Spring 2012 Fashion Week in NYC is in full swing at the Lincoln Center tents, but it is still “Summer” in the City. Since the Advice Sisters are focusing on fashion this week, I want to tell you about a unique line of sun-protection clothing I discovered back in July, at the 2011 Holiday Lookbook at the Highline Stages. There, I met the Corina Biton, President & Chief Executive Officer of Bloq-UV. Her line of casual/workout wear for both men and women come in a range of attractive styles and colors, range of colors, but what makes Bloq-UV special (if you haven’t already guessed from the name) is that this clothing provides an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 50, blocking 98% of UV radiation (average tees have a UPF of about 5). The pre-shrunk fabrics have flat seams that won’t chafe and, depending upon the style you choose, there are other bells and whistles, such as moisture-wicking, key/card/cell phone-securing pocket and of course, fashionable design. The tops and bottoms range from $62.00 to a “second skin” jacket that is $130.00
- bloq-uv sol eclipse UPF 50
This isn’t just workout wear for the gym. You can wear Bloq-UV anywhere in any season. The Sol Eclipse ($58.00, excluding tax) crop top, for example, is made of super-soft, stretchy, moisture-wicking Modal fabric. It has long sleeves to protect your arms, and a graceful (but not too low cut) ballet neck that looks cute, even if all you’re wearing is a swimsuit. Wear it over a tank to create a chic, layered look that protects, without extra weight or bulk. You can get it in 11 colors and in sizes Extra Small to Extra Large *not all colors are available in all sizes. There is a size chart on the website and the garments seem to run true to size. Tip: These are high performance fabrics that don’t wrinkle and shouldn’t be iron. Also avoid washing Bloq-UV items with towels and cotton fabrics to avoid pilling, and finally, don’t use fabric softeners as they obstruct the fabric’s wicking effect. This silky, sexy shirt looks and feels lovely, but I love the fact that it is helping to protect my skin wherever I go, as well.
Bloq-UV clothing is supposed to provide instant sun protection, but since I wasn’t about to sit in the sun unprotected for long enough to see how good the UPF protection was in the garment I tried, I am providing the testing information from the BloqUV website: “BloqUV fabrics are tested in accordance with the American Association of Textile Chemist and Colorist (AATCC),.Fabrics undergo 40 home launderings and 100 hours of simulated light. BloqUV provides a minimum UPF 50 = blocking 98% of sun’s rays.”
Skin cancer is one of the most common and fastest growing forms of cancer in the USA. In fact, one in every 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime *(Skin Cancer Foundation). You should always use sunblock, but if you’re going to work, play or work out, outside, italso makes sense to wear high performance clothing that will look great, and help protect your precious skin.
Ready to block the sun’s damaging rays, fashionably? You can purchase Bloq-UV items in a range of retailers , or just visit the webiste: http://www.bloquv.com/
