Let’s talk about how to avoid wasting money on sun blocking clothing. Where are you on your journey with your sun blocking wardrobe?
Is your sun blocking clothing wardrobe complete? Do you have what you need? Are you spending your clothing money on garments that will work for you?
Do you have a plan? Shopping for a garment is easier when you can do it before you need it.
We all have shopping habits. Sometimes they are good habits, and then sometimes these habits leave you with a closet full of clothes with nothing to wear.
I do think that sun blocking clothing is an important part of my wardrobe, but I don’t need a closet full of higher-priced UPF-rated clothing. I live in central Texas, and we have lots of sun time. We also love being outdoors.
However, in my semi-retirement life, I can schedule times to be outdoors better than I could a short time ago. So a few basic items will allow me to stay ready for spending a reasonable amount of time in the sun. I don’t need a full wardrobe for all day every day.
Now, if I become a competitive runner, take up golf, or decide to live permanently on a boat, I will be in trouble. There would be some serious shopping to do.
So, a list is a good thing to start with to help you concentrate on what you really need in sun blocking clothing.
How Long Does Sun Blocking Clothing Last?
Knowing the life span will help you start your list, what will you need to wear bike riding 2 days a week? And stay safe in the sun. It will help to know how long the special finishes or weaves of UPF clothing will last to know how many and how much you need.
Even with the moisture-wicking and fast-drying fabrics, if you are riding a bike several hours a day on weekends, you are going to get stinky and want some changes. Or do you plan to wash the garments every night you wear them? How long the item will protect you is important.
The manufacturers tell us that their garments are guaranteed for “the life of the garment.” For most manufacturers, this is about 2 years. Or 40 or so times of laundering. Fabric will begin to break down and won’t offer complete protection after that many times in the laundry.
You should consider all this as you are shopping to make sure you have what really will work for you if you take up bike riding or any other interest that has you in the sun a good deal.
Now for me, and my lifestyle, I will be mostly in the house during the more dangerous times of the day. Yes, some yard work in the mornings before 10 AM, and after 4 Pm. I do maintenance work and not a lot of puttering. Sorry to say that yardwork for me is a chore, and not something I do for fun. I do envy those who love working in the yard.
Also, I will probably spend a bit of time driving. And not always in low-risk times. Sitting at a ballpark to watch my grandson, but not often in mid-day, the more dangerous times. So a sun hat and sun blocking shirt will be great for me. A new bottle of broad-spectrum sunscreen rated at 30 or more.
When you have a plan, you won’t be overbuying.
What Is Vacation Time For You?
If this is vacation time for you, a sun blocking swimsuit may be in order. However, think about it. Most suits won’t protect you once they are wet. This means you need a coverup to wear until your suit dries. Most do dry quickly. Then you will only need to protect the part of your skin not covered.
With most swimsuits, that is a good bit of skin. You will need a loosely fitting long-sleeve shirt of a tightly woven or especially treated fabric to keep the sun off your skin. Are you still hung up in the tanning mode?
If this is where you are headed with your fun in the sun days, trying to get a tan, please remember to go slow and allow your body to tan slowly. Consider what you will be doing, and think about your plans. Will you have time to rinse out your sun blocking clothing in the sink and dry it on the towel bar?
It is important to be prepared to protect your skin from the sun. Do you have any items in the closet that will do a good job of protecting your skin because they just happened to be the right fabric and fit? Often a shirt already in your closet can be just what will work for you.
However, remember that nothing is really able to protect your skin all day, day after day. Yes, there is sunscreen and reapplying often. Adding sun blocking clothing will help your sunscreen do a better job of protection.
Changing your lifestyle for a healthier lifestyle also will help. Finding shade during the more direct sun time of day will help you protect your skin. Using items of sun protection will work better when used together.
Using The Tools Available To You For Skin Protection
What tools do you keep available to help you protect your skin? The American Dermatology Association shares some ways to protect our skin from the sun. Sun hats, sunglasses, and long sleeve loose-fitting shirts of tightly woven fabric will go a long way in saving us from sun damage.
So will avoiding the more direct times of day, finding shade, and staying hydrated. Covering your skin from the sun is the simplest way to protect yourself. We just haven’t been doing that.
Becoming aware of the ways we can help ourselves will make protecting from the sun easier in your everyday life.
Now, my feelings are that you are not wasting your money on sun blocking clothing if you are wearing it and protecting your skin from the sun. Sun protection clothing is usually more expensive than regular clothing.
Sun blocking clothing with special finishes and styling may be more comfortable for everyday wear because it is often lightweight.
I may have a new denim shirt that will protect me from the sun, but if it is hot and I don’t wear it, it does me no good. Wearing the lighter-weight shirt with an SPF rating is better if I actually wear it. It may cost more, but my money isn’t wasted if I am protecting my skin from the sun.
Sami’s take on “Wasting money on sun blocking clothing”.
How will you keep your skin safe from the sun? Will you avoid wasting money on sun blocking clothing because you think it costs too much?
How much would you pay to avoid skin cancer? Have you learned how to go into your closet, read labels of fabric content and know if you have a sun blocking shirt?
Protecting your skin from the sun is essential for lowering your personal risk of skin cancer. Year-round protection comes with your awareness of your personal risks, summer, and winter. Learn how to make good choices and avoid wasting money on sun blocking clothing.