How to Pick Out a Swimming Suit

Summer or tropical vacations often mean it is time to purchase a new bathing suit. With the weather nice and the water warm, you will surely want to take a dip in a pool or nearby body of water. Of course your swim suit will be totally last year's design, so buying a new suit will be a no brainer. However, the kind of swimming suit you should purchase may require a little more thought than just grabbing the first one you see off the rack.

Think about what you plan on using the swimming suit for. Is it to go to the beach and lay out, or do you plan on swimming laps at the local pool. If you are going to be swimming laps, you will probably want something more performance oriented. These often come in spandex type suits. For men they look like boxer briefs and will smooth out the lines of your legs, helping you achieve a more aerodynamic feel. For women, it is the same material, however it is a full body suit. These suits will allow you to achieve a higher speed, and hopefully finish off your laps faster.

Think about how much skin exposure you want. If you are not shy about showing off a little more skin and don't want large tan lines you may want to go with a small two piece (if you're a woman), or a Speedo (if you're a Man). It is important to purchase something you are going to feel comfortable in. Depending on the amount of coverage you may want to see if there are any regulations on swimwear where you are going (some hotels or specific beaches do not allow excessive skin to be shown).

Try the suit on. This is especially true for women. Many suites will have different levels of support, and if you are larger endowed, certain bathing suites may not work. You probably don't want a wardrobe malfunction on the middle of the beach.

Think about where you will be wearing the swimming suit. If it is a family oriented swimming pool, a thong might not be the best idea. However if it is for spring break, or in locations of the world where the extra exposure is not looked down upon (such as South America or places in Europe), than go right ahead.

Keep all these questions in mind when buying a suit. If need be, purchase two different suits to fit all the activities you plan on partaking in.