J. Crew, Who Knew?

Full disclosure: I am not a huge fan of J. Crew. Their clothing doesn't seem to fit my body type well and, their aesthetic's a little feminine for my tastes. Buuut... all that aside, I am a fan of some of their clothes, with good reason. In You Go Daddy-O, I referenced Miranda Kerr's beauty mantra that, "what goes on the skin goes in." This mantra, in my mind, extends even to the realm of sunscreen. While I would never advocate for someone to go without sunscreen when or where needed, I myself attempt to cover up with "seasonally relevant" clothing before applying any lotion or potion to my skin. I guess it all goes back to that "nutritionist" on a cruise that told me I could loose a couple pounds if I was able to detoxify my body of all the chemicals gained from beauty products. Of course he was trying to sell a detoxifying seaweed wrap but the notion stuck with me all the same.

To this extent, I've often found that J. Crew puts out a good line of summer clothing that can be fashionable and lightwieght while protecting one's skin from the sun. Herein lies a few of my favorite products:

Sun Shirt: The J. Crew sun shirt offers UPF 50 protection (as the J.Crew site claims, "think of [UPF] as sunscreen for fabric."). While containing long sleeves, it is made of lightweight material that can be worn in the water and is quick drying. It is also, "recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation as a UV Protectorant."

Rash Guard: Used more for surfing and time in the water, the J. Crew rash guard is a little more snug than the sun shirt. It offers the same UPF protection, however, and is similarly recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation. Also available in crewcut sizes.

Crepe Maxi Dress: There was a time (last year) when J. Crew offered a crinkly, linen skirt. I have it and, while it's a little sheer, I looooovvvve it. In white, it protects the skin on my legs while offering a breathable material in the heat of the season. This year, since it's not on their "menu" I figured I'd try throwing my weight beind the Crepe Maxi Dress. If you're like me, thinking of your legs last in terms of sun protection, the maxi dress offers a comfortable, minimalist way to cover your "stems" and most of your torso. It also seems to move seemlessly from lunch to the beach: a must for any summer dress.

Straw Hat: And finally, there's the case of "le chapeau." I scoured stores last year to find the perfect summer hat as I attempted to wear more clothes than sunscreen, however, all the fedoras, while  fashionable for sure, didn't seem to offer much sun protection. It was at this point when I recalled my big, floppy J. Crew hat which I had bought at an outlet years before. And while I currently sit in a park with no hat and in my finance's boxers (hey, it's post yoga) I'm reminded of the importance of a good hat as I squint my eyes to read my phone. However, as the summer moves on and the pace of life gets a little slower, I'm thinking about digitally detoxing. More on that later...