Sun Protective Clothing For Women

Before I started researching sun protective clothing, Coolibar was the only brand I had heard of that made UPF clothing. I’m putting them in the best overall category because they offer so many different types of clothes, from swimwear and coverups to scarves, wraps, and even sleeves. Their whole mission is sun protection and everything on their site is UPF rated. They have pretty inclusive sizing but their prices are steep. You can also find them at Amazon.

I’m not going to lie, a lot of sun protective clothing is not cheap, which is a shame. I found a brand on Amazon that has very reasonably priced clothing, though. Baleaf has lots of sun protective tops, pants, shorts, hats, etc. at good prices. They have some really cute UPF golf skirts and tops that I would definitely wear if I played golf. 😁

Lands’ End is famous for their inclusive sizing in swimwear and modest bathing suit options. Well, good news, they also make a bunch of sun protective clothing. Most, if not all, of their swimwear is UPF rated and they also have coverups, rash guards, and board shorts that offer sun protection. I recently bought this striped rash guard to take to the beach. Even if you’re just looking for a good bathing suit, check out the selection at Lands’ End.

A lot of sun protective clothing is…I don’t know how to say it, but it’s not always very fashionable! Lilly Pulitzer turns that notion in its head. Not only are their clothes very colorful, but they have cute details like ruffles. They market themselves at ‘resort wear’ and I see why. These bright colors and patterns are not for everyone but I think they would look really cute on the beach.

I am not an outdoorsy-type of person. I hate camping and I’m only interested in hiking for an hour or two. But, for those of you who love outdoor activities, fishing, trail-running, etc, Columbia offers a whole range of sun protective clothing for you. They all look very comfortable and most of the bottoms are stretchy enough to slip on over a bathing suit. They also have dresses, skirts, cardigans, hats, and neck gaiters.

If the thought of wearing long-sleeves and long pants while exercising outdoors makes you feel a little sick, just bear with me. I’m not talking about a 3 mile run in the middle of the day but maybe you’re doing yoga in the park, or going for a leisurely bike ride. In those cases, I would suggest sun protective clothing from Athleta. I almost put Athleta in the most fashionable category because I really like their style but the clothes definitely look like workout clothes. Athleta is on the pricier side but they do have sales occasionally. Apparently they also sell Supergoop sunscreen, who knew?

• Broad-brimmed hat – a baseball hat or visor is good for keeping the sun out of your eyes but they don’t protect your neck. A broad-brimmed hat offers more protection and they look cute, too!
• Sunglasses – not just a stylish accessory! Most sunglasses offer UVA/UVB protection and they keep you from squinting in the bright sun. You should be protecting your eyes from the sun just as much as the rest of your body, and that means wearing sunscreen around your eyes. Opt for a tinted mineral sunscreen if you find that others burn or sting your eyes. (I actually use this lip SPF around my eyes)
• Shade – it’s not always feasible to wear long-sleeves and pants when it’s really, really hot, so stay in the shade when possible to keep from overheating.
• Sunscreen – you should already be wearing sunscreen on your face everyday (yes, even indoors), but make sure to apply it on all exposed skin when you’re going outside and re-apply every 2 hours (or more often if sweating/swimming).
• Self-tanner – no, this won’t protect you from the sun but if you prefer to look like you have a tan, self-tanner is a WAY better option than sun-bathing. I’m not an expert on self-tanner, the only one I’ve ever used is the Jergen’s Glow Wet Skin Moisturizer, but there are tons of videos on YouTube reviewing self-tanners, so there is bound to be one out there for you.