I Never Wore Sun Shirts...Until I Designed One I'd Actually Wear
If you'd told me five years ago that one of my favorite products in the LT collection would be a long sleeve sun shirt, I probably would have laughed.
Because honestly?
I never wore them.
As a swimmer, coach, and someone who's spent most of her life outside around the water, you'd think I'd have lived in sun shirts.
I didn't.
I didn't even own one...just in case.
It wasn't because I didn't believe in sun protection.
It was because I didn't enjoy wearing them.
They felt restrictive.
They were hard to get on and off once they were wet.
The mock necks always felt like they were choking me.
The sleeves never seemed quite right.
And if you've ever tried peeling a traditional sun shirt off after swimming, you know exactly what I mean. It's like trying to wrestle yourself out of a wet compression sock.
I figured if I felt that way, maybe I wasn't the only one.
So when it came time to add a sun shirt to the LT collection, I approached it the same way I approached my swimsuits.
I asked myself one simple question.
What would I actually wear?
I Didn't Want a Rash Guard
I wanted a shirt. Something that protected my skin when I needed it. Something I could throw on over my swimsuit.
Something that felt comfortable enough to leave on for hours—but easy enough to take off the moment I wanted to jump back in the water.
Most traditional rash guards are designed to stay on.
Mine was designed to give you a choice.
The Trip That Changed My Mind
The first season after we launched our Long Sleeve Sun Shirt, we packed a couple for a family trip to the Bahamas.
Honestly?
I threw them in "just in case."
One day we booked an excursion that had us paddleboarding, snorkeling, and exploring for most of the day.
Everything we brought had to fit into one small dry bag.
I slipped on my sun shirt that morning mostly out of caution, fully expecting to tie it to someone else's paddleboard halfway through the day.
Instead...
I wore it all day.
So did everyone else.
By the time we got back, we had spent hours on the water and thankfully avoided the massive sunburn that usually comes with the first full day of spring break.
That was the moment I realized I'd finally designed the sun shirt I'd always wanted.
The Problem Was Never Sun Protection
It Was Comfort.
As a mom of three, I realized something else. Before we ever leave the house, I've already put sunscreen on everyone else.
Then someone needs goggles.
Someone forgot their towel.
Someone's hungry.
Someone can't find their flip-flops.
By the time everyone else is ready, I'm usually the last one trying to throw sunscreen on myself while running to catch everyone at the pool.
I didn't want one more thing to manage.
I wanted to know I was covered.
Literally.
The Five Rules I Refused to Compromise On
When I designed our Long Sleeve Sun Shirt, I had a few non-negotiables.
It Had to Feel Like a Shirt
Not a wetsuit.
Not a compression top.
Not something I'd immediately want to take off.
No Mock Neck
I wanted a classic crew neck.
Comfortable.
Timeless.
Easy to wear all day.
Sleeves That Actually Fit
Long enough to protect your arms without feeling like they were swallowing your hands.
I considered thumb holes. I know they're popular.
But every time I wore them, I felt restricted.
I wanted freedom to move.
Easy On. Easy Off.
This became the biggest design challenge.
Traditional sun shirts are incredibly difficult to remove once they're wet.
So we created an adjustable open-back design.
Wear it tied when you're swimming or paddleboarding.
Wear it untied when you're walking the beach or grabbing lunch.
It changes how the shirt fits—and more importantly—it changes how it feels.
More Than Just UPF 50+
Of course the fabric offers UPF 50+ sun protection.
Of course it's lightweight. Of course it's made from the same premium Italian performance fabric as our swimwear. Those things matter.
But they aren't why I wear it.
I wear it because it's comfortable enough that I forget I'm wearing it.
The Best Compliment I Could Ever Receive
If a woman comes home from a week at the beach and says,
"I'm so glad I packed that sun shirt."
And I hear this often. I know we got it right.
She spent all day snorkeling.
She out on the paddleboard all day.
She relaxed on the boat without worrying about reapplying sunscreen every hour.
She spent the afternoon running around at the water park with her kids instead of sitting in the shade.
Whatever her adventure looked like...
She came home with great memories instead of a painful sunburn.
Because that's really what LT has always been about.
Helping women spend less time worrying about what they're wearing...
...and more time being fully present with the people they're with.
Ready to find a sun shirt you'll actually want to wear?
Our Long Sleeve Sun Shirt was designed for women who move, travel, swim, paddleboard, and want stylish UPF 50+ protection without the discomfort of a traditional rash guard.
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