In addition to applying sunscreen, wearing the right clothing and accessories provides additional protection to your skin from the sun. 

Whether you are going for a walk around town, going on a hiking trip or planning a day at the beach, here are the best clothes and accessories to protect your skin from the sun. 

Pick Clothes That Cover Most Of Your Skin 

For the best protection from UV, wear clothes that cover as much skin as possible. Avoid spending too much time outdoors in just a tank top, vest, shorts and other clothes that leave large areas of the skin exposed. 

Instead, wear pants and a long sleeved shirt like the breathable and odor-resistant Hercleon HercShirt. Also add a pair of gloves to protect your hands. You can get lightweight fingerless gloves designed specifically for sun protection. 

If you are worried about getting too hot from covering most of your skin, pick cool and breathable clothes made from fabrics like cotton, wool, silk, linen and performance polyester. 

But if you still prefer wearing something sleeveless, at least get a pair of arm sleeves like these ones on Amazon to protect your exposed skin. For short wearers, you can also get leg UV protection sleeves that double up as compression sleeves. 

Wear Dark Colored Clothes with a Dense Weave 

Dark colored fabrics generally provide better UV protection compared to light colored ones. So when picking what to wear outdoors, stick to colors like black, dark blue and dark red. They absorb more UV radiation, ensuring less of it reaches your skin. 

In contrast, brighter colors like white allow more UV radiation straight through to your skin. 

The type of weave used on the clothes also matters when it comes to sun protection. Wear clothes that have a tight and dense weave for the best protection. Avoid mesh, lace or any clothing with a loose weave especially if you are spending a lot of time in the sun.   

For Max Protection, Buy UPF Clothing

Regular clothing provides decent protection from the sun, particularly if you stick to the dark colored and dense weave recommendations. 

But if you want max UV protection, we recommend buying UPF clothing. These are clothes that are designed specifically to keep out UV. They typically have a special weave, construction and treatments to provide as much sun protection as possible.  

Different clothes have varying UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) rating, much like the SPF ratings used with sunscreen. They vary from a minimum of 15 to over 50. Get higher UPF clothing if you are sensitive to the sun, you are elderly, or you spend a lot of time outdoors. 

Hat and Sunglasses 

The right accessories can provide extra protection from the sun’s UV. A wide brimmed hat protects your head, face and neck from the sun. 

If you are wearing a baseball cap like our waterproof Kronos travel hat that protects only the head and face, add a neck gaiter or scarf for neck protection. 

Don't forget the sunglasses. Be sure to pick sunglasses that have UV protection. 

Full Coverage Footwear 

Yes, even your feet need protection from UV. Sandals and other open shoes may feel good when basking outside, but they leave your skin exposed to UV. And many people forget to apply sunscreen on these exposed areas on their feet. 

Whenever possible, wear full coverage shoes or boots when outdoors. If you prefer wearing open shoes, then don’t forget to apply sunscreen. 

Adding a pair of long socks will ensure there isn’t any bit of your skin left exposed. 

Final Thoughts

UV radiation from the sun reaches your skin no matter the weather. Most UV can easily penetrate clouds, so you can still get a sunburn and other negative effects of UV exposure even if it is cloudy or during winter.  

So as long as you are outside, put on sunscreen and wear protective clothes no matter the weather or season. It also doesn't matter if you are hiking on a shaded trail. Shade doesn't provide full UV protection. And in most cases, some direct sunshine can still reach you through trees.