I find the sideline debate of tan vs. pale to be quite interesting. Nowadays, people seem to prefer being tan, but until well into the 20th Century it was not considered desirable at all. People used to go to great lengths to make themselves paler (arsenic, chalk, etc.) Tanning became popular because more people went on beach vacations or visits to tropical locales. It also became something of a status symbol in northern climes. If you were tanned, you must be affluent and able to go on destination holidays. Very interesting.