Nothing is certain in life but death, taxes, and sun damage. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid the sun at all costs! Long morning walks among the trees, lazy afternoons on the beach or by the pool, al fresco dinners with friends – these are the sparkliest, most invigorating parts of summer. Instead, shore up your defenses with glamorous floppy hats, really great sunscreen, and innovative clothing with SPF built-in to the fabric.
There’s something undeniably chic about wearing a huge, floppy sun hat. From Rita Hayworth to Jennifer Lopez, they’ve been a go-to way to add drama to a beach ensemble. The bigger the better, and this Banana Republic straw hat cuts a striking silhouette. This slightly smaller Anthropologie hat even has a fun bow detail for an Audrey Hepburn vibe. Janessa Leone’s visor hat is woven with black piping, and gives the back of your head some breathing room. \
For a more casual, throw-it-on-while-you-garden cotton hat, you can’t go wrong with a wide-brim black bucket hat from J.Crew. Anthropologie’s cotton crusher hat in a bright white works on the beach or in the backyard. Coolibar’s beach hat even has SPF 50 built in, so if you forget to reapply you’re covered!
Let’s talk sunscreen. Everyone seems to have their own favorite sunscreen, especially with the plethora of options out there right now. Personally, the Elta MD sunscreen is the only one I buy. It goes on completely clear, so there’s no weird ashy tint. And it’s packed with skincare that hydrates and refines your skin, along with SPF of course.
Supergoop! Is a cult favorite for a reason, because they have just about every kind of sun protection product you can think of. I like their Glow Stick for on-the-go, Glow Skin to use as a primer before makeup, and an extra-big size of their Unseen Sunscreen.
Finally, I mentioned it earlier, but Coolibar is a groundbreaking new company that weaves sun protection technology into the fabric. If you know you’re going to be out and about, it’s great to be to able to throw on some of their athleisure clothes. This navy-and-white shirt, a white hoodie, and short sleeve t-shirt are great options.
Shop the rest of our SPF edit below:
All of our recommendations are curated by Susan & the In The Groove editorial team. In some, but not all cases, we receive a small commission for leading you to what, how and where to buy all this wonderful stuff.
