Planning a summer getaway? Jetting off for spring break? Escaping the freezing winter temperatures on a tropical getaway? No matter where you’re planning to travel, it’s important that you have a plan to protect your skin from the sun. While sunscreen can be part of that plan, my own travel experiences have taught me that our best line of defense against sunburns and sun damage is travel-friendly sun protection clothing.
As a female traveler with very fair skin, who can usually only travel in the spring and summer, sun protection is always on my mind. I had several bad sunburns when I was younger, and now that I’m older and wiser I am fully committed to protecting my skin from the sun’s harmful rays – especially when I’m traveling.
The clothing that I’m going to recommend below are the actual styles that I wear almost every day when I’m traveling in hot weather. Sometimes the products are slightly different (I mean, lots of my travel clothing is more than ten years old and can’t be found online anymore) but the styles? I could reach into my suitcase and pull out something nearly identical to all the clothes I’m linking to below.
I need to emphasize that not all of the clothing on this list contains special UV-filtering materials or treatments. Instead, they are cut and designed in a way that offers more sun protection than other similar items of clothing. This reflects my own personal clothing style and what I think is realistic for most female travelers, who want to look good and avoid a sunburn when they travel.
1. High-Neck Tank Tops & T-Shirts
My go-to travel shirt in the summer is a high-neck tank top or a high-neck t-shirt. A narrow crew neck helps keep the sun off your chest, which can be on the first places to burn in the hot sun. I prefer to buy these tops in lightweight fibers like cotton, linen and modal.
This simple tank comes in several colors and has a modest racer-back, so you won’t have to stretch too far to put sunscreen on your shoulders.
This Lands’ End tank top is made from 100% Supima cotton, so it’s super-breathable even in the hottest temperatures.
A mock neck tank offers tons of sun protection, and looks extra cute when you’ve got your hair up in a messy bun (which is pretty much my go-to vacation hairstyle!).
Play with proportions in this boxy cropped t-shirt, with a high neckline and sleeves that almost touch your elbows.
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2. A Loose Button-Down Top in Linen or Cotton
Sometimes you need to cover your arms as well, whether it’s from the sun or because you’re traveling to a place that requires more modest dress. In these cases, I like to toss on a loose button-down shirt in cotton or linen over my high-neck tank top or t-shirt.
I recommend sizing up so you get a more casual, breezy vibe, instead of looking like you just came from the office. I usually pack two shirts in this style: one in a solid color, and one with stripes or color blocking.
This oversized button-down shirt comes in tons of colors. I’m a fan of the white and blue stripes shown here, but if your skin is warmer-toned, the beige and black stripes would be stunning.
I like wearing color-blocked button-downs because they match with so many different colors. This one could pair with black, white or light pink.
3. Lightweight Linen Pants
My go-to travel outfit is a high-neck tank-top or t-shirt, paired with a pair of lightweight linen pants. Linen is both breathable and moisture-wicking, so it keeps you cool and works quickly to get any sweat away from your skin. I find it so much more comfortable to protect my skin under a pair of loose linen pants than to wear shorts and have to continually apply sunscreen all over my legs.
Linen can be expensive, so you can keep costs down by buying travel pants that are a linen-cotton blend. Just read the fabric composition carefully and avoid anything with a lot of spandex or polyester in the mix.
I like my linen pants to have an elasticized drawstring waist, as I find it most comfortable for sitting on planes, trains and buses.
I usually pack at least one pair of linen capri pants on every summer trip. These come in six colors and have a more polished looked flat front (but still have elastic at the back).
I haven’t personally tried this brand because they literally just started shipping to Canada, but they have almost 1000 reviews on Amazon and an overall four-star rating. The photos from shoppers who actually bought them look great!
4. A High-Neck Swimsuit
I love to scuba dive, snorkel and swim when I’m traveling, and that means I often spend the entire day at the beach or on a boat. I look for a swimsuit that offers lots of coverage in the places where it’s most difficult for me to re-apply sunscreen, like my back and neck. This style of swimsuit usually includes full coverage in the chest too, which helps keep that area safe from the sun (and from signs of aging).
My favorite high-neck swimsuits actually come from SKIMS by Kim Kardashian (I have one in black and one one in gunmetal grey) but I understand that not everyone can shell out $150+ for a bathing suit. Here are some similar options that I found on Amazon.
This sporty suit has cap sleeves, offering even more sun protection for your shoulders. It comes in fifteen different prints, including some with zips at the front (my preference) and some with zips at the back (these are harder to zip up if you’re not super-bendy!).
