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Articles
Swimwear
101:
Girls' Life.
Everything you need to know to
suit yourself perfectly.
I'm not skinny, but I want to
wear a bikini. There are dozens of different
cuts designed to flatter every body shape. Take
an honest friend shopping, and try on everything
you fancy. Look for a top with good support and
coverage. If a suit is too tight, it can cause
the skin to bulge so try a suit a size bigger.
My nightmare is that an immature
boy swims past me and pulls one of my bikini
strings, and then--poof!--I'm half naked in
public. Crazier things have happened. For peace
of mind, try sporty styles, like tank-cut tops
with boy shorts. It would be impossible for a
simple swim-by boy to de-bikini you.
My suits give me, you know, camel
toe. That's a lot of information when you're
just hanging out at the beach. Go for a classic
or high-cut bottom that gives your legs more
room to move. Or drop a size down if you notice
extra bagging material.
How can I tell in a store if a
suit will be see-through once it's wet? Not into
white, unlined, knit bikinis? No matter. Put
your hand under the suit fabric, and compare the
thickness of different suits, says Amy Snyder,
president of Poko Pano North America. Then check
out the inner lining--to eliminate see-through
mishaps, it needs to fit well inside the suit
and be tight.
I want to keep my bikini line
covered.
Some days, a girl just can't deal
with shaving. Your easy solution? Choose boy
shorts or a skirted swim bottom.
When I wear a suit, I feel like
my chest bulges at the sides and my waist rolls
over the bottom. What's the trend here? Wide
straps! String bikini straps won't give the
extra support and shape that wider straps will.
And suit sizes aren't vanity sizes--if your
waist or thighs are spilling out, try the next
size up so your bed isn't forced in undesirable
directions.
I have two different sized boobs,
so even padding doesn't help. Oh, but padding
does help. Buy the suit you like best, take a
pair of scissors and snip padding on the side
with the larger breast. For the record, all
boobs are uneven. Our bet is, you're probably
the only one who notices.
How can I keep my suit from
getting all ratty so fast? Hand-wash your suit
in mild dish soap or baby shampoo and cool
water. Another quick idea? Pro Heidi Rauch,
co-founder of BelaBumBum swimwear, advises
wearing your bathing suit in the shower and
rinsing off with water for a minute since salt
and chlorine can erode elastic and fade color.
Then peel it off, squeeze out excess water, and
just hang it to dry. Never toss your suit in the
washer or dryer.
What's the coolest thing to wear
over a suit this year? Tunics are big this
summer. You can even wear a groovy belt low on
the hips to be extra stylish. Some other
favorites are ruffled skirts and terrycloth
smock dresses. Looks from India, like a sarong
with sequins or mirror detailing, are also hot.
Pair with flip-flops and some mellow hoops or
small chandelier earrings/and you're a beach
babe.
I look like a stick in the water!
Hey, slender girls! Add shape to
your body by choosing a two-piece with a ruffled
top and a skirted bottom (make sure the bottom
sits low so the fabric can help fill out your
hips).
COPYRIGHT Monarch Avalon, Inc.
COPYRIGHT Gale Group
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