Articles

Swimwear Tips From The Experts.

Chicago Sun-Times,  May 12, 2005  by Jae-Ha Kim

Let's face it -- most of us will never be mistaken for Kate Moss when we're lounging on the beach. Still, that doesn't mean we should give up and cover up. Our fashion experts offer a few tips on ways to make the summer swimwear season a little less traumatic for everyone -- both the wearers and the beholders.

* Don't make the mistake of thinking that the more skin you cover up, the thinner you'll appear. Any woman who has tried on boy short bottoms knows that unless she's built like a very fit boy, her hips and thighs will look larger than if she wore a bikini bottom. "Boy shorts are hard to wear for most women," says Elle fashion market editor Karen Reinitz. "They dwarf your legs."

*Similarly, the tankini can be murder on a woman's belly if it's not taut. The cut of the tankini -- which exposes a couple of inches of flesh -- can accentuate love handles.

* Unless you're a hot Brazilian living in hot Brazil, leave the thong bottoms for bedroom wear. American beaches are not ready for them. For that matter, neither are most Americans.

* We know we just touted the sexiness of the cutout one-piece bathing suits, but bear in mind that sometimes it's nice to have a little extra lycra holding you in. "These suits are very body revealing and sexy," says Marie Claire's fashion market director Regina Haymes. "But they're almost harder to wear than a bikini. So if you're going to wear this, be confident. Don't pull and tug on all the cutouts all day long."

*If you're self-conscious about your thighs and butt, stay away from the one-pieces with the built-in skirts unless you want to be mistaken for your grandmother. "I tend to stay away from skirts," Haymes adds. "They're not fashion forward."

Try a pair of board shorts over your bottoms. Or, a pareo/sarong is a sophisticated way of hiding a multitude of sins. For one of the season's fresher looks, try a terry cloth tube dress a la Jessica Simpson. But whatever you do, don't throw one of those see-through fishing net type shirts over your suit. That's so 20th century.