how to shop for a swimsuit

In a week and a half I'll be lounging on the beach in Cabo, and since I haven't purchased a swimsuit since my junior year of high school, I figured it was time to invest in something new. Clearly, swim suit shopping is not my #1 favorite past time, so I tried to think of ways to make it less painful, and maybe even enjoyable. This is what I came up with:

How To Shop for a Swimsuit

1. Don’t eat. I don’t mean don’t ever eat, but make an attempt to not eat immediately before trying on a swim suit. A tummy full of Quizno’s is not going to look sexy in a teeny, weeny bikini, and all that toasted sub goodness will probably have you ready for a nap rather than the fitting room. You can have a celebratory meal after you find a suit!

2. Drink lots of water. You should always be drinking lots of water—those 8 glasses a day do amazing things for your hair, complexion, and bod. The day before you try on swim suits, drink as much water as you can to avoid any water retention. Put some slices of lemon in your water to give it a flavor boost which will encourage you to drink more. Lemon is also a natural diuretic (promotes kidney function and produces more urine, helping to expel wastes from the body) which makes it extra helpful! Caffeine and cranberry juice are also weak natural diuretics, and that cup of coffee will help keep you energetic even after the 20^th swim suit you’ve tried.

3. Tan in a can. We were all stupid and sixteen once, so yes, we have all sat under the tortuous rays of a tanning bed to get that “natural” golden glow in preparation for summer. However, times have changed, we’ve grown up, gotten wiser, and never leave the house without a liberal application of SPF 15. There’s no denying the beautifying abilities of a sexy tan, but skin cancer and wrinkles are definitely NOT sexy…luckily we have sunless tanner! I would suggest using the lotion 1 to 2 days before you go shopping because you don’t want to dye any of your potential purchases.

4. Look cute. But you ALWAYS look cute, right? A messy bun and quick application of mascara and gloss are fine for day to day, but if you’re going to be under glaring fluorescent lights and looking in 180 degree mirrors, you should dress to impress! That means do your hair, make-up, etc., to ensure that you’ll be looking as fantastic as possible. Juicy suits are still 100% acceptable, they’re comfy and easy to take on and off as you fitting room hop from store to store.

5. Have a lot of time. Set an entire day aside for finding your bathing suit. Hopefully it won’t take that long, but the only thing worse than not being able to find a swim suit is not being able to find a swim suit and feeling rushed the whole time.

6. Go on a weekday. If at all possible, try to shop during business hours so as to avoid long waits for a fitting room and long lines at customer service. If you have a job that makes that impossible, go on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday evening, they’re usually the slowest times for retail. AVOID SHOPPING ON THE WEEKENDS AT ALL COSTS. Waiting 45 minutes for a fitting room is not enjoyable EVER.

7. Bring Mom. Mom is a great shopping companion for many reasons: 1. She probably won’t be looking for clothes for herself so you won’t have to wait for her to do her own shopping. 2. She’s your worst critic and won’t try to make something work when it simply does not (i.e. “It just doesn’t do anything for you” a Mother’s favorite shopping phrase) 3. She can grab more sizes or suits if the store has an article limit for the fitting room 4. She just might pay!

8. Try on everything. Okay, you KNOW if something’s going to be completely hideous on you, but grab those “Maybe this will look cute”s and try them on. Sometimes the best fashion finds are those items you might normally pass over.

9. Walk around. This is so easy to forget. When you try on a suit you look at yourself, maybe turn around and do a quick butt check, but you rarely ever meander around. Taking your suit for a test drive is an absolute must. A lot of swim suits look great if you stand still like a mannequin, but as soon as you move they start falling down or bunching up and who wants to deal with that? Answer: no one.

10. Buy more than one. Even if you only want one suit, try to buy at least two, put them on a few times at home, and then make your decision. Also, try to buy at least one suit with a splash of color. It is easy to fall back on the ever-slimming appearance of black, but you’re going to be chillin’ poolside drinking a margarita, something with a little bit of color is much more tropical and appropriate. Having two suits is beneficial because it gives you some variety during your vacation (or at home), and that way you can bust out the black if you feel the need for a little black magic slim-down after one too many burritos.

After following these ten bathing suit finding guidelines, I purchased two fabulous suits! I got one black (I love authentic burritos. My hips? Not so much.) and one super cute Lucky brand suit that is colorful, vibrant, and perfect for the beach: