How to stay safe from the sun’s dangerous rays this summer without skimping on style

As Australians, we are well informed about the how dire the consequences can be when we don’t practice good sun safety.

We layer sunscreen on ourselves, slather it on our children, sit in the shade, and travel with hats.

The motto “slip, slop, slap, seek, and slide” is ingrained in our minds, and while we do take it seriously, sometimes our desire to indulge in fashionable looks makes us turn a blind eye to sun safety.

However, times are changing, and we no longer need to skimp on style to protect ourselves.

Perhaps it’s connected to the rise of wearing sunscreen every day as an anti-aging protectant, but we now take the sun seriously even on windy, cloudy, and cold days.

According to the Cancer Council, sunscreen is an integral part of your routine, but it will not offer totally efficient protection from UV radiation.

We have rounded up a few updated and fashionable items that will reflect your desire to defend yourself from sun rays and look fabulous all at once.

Hats

You’re either a hat person or you’re not, but one thing is for sure: you will feel a lot better leaving the house with one on when it isn’t a dusty old cap you brought at a sports game.

There are plenty of designs in the market perfect for your commute, brunch, and of course, the beach.

Trust us, before you know it, you won’t be able to go anywhere without a hat!

Sunglasses

There are plenty of cute and fashion-forward sunglasses out there, and although green and orange lenses are fun, it’s not going to help you in the long run as they offer limited protection.

Sunglasses are ranked from one to three for effectiveness, and to genuinely fend your eyes from the sun, invest in category three pair.

Shawl

Whatever happened to the shawl? The 1950s accessory may be considered old fashioned but as we all know what goes around comes around in fashion, and we believe everyone looks divine in a shawl.

Beyond looking like an old Hollywood starlet, you will also guard your shoulders and arms against the sun’s threat.

Rashies

Rashies are usually reserved for children because so many of us don’t want to cover up (whether we like to admit it or not) when we are at the beach.

But at least when you’re in the water, it will make all the difference to your skin if you wear a rashie.

And don’t worry about looking drab on the shore, because the rashies we have found are anything but boring.