I wish I could express the intense fear I felt the day I found out I had Melanoma. That feeling along with the waiting and uncertainty alone has changed my life forever and made me wish 1,000 times that I’d done a few things differently just a couple years ago. (Starting with covering up at the beach!)

That fear is also something that I am certain would change you too. Instead od dedicating one month of the year to Skin Cancer Awareness, it's something we should be vigilant about throughout the year. 

Sun safety goes beyond just SPF, but should include UPF, too. I discovered a really cute and wearable line of sun protective clothing that I am so excited about! Had I known then what I know now, I would have taken sun safety a lot more seriously.

Life after Melanoma has been about educating myself and others, finding every way possible to protect myself from the dangers of the sun, and the hardest part … getting over my fear of spending time outdoors. (Yeah, there was actually a period of time where I was afraid to commit to attending outdoor events.)

When I first attempted to shop for sun protective clothing a few years ago, my search came up short. I couldn’t find anything a 20-something year old would want to be seen in and just because I want to protect my skin doesn’t mean I want to look drab!

The thought of spending extended periods of time outdoors first felt terrifying. I was afraid to be in the sun and felt like there was nothing I could do to cover up enough to enjoy daylight.

Thankfully, with time and information, I’ve adjusted to taking proper precautions to protect my skin from the sun and I am now beyond THRILLED to have stumbled upon Mott 50, a line of super cute sun protective clothing and accessories.

These pieces are life savers … literally. If you’ve ever tried to shop for sun protective clothing in the past you know that the selection is usually sad and frumpy. What about the fashionista that wants to cover up?  That’s what the gals who started Mott 50 were thinking when they started the line!

Sun safety isn’t just about preventing skin cancer (which by the way is the most common form of cancer in the U.S.) … it’s also about preventing premature aging like wrinkles and sun spots. Nice skin is what’s in.

Mott 50 is a new line of fashion that offers sun protective clothing, with UPF  in every garment. UPF  = ultraviolet protection factor. UPF indicates how much of the sun’s UV rays are absorbed by the fabric before it reaches your skin.

A UPF rating of 50 means that only 1/50th (or 1 %) of the UV radiation (both UVA and UVB rays) can penetrate fabric, thus indicating how effective the clothing is from blocking UV rays. Pretty cool, huh?

Dermatologists rank sun protective clothing as the #1 way to successfully block the sun’s harmful rays, proving to be even more effective than sunscreen.  Mott 50 is finally a place where fashion meets function!

The pieces are stylish, easy-to-wear, super cute and are 50 UPF. If you’re wondering what makes Mott 50’s clothing different from regular clothes and gives it a higher UPF, I did some research! 

It’s the tightness of the weave and low porosity of the fabrics Mott 50 uses in their line create a higher UPF in these garments than in typical clothing. In comparison to regular clothing … the average white t-shirt has a UPF of just 5.

There are an array of cute and fashionable pieces available from Mott 50 with 50 UVF! I’m not a model, but I wanted you to see how fabulous these pieces are. I’m a huge fan of the Girandella Infinity Scarf ($68) because you can wear it a few different ways.

I’m wearing it in toast/white stripes. It’s made in the USA … you can throw this lightweight shawl in your tote and wear it as a scarf or a shawl as a cover up. It is so soft! (Contents: 92% Rayon Soft Spin Bamboo/8%Spandex)

If you’re a beach-goer or spend a lot of time outside in the summer, this piece is one of Mott 50’s best sellers. The Santa Cruz swim dress ($115) can be worn like a dress cover up or cinched up on the sides as a top. I’m wearing shark grey, (I like neutrals that go with a lot because I get to wear them more often) but it comes in a bunch of gorgeous colors.

Certified with 50 UPF, every lady who spends time outdoors in a bathing suit should have this piece in her closet. The fabric is breathable and dries REALLY quickly. It also has a nice amount of stretch to it.

Wearing Mott 50 allows me the ability to spend time outdoors without worrying like crazy. That is such a relief. While the harmful UV rays penetrate regular clothing, Mott 50 apparel blocks the suns rays in a fashionable way. Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer over the course of a lifetime?

Some cases can we dealt with at the dermatologists office, others take lives and when they do, it happens very fast. In the past 40 years, Melanoma (the most aggressive and deadliest form of skin cancer) has risen 800% among young women age 25-29.

Mott 50 got my stamp of approval, but they got a huge nod from the Skin Cancer Foundation, earning their seal of approval! To achieve the seal, all of the fabrics had to be tested, certified and reviewed by them before gaining the seal of recommendation.

*press sample