Lupus Foundation of Minnesota Ambassador Chris Cronick spends a lot of time outdoors, teaching spin classes at the gym and traveling around the community to raise awareness for lupus along with her husband Patrick. Coolibar provided them with a few items to test during their busy month. Chris shares their thoughts on fit and function.
Coolibar is an awesome sun protective clothing line for those with lupus (like me) because we need UV protection, yet want fashion and comfort. My husband Patrick and I had the opportunity to try some fantastic items throughout the past couple of months.
I don’t know about you, but when I shop, I’m always curious to know the size and measurements of the model so I can visualize how it may fit on me. I’ve included some pictures so you can see how Coolibar fits on real people. I’m 5’8” and about 130 pounds. I wear extra small and small sizes.
One of my favorite Coolibar items is the Vera Resort T-Shirt (size small). I love this shirt so much that I now have it in Fig and Turkish Blue! It didn’t cling around my waist and was longer for my arms, providing great coverage. It’s the softest (almost silky) long sleeved shirt I have ever owned. I’m all about layering, especially living in Minnesota. This shirt can be worn alone or perfectly layered underneath a short-sleeved t-shirt, under a button-down shirt, a light jacket or vest. In fact, I thought it would make a great Christmas gift so I’m getting a couple more for my family!
I sported the Vera Resort T-Shirt, along with the Fitness Jacket in White/Iron at the most recent Twin Cities Lupus Walk for Hope event. There’s reflective piping which makes this the go-to jacket for walking the dog at night (picture upper left). There’s a zippered pocket perfectly situated on the front chest. I found this to be a nice, handy home for my cell phone. I also like the wrist cuffs which double as gloves. How ingenious is that? This lightweight, breathable jacket provides all the sun protection I’ve come to know with Coolibar with the same fitness savvy details you find in more expensive brands.
_ I also wore the black ZnO Long Sleeve T-Shirt for the Lupus Walk for Hope in Duluth, MN. I like this T-shirt because it has a sturdier cotton/spandex construction perfect for a cooler yet sunny day. Again, the ZnO is another great layering staple. I needed to be comfortable for the two-plus hour ride to Duluth, so I wore the ZnO Long Sleeve T-shirt paired with the ZnO Beach Pants. I like to be comfortable when I travel but still feel put-together. As you can see, these beach pants are also great for doing the elliptical at the gym too! You can wear them for virtually anything. They really are an everyday pant, not just for the beach.
My husband Patrick does not have lupus but has very fair skin and burns easily. I encouraged him to try Coolibar as well, so he wore a few pieces to each walk. To give you an idea of his stature, he is 6’1”, about 220 pounds and mostly wears extra-large. He is tall with broad shoulders and long arms. He finds Coolibar fits his frame perfectly with a little extra “give” where he needs it. He really liked the Men’s Fitness Jacket in Limelight/Iron and the XL fit him great. The sporty colors combined with the functionality and design of the jacket made it perfect for layering up or down. There is a zippered pocket on the sleeve that conveniently held his cell phone and zippered pockets on the front that held our car keys and some money. Lightweight, breathable 3D dri SUNTECT® fabric makes this jacket sun-protective and the surface grid wicks moisture for quick-dry performance. He wears this to the gym all of the time.
I welcome any comments or questions you may have about the items I mentioned. I also want to extend my gratitude to the wonderful people of Coolibar and the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota who opened my eyes to sun protection clothing. I wish you all the very best of health!
LFM Ambassador Chris Cronick received free sun protective product for the purpose of this review.
