While fair skin is usually a common beauty standard around the world, paleness can also be seen as unattractive in North America and parts of Europe. This wasn't always so (and still isn't for many people worldwide). In ancient times, fair skin was a sign of nobility and tan skin was a sign of the working class, due to outside labor. Great lengths were taken to maintain pale skin, including using lead and arsenic based makeup and ladies carrying parasols whenever going outside. There's a reason "fair" was once a synonym of "beautiful." Not to be confused with Dark Is Not Evil.