Drawing the line

I’ve been spending some significant time In the sun this spring, especially compared to my past behavior. I’m one of those people who inherited just the right tiny bit of favorable genes from the one Native American in my family tree that facilitates an easy tan. But in the past, I’ve always found laying out to be too boring to do for long (and artificial tanning is outside my price range. I’m not so much obsessed with having a great tan, though, as I am frustrated by inconsistent tans. Which is to say, it drives me nuts that the driver’s side arm is more tan than the other side, and such like. Also, I am, on the other hand, a great fan of tan lines, I find the pale skin where the bikini covered my breasts to be a very attractive contrast to the tanned skin.

Lately I’ve found that I don’t mind the peacefulness and lack of mental stimulation I get from an hour or so in the mid-day sun. It was during one of those hours that, mind wandering as you might suspect, it occurred to me to wonder ( I was trying to remember a great topic idea for this column that I’d had, then forgotten. This is not that topic, I still don’t remember what it was) about how the serious crossdresser deals with tans. From time to time you’ll see, on some forum or other, a self-portrait of a CD in their avatar or whatever and you can see the “sleeve line” where the upper arm is much paler than the rest of it. A tan pattern you very seldom see on a woman.

How do they deal with that? Particularly if you go out in public dressed, you pretty much have to limit your wardrobe choices in order to conceal that tell-tale sign. Conversely, if you do try to develop a more feminine type tan pattern, does that then put you in a situation of hiding THOSE tan lines from acquaintances who are not in the know about your lifestyle/?

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I’m assuming some among us just strive to manage how much sun exposure they get period. Likely others will indulge the expense if indoor tanning salons in order to take care of the whole matter. Perhaps many use self-tanning lotions, though I’ve never met anyone who was really happy with the results from those things (someone must be! They certainly have no trouble selling it!).

So, what’s your story when it comes to tans and tan lines?

Photo by: James’ Plastic Harem