Next week is SunSmart Week (14-20 November). We all know the 'slip, slop, slap and wrap' rule to protect ourselves from harsh ultraviolet radiation (UVR) - slip into some SunSmart clothing, slap on a broad-brimmed hat, slop on a broad spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen and wrap on a pair sunglasses.

But we don't need to sacrifice style, fashion or comfort to be SunSmart.

Dr Cheryl Wilson from the University of Otago's Department of Clothing & Textile Sciences has some tips on being SunSmart while staying cool and stylish this summer.

What is SunSmart clothing and where do we find it?

We don't need special clothing to be SunSmart during everyday activities. We all have SunSmart clothing in our wardrobes. By remembering a few simple rules when buying clothing or choosing clothes for the day, you can get lot of protection from UVR and still be comfortable and stylish.

What fabrics do we look for?

Natural fibres like cotton and linen will keep you cooler because they're air and water permeable, which means they let moisture from your body and air move through the fabric

Synthetics are quite good at protecting us from UVR, but they're going to make you feel more uncomfortable in the heat than natural fibres because they're not as good at transmitting water vapour.

What about how a fabric is made?

The structure of the fabric is important. Anything that has a closer structure and smaller holes won't let UVR penetrate as readily as a fabric with an open structure and larger holes.

How can we tell?

A good rule of thumb is to hold the fabric up to the light and see how much you can see through it. But remember that you'll always see more through light coloured fabrics than you will through dark.

OK, so what about colour?

Dark colours are better than lighter colours at protecting you from UVR. It's the depth of colour rather than the colour itself that's important. Choosing colours with greater depth, means less UVR reaches the skin. Remember some colours will never be dark, for example, you can't find a dark white!

What about design?

A loosely fitting garment will protect you more than a more tightly fitted garment that is stretched onto your body. And, of course you can use layers to add to your level of protection. Layering will reduce our UVR exposure, so even if you choose a lower protection fabric, you can layer it with other things to increase your protection

Won't covering up with darker coloured, closely structured fabrics make us hotter?

It depends. Choosing fabrics which have fewer holes will potentially reduce air movement and water vapour transfer through the fabric, but if you choose natural fibre types and loosely fitted garment styles, the fibre and fit will help keep you cool.

So there are lots of factors to take into account?

Yes, but it also means we have choices, which is the fun part! Say you want to wear white. To be SunSmart, you'd maximise your protection by choosing a fabric with a close structure (smaller holes) and wear it with other layers of fabric - perhaps something that's long and flowing so that you're covering up a lot of skin too. Ideally, you'd also want to choose a natural fibre, too. That way you'll strike that balance between maximum protection from UVR, and feeling more comfortable.

What about cooler days - we don't need to cover up so much do we?

UVR and heat don't necessarily go together. We get lots of UVR exposure without realising it because we haven't always got the heat of the sun to remind us to take care. We don't feel UVR on our skin, so while heat isn't always an issue we always have to think about our exposure to UVR.