If your vibe is more classy than sporty, this simple one-piece swimsuit has a high neck and high back. The cut-outs at the hip add a touch of cheekiness.
One last surf-inspired style, again in lots of colors and styles (including some with long sleeves).
5. UV-Protection Fabrics and Clothing
The sun protection clothing I’ve mentioned so far has simply been clothes that protect your skin from the sun by covering it. The items in this section are made from special fabrics that are treated with UV-resistant chemicals, or sewn in a special way, to add a further layer of sun protection.
When it comes to buying clothes that claim to protect against UV rays, I would recommend sticking to well-known brands that have a good reputation. Avoid unfamiliar companies using questionable stock photos, as you can never be sure if they really deliver on what they promise.
Personally, most of these sun protection clothes are too sporty for me to wear every day, but they’re the kind of clothes I would wear for a full-day hike or another adventure travel activity.
This lightweight hooded t-shirt from Columbia comes in lots of different colors. The thumb hole on the sleeve helps you protect the back of your hands from the sun.
The brand Coolibar has been making sun protection clothing for women travelers for more than twenty years. This is one of their newest styles of dresses, with half coverage for both arms and legs. Click through to see the full range of prints and colors. Note that I’ve heard from my readers that this brand runs small, so consider sizing up.
These joggers from Mountain Hardwear can be dressed up or down, making them ideal for everything from hiking to sightseeing. I love the muted blue shade (shown above) as well as the rich olive green.
6. Maxi Dresses
Another clothing option that offers female travelers excellent sun protection is a comfortable maxi dress. Like with my tank tops, I look for dresses with relatively necks and some shoulder coverage (especially at the back, where it’s hard to put on sunscreen).
You can wear a maxi dress as-is, or create some shape by belting it at the waist. In the summer, a simple maxi can look great with sandals or runners. And that cotton or linen button-down you packed? Throw it over your maxi dress for some extra warmth or coverage.
A simple t-shirt dress is a versatile travel essential. This one offers moderate coverage at the front, but great coverage of your upper arms.
This cotton dress would be perfect for any coastal getaway. From beach to cocktails, you’ll have all-day, any-situation sun protection.
7. Bike Short Underwear
I can’t talk about maxi dresses for travel without also mentioning my favorite (secret) travel fashion accessory: bike short underwear. I’ve fluctuated between a size two and a size eight over the years, but the way my body is built means that no matter how big or small I am, my thighs will rub together when I walk in a skirt or dress. Wearing underwear that is cut like a bike short prevents the skin on my thighs from rubbing, which prevents chafing, bumps and irritation.
Unfortunately these styles don’t really work with miniskirts (despite what you may see on Facebook ads), but since our focus here is sun protection, are you really showing your upper thighs anyways? Probably not. All of these styles work with knee-length skirts, midi dresses and maxi dresses.
(This style of underwear is also called “slip short”, so that could help you when you’re browsing online.)
I own three pairs of these Jockey bike short-inspired underwear. I like how they come in seven colors, to match a wider variety of skin tones. My link should take you to the version with the 6.5″ inseam, which I prefer over the shorter version.
I recently bought a three-pack of cotton bike short underwear in black, beige and white. The cotton material is a bit thicker (the black ones are almost opaque enough to wear on their own!) but the advantage is that it’s super-breathable.
8. Oversized Sunglasses
The last essential sun protection accessory that you should add to your travel wardrobe is a great pair of oversized sunglasses. While you should still use sunscreen on your face (and re-apply regularly!), sunglasses are an extra line of defense for the delicate skin around your eyes. Plus, they make it easier to see!
As with the UV-protection clothing mentioned above, I recommend sticking to reputable brands when you’re shopping for sunglasses. Cheap sunglasses might look good, but there’s no guarantee that they offer any sun protection.
Jessica Simpson has a huge range of sunglasses, and you can trust that a brand this big will deliver on its sun protection promises. These large, butterfly-shaped sunglasses protect all around your eyes.
These Jackie O-inspired Ray Bans are a little bit pricey, but they’ll last forever and look good with everything.
Aviators aren’t the biggest sunglasses you can find, but they are so on-trend that I can’t not include at least one pair. This pair offers slightly more coverage than most other aviators, thanks to the relatively large lenses.
Don’t leave without reading my NEW guide to traveling during a heatwave. I’ve got 12 tips for keeping cool when the mercury rises on your vacation.
What is your favorite trick for protecting your skin from the sun while you travel? Let me know in the comments!
And before you go, check out my guide to French pharmacy products, where I talk about why French sunscreens are so much more effective than their North American counterparts.
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