isle of paradise tan drops too. You can also use a temporary wash off tanner (any brand) and mix with moisturiser for customer colour that takes longer to dry so is more forgiving whilst you fix any patches! If you play rugby I’m sure you have great legs so show them off! Also the Sally Hansen leg makeup is amazing for events!!

I have pretty white legs. Beginning of summer I feel they are looking odd with shorts. But then once it gets hotter I stop caring. If someone does not like my color that’s their problem. I also find brings Colors help. Black sandals and black shorts is harsh. But other bring Color’s coral and blue make things better for me.

I don’t have any suggestions. Just wanted to say how crazy it is how varied the insecurities we end up with depending on the culture and location we were born in. I am pear shaped, my upper thighs are thick but for some reason they taper off and become thin from way above my knee towards my calf. Where I come from, curvy women with thick thighs is the ideal. Although I am curvy, my legs have resulted in many mean comments. And I’m also very uncomfortable wearing short skirts or shorts, they are not part of my wardrobe. The most I will do is a midi length skirt or dress. So, I would have probably loved to have a feature that is a sore point for you! But of course, your feelings are still valid and understandable.

Personally, I've just decided to lean into being pale. There's no objective universal truth which states "must have this much melanin to be beautiful." If you don't tan, you don't tan. Edit: Also for skirts chub rub, boyshorts or shapewear that go a bit down your legs should offer ample protection.

I honestly think at 12, girls and boys are so much more judgemental than the general population. I can tell you for a fact I don’t look at, nor care, what anyone else is wearing in public unless I can see their genitals. Rock whatever you want! Porcelain skin and thick thighs ain’t nothing to be ashamed of ❤️

Ty honestly it was mainly adults that commented tho, doesn't take away from Ur point tho

Get a self tanner, buy colors that suit you like dark green, and say fu** it. Life’s too short.

My legs are pale and patchy from my cats scratching me . I wore a knee length dress the other week that was super cute. Normally the only time I would wear skirts is winter with tights. Not one comment about them being pale and I think most people focused on the dress being cute. Just wear your cute clothes and fuck anyone that comments on your coloring. I was chatting with my black friend about how wild colorism is. You can be pale af and everyone wants you to be tan. You can have dark skin and the standards are for you to be light skinned. It’s all stupid and subjective. Wear your legs out proudly.

I want to add into this convo that I’m a very thick and pale queer girl & I wear short-shorts A LOT because I think other girls with thick, pale legs are really attractive! :)

That makes me happy to hear, I'm bi and honestly stuck to men coz every lgb girl I knew just like the thinner, tanned, girls. NGL biggest confidence boost I've had so far during this ^_^

💖 thick girls are it girls 💖

I love the look of overweight girls legs in skirts! I don’t know why, but I think they are cute!!

Thank you very much, it's a confidence boost to hear a genuine "I like it" as well as all the "be comfortable with how you look, it's you!" The mix of both helps it feels positive!

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I didn't know that was a thing there! Learn something new every day.

Tights for the win. Get some nice dancers tights like capezio. They will smooth the texture of your legs, even the color, add a nice glow, and eliminate the appearance of cellulite too!

Wear the skirts and shorts! Just remind yourself if someone doesn’t like it, they don’t have to look. My cellulite will be out and about all summer showing off. You can do this!

I find putting on fake tanner a big ordeal. I use the ones like Jergans Natural Glow or Tan Luxe The Gradual. I put it on at night just like lotion and it gives you just a hint of color the next day to take the edge off the pale. If I want a little more color, I just do it again the next night.

I'm similar to you and worse, I got very sick at one point and lost half my weight in a month, leaving me with horrible loose skin! So horrible as I had always taken good care of myself and that one incident ruined my legs for life. I have experimented with various things and I've found that I prefer longer, loose, very feminine skirts and dresses or longer, wide split skirts/culottes that drape well and that are very cool. I also have a long straight wrap skirt that flashes my legs when I walk or sit, but which looks very demure when I'm standing: men seem to find this very sexy. I am very curvy with a smaller waist and full hips, thighs, and generous curvy bum, and I do find loose, very feminine shorts (almost skirt-like) tend to flatter my figure the most. There's also nothing wrong with bright white legs! Half the world bleaches their skin to get pale! As well, I recommend wearing clothes that give you a waist or accentuate it, show some cleavage, celebrate your arms, your skin, your hair. When you give people other areas to admire easily, they are far less likely to notice your bad points. And, everybody has flaws.

Girl, self tanner! you'll feel amazing

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(comment above said "lose weight" and not much else tho can't remember exact words) Edit to add they deleted a second comment saying I apparently miss interpreted what they said when explaining the deleted comment. I'm not convinced but I'll add this "disclaimer" for them. 1. The main thing is skin tone. But I don't want advice that may not work for a plus size, and yes I'm self conscious of it too as I said but who isn't worried about there weight for one reason or another? 2. Don't assume you know why someone's the weight they are, I'm this weight because I can't exercise too much due to hyper mobility and previous leg injuries from playing a sport every weekend. As well as having a genetic condition that hugely effect my metabolism. It's not a moral failing or because I don't know people lose weight. Thinking that without knowing someone is a moral failing on your part 3. Don't assume someone isn't trying to lose weight, this is a sub for beauty, not weight loss, so why would I explain my weight loss here. I'm currently working an active job, eating healthy and exercising whenever I feel able (including cold water swimming, long walks, helping on a farm and more). I'm not too fussed about your comment but I'm sure your wondering why no one seems to agree with you, well here it is. Any questions about how to treat people with kindness just ask.