I was just talking about this very thing earlier today with my uncle - he's off on a cruise next week, and we were talking about wearing shorts, and how he used to feel really uncomfortable wearing shorts, until about 8 years or so ago, when he realized that wearing long pants or jeans in hot weather just was *not* worth it. Way too uncomfortable. I found out (just today) that my aunt will not wear shorts in public.
I also used to be this way about wearing shorts.
What my uncle and I ended up realizing/deciding is that it's only when you don't wear shorts or perhaps skirts with bare legs on a regular basis, that the first few times you do so - you feel a tiny bit uncomfortable or concerned that your legs don't look good enough. But within three or four times of wearing shorts or skirts sans hose, you realize that no one is actually looking at your legs. They might notice your fab shoes, your nice pedicure, your outfit and your face, but it's not like anyone is actually zero-ing in on your legs and thinking weird things about them.
I know it sounds silly, but have you *ever* zoomed in on someone's legs who was wearing a skirt without hose or a pair of shorts? I mean, did you really even notice, beyond the fact that the person had a nice outfit or maybe a not-so-nice outfit? It's not like we're looking only at a person's legs, now is it? It's more like the whole picture, wouldn't you agree?
I think the fear of skirts without hose or shorts is made worse by not doing it very often. You *do* kind of feel weirdly exposed when you're not used to it or not in the habit of doing so - feeling like your legs are a glowing, neon sign or something. The only thing I can suggest is that you just grin and 'bare it' for the first few outings, and soon you will feel much more comfortable, and a whole lot less awkard/exposed.
I don't bother with self-tanners or bronzers - I may try it someday, just to pretty myself up that much more. The only thing I do is make sure my legs are shaved, toes pedicured, and I slather on moisturizer after every shower - gooping on an inexpensive drugstore body lotion makes a world of difference for not a lot of cost or hassle. Meanwhile, my legs are so white they practically glow in the dark. I also have some of those veins in my upper legs, but wearing clam-length/bermuda length shorts and knee length or longer skirts - it doesn't matter. The only other thing I do in hot weather is spray on Neutrogena cooling sunscreen spray - it works very well, and it actually gives a tiny bit of a sheen without colour or anything and I can get it all over my feet, in between my toes. Don't laugh, but I spray this over my head too - to make sure the part in my hair is effectively sunscreened too.
I don't try to tan and I don't try to look like I'm tanned either. So ...it's white legs, whether you like it or not.
Not perfect legs, but there is no way I'm wearing jeans, long pants or hose in the summer.
The only thing I can recommend is to start putting lotion on your legs now after showers/baths, and see if you can't try and de-sensitize yourself from that initial awkward feeling - get some longer length shorts and knee length or longer skirts and start wearing them *anyway*. I don't think it'll take more than four outings to feel much more relaxed and comfortable with the whole thing.
