Blast from the past: When people lusted after a deep tan like 'glow-getter' Des O'Connor

Although the fashion for a deep chestnut, teak and mahogany tan, like that sported by the late Des O’Connor and David Dickenson, is still lusted after by some, more and more people, realising the dangers of skin cancer and premature ageing, are getting browned off with the look.
The teak-tanned entertainer Des O'ConnorThe teak-tanned entertainer Des O'Connor
The teak-tanned entertainer Des O'Connor
By Helen McGurk
Published 5th Jul 2023, 18:30 BST
Updated 7th Jul 2023, 12:09 BST

Up until recent times, dark tans (not from a bottle but acquired through nuking oneself on a beach ) spread across the nation’s epidermis, as the pasty masses sought to achieve the sort of nut-brown glow of Hollywood stars and celebrities.

In the ‘old days’ there was so much laxity when it came to sun protection and blithe indifference to sunburn (remember when people slathered themselves in baby oil to burn better?), which was as much a part of summer as wasps, the Tweltfh and watching the tennis on TV.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Northern Irish skin generally doesn’t tan well, so that men would often end up with sunburn from neck to ears and fingertip to bicep, creating the much vaunted farmers’ tan.

These days the deep tan is as passe as footballers’ wives and designer handbags, and with

a staggering array of fake tans on the market, promising almost everything apart from making the dinner, there’s no need to sear ourselves into an early grave.

Related topics:Hollywood