What is it about a summer tan that we love so much? It is actually quite interesting where the popularity of tanning began.
The history
Tanning is a fairly recent trend in our society. Throughout history, tanned skin has not been considered as universally desired as it is today. Historically, pale skin indicated high social status. If you had a tan, it meant you worked outdoors as a manual laborer, while pale skin showed that you could afford to stay out of the sun and spend time and money on your physical appearance.