Hard working or pure survivalists of the "good old days" in Europe, mainly outdoor "plebs" looked darker aka tanned, all year round mainly due to exhaustion, poor hygiene, alcoholism and violence. At best they would look like suffering from severe case of rosacea, particularly in the North. So paleness was considered proof of affluence and high class. Of course when the middle class appeared and rose, the working class evolved into more human production and living conditions, so, the financial elites had to come up with another badge of "honorary excemption and excellence".
Hard working or pure survivalists of the "good old days" in Europe, mainly outdoor "plebs" looked darker aka tanned, all year round mainly due to exhaustion, poor hygiene, alcoholism and violence. At best they would look like suffering from severe case of rosacea, particularly in the North. So paleness was considered proof of affluence and high class. Of course when the middle class appeared and rose, the working class evolved into more human production and living conditions, so, the financial elites had to come up with another badge of "honorary excemption and excellence".
Amazing!!! Thank you.
Lovely! That Martin Parr photo is hilarious (and poignant).