The pool is officially open!

Which means, summer has officially started.

It’s an event that, as a kid, you probably looked forward to more than many others.

As an adult, eh, maybe not so much.

I can count on one hand the number of grown-up women I know who get excited about bathing suit shopping. Because not only is it time consuming and expensive, it generally brings us to the realization that, even though magazines and websites have been telling us to do so for months, we’ve still not gotten bikini ready for this season. Or any in the foreseeable future.

Never fear, grown-up ladies with human bodies! You can still look pretty spectacular without baring all the wiggly bits on the beach and around the pool this summer.

First, some basic tips for bathing suit shopping.

• Don’t assume that more coverage is the same thing as more flattering. Covering the right parts of your body based on your shape and your comfort level are key. Covering all of the parts in excess is probably not gonna be your best bet.
• Try on ALL OF THE SUITS. Your body changes from season to season as do the styles. What worked for you last summer or – gasp! – 10 summers ago when you bought your last suit, may not actually be working for you now. So pencil in a couple of hours for shopping if it’s been awhile since you’ve last done so.
• Snap pics. The camera does not lie. At least not until you put the Instagram filters on.
• Be prepared to make an investment. Unless you are basically Taylor Swift, you’re probably going to want a suit with both bells and whistles. If you want underwire, and thick material, and ruching, and patterns, and skirts, and strong Spandex, be prepared to pay for it. Your days of rocking the $19 suit from Walmart with joy are probably long gone.
• Worry more about what works for you than the current style trends. Remember that boy shorts aren’t best for all bottoms. Just like string bikinis aren’t best for all bust lines, and high waists aren’t best for all torsos. If you find a classic suit that makes you look and feel awesome, buy her. Buy her fast.

10 Stylish Swimsuits For Regular Ladies

Need some inspiration? Look no further!

Striped suit, Target; Dot print tankini, Old Navy; Pleated one-piece, Land’s End; Scoop neck one piece, Land’s End;  Bandeau tankini, Land’s End; Rash guard tankini, Land’s End; Paisley print suit, Macy’s; Tiered ruffle tankini, Macy’s; Ruffle front suit, Neiman Marcus; Scalloped one piece, Anthropologie.