I was going away to Mexico this summer and I was concerned about the sun- not only because of sunburn, but because of my Lupus. I find that I am more sun sensitive than most, so I wanted to find sun protection clothing which was both functional and fashionable, without spending a ton of money. I did not want to alter any part of my vacation, because I couldn’t be in the sun. Naturally, I wanted to do the same activities as everyone else.

I first wore the “Resort capri pants and jacket” from shadyladyproducts.com. The vanilla color was perfect to wear with any of my other clothing. What I liked best about this outfit was that it looked like a capri set I would buy at any store. When I wore it no one knew that it had sun protection in it. It looked very cute and was so versatile that I could dress it up and wear it to restaurants or shopping, or I could easily throw it over my bathing suit. The ultra lightweight material was cool and comfortable. The set was amply cut and comfortable to wear with drawstring and back elasticized waist. This set provides 40UPF and wrinkle free wash and wear was perfect for travel. I can see this set becoming part of my “travel essentials”.
For the more active days I tried two shirts from NoZone.ca. When walking along the beach and hiking, I tried the “OutDoor Athletica” shirt. I thought it fit more like a form fitting jacket with a zipper front. It is made of a
white mesh material that keeps moisture away from the body. The shirt was very soft and comfortable to wear, helping me remain cool on some of the hottest days. This shirt/ jacket is more of an athletic look I would only wear during sporty activities. It was great to be able to participate in outdoor activities without worrying about sunburn. I wore the long sleeve shirt, although they do have short sleeve available. This shirt has a rating of UPF 50+.
When I went swimming and snorkeling I tried another shirt from NoZone.ca. This shirt is a part of their “outdoortec” line. At first I was not used to wearing something over my bathing suit, so that took a bit of getting used to. I wore this shirt easily in the water without it effecting my swimming or movements. This shirt has a 1/2 zipper which goes from the neck to the mid chest, so you pull this shirt over your head. This shirt is also form fitting but is made with a much tighter woven material. When I got out of the water I noticed the shirt dried very quickly. This shirt has a rating of UPF 50+.
I would highly recommend any of these products to anyone who wants more sun protection whether on vacation or everyday.
© 2008 Written by Christine Miserandino Butyoudontlooksick.com