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THIS ISSUE: 

Time For Swimsuits!  Best Styles For Men And Women

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Okay, we've procrastinated long enough!  It's time for swimsuits!  

If you haven't purchased your suit for this year, or if you have an old one that REALLY needs to be replaced, it's time to find a suit you LOVE.

I know that sounds impossible.  Especially if you're trying to lose weight.



But don't put it off any longer.  Will you really avoid the beach, pool or amusement park until you've lost all the weight you want to lose?  Get out there and enjoy life, even if you haven't quite reached your normal weight goal.

We ladies are infamous for HATING swimsuit shopping.

But men should consider which type of suit and color fabric looks best on them, too.

Declare that this year will be different.  Regardless of your body type or current weight, with a little bit of research and planning, you can finally buy the best bathing suit for YOUR body type.

I'll use myself (gasp) as the "guinea pig" to give you an idea of how these tips can work for you.

STEP 1

Make a list of your best features and features you'd like to camouflage.

My best:  Slender figure (thanks to "Real People Don't Diet")
My camouflage needs:  No waist/high waist, few curves, small bust

STEP 2

Decide which colors look best on you.  How do you do this?  Find one or two articles of clothing that always bring you compliments.  Hold them up to your face.  See how your complexion brightens and glows?  This is your best color!

If you tend to wear a lot of neutral clothing (blacks, browns, grays, whites) then find colorful items around your house in different color families (reds, oranges, greens, yellows, blues, purples).  Go to an area with natural light--or better yet, go outside.  Hold the items up to the inside of your wrist.  You'll immediately see which colors complement your complexion.  Write those colors down--you will only consider swimsuits in these color families.

You should also consider your skin tone.  Is it cool, warm or olive?  In other words, do you have yellow, pink or olive undertones?  If you have a cool skin tone you'll usually find that blues, greens and purples work great with your complexion.  If you're warm, then reds, oranges, corals and some pinks will be beautiful on you.  If you have olive skin, you'll look amazing in neutrals like white and ivory, browns, blacks and yes, olives.

The current "neon" styles will do wonders to brighten anyone's complexion.  They just make you "pop"!  But make sure you choose the color group that works best with your skin.

Hair color makes a difference, too.  My best colors changed when I went from brunette to blonde.  (No blonde jokes, please.  It's a cheap way to handle a midlife crisis.)

My best colors:  Corals, warm reds, pinks, bright greens.

STEP 3

Decide which style suit you're most comfortable in:  one-piece or two-piece.  

However, you should keep an open mind.  You may want to consider the fact that two-piece suits, especially tankinis, can give you the ability to mix and match tops and bottoms that play up your best features and play down your camouflage areas.

Today's tankinis can give the illusion of one-piece swimsuits.

My favorite style:  Modest two-piece, so I look like I actually have a waist.

STEP 4

Write down which swimsuit attributes will work best for you, based on the list below:

CURVES
--high-cut leg openings
--v-neck with lingerie straps
--bandeau-top bikinis that sit low on hips

LONG TORSO
--detailed one-piece tops to draw attention up
--high-cut leg openings
--horizontal stripes
--tankinis

THICK MIDDLE
--gathered or shirred middles
--"tummytucking" suits with Lycra blends that "hold in" middles
--smaller, linear patterns (not big flowers or "big" designs)
--tankinis with shirred tops, halter tops

STRAIGHT FIGURE
--gathered halter tops
--details at tops (buckles, ties, strings)
--traditional bikinis
--ties on the hips that give illusion of curves
--swim minis or skirts that give illusion of curves

WIDE HIPS
--ruffled neckline, detail at top to draw attention upwards
--black (will work with all skin types, naturally slims the profile)
--structured two-piece tops with strong bottoms that offer adjustable ties
--avoid patterns and stick with strong colors

LARGE BUST
--supportive built-in bras, with or without underwires
--more coverage on top
--shirring, ties at hips to draw attention downward
--bra-style tops with full cups and bottoms with higher waists

SMALL BUST
--padded tops
--halter tops
--avoid bandeau tops

My body type:  Small bust/straight figure, so I'm going for a halter top two-piece with interesting bottom.

STEP 5

Be prepared to spend money.  You may not find a flattering suit for less than $60-$100.  Why?  Because flattering suits are made from quality materials and feature tailoring details.  Careful thought went into the design.

However, if you start shopping early (April and May), you might find great suits for good deals at stores like Target, Wal-Mart, JCPenney, Macy's, Sears, etc.

If you wait until suits are on sale, your choices will GREATLY diminish.  

If you are extremely budget-conscious, then consider shopping online once sales begin.  It might be for next year's suit, a late-summer vacation or a mid-winter tropical getaway.  But be forewarned--if you are a typical size (anywhere from 8 to 14) you may find sizes are sold out.  

My budget:  $50 or less initially, starting at Target and local department stores

STEP 6

Start shopping!  I recommend you begin online, at www.landsend.com.

Why?  Because they have an amazing selection of suits, and the ability to search for the "perfect" suit using color families, body types, and features you want to play down.  You can use an online model based on your measurements that will let you virtually "try on" suits.  

Whether you buy from Lands' End or not, you'll immediately have an idea of which styles and colors will look best on you.

My experience:  I started at Lands' End to get some ideas on which suits worked best for me.  I loved the halter tops and swim minis.

I moved to Target.com and immediately found a lime green mix-and-match style suit in lime green.  I chose a mix-and-match halter top and swim mini.  Both the top and skirt have crocheted trim that looks really cute and adds "texture".

I purchased the suit in early April.  Guess what?  It's already sold out.  Not even on their website.  But the good news is that Target has already introduced some new styles that weren't around when I was looking.  The possibilities really are endless!

Don't despair.

MEN--you can follow all the steps above, but keep one thing in mind:  

SPEEDOS ARE OUT.

I don't know one single girlfriend of mine that looks for speedos.  Consider the latest Travelocity commercial--even the gnome thinks speedos are a risky calculation.

Focus on colors that flatter.  If you're skinny, don't go for the overly long trunks.  Go a bit shorter.  If you have a thick middle, don't do the longer trunks, either.  

So go get a suit that makes you look great...and then get out there and have fun in the sun!

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You can still lose weight while you go on vacation.  I know--I've done it!

"Real People Go On Vacation" is just one of the bonuses you get when you purchase the "Real People Don't Diet" e-book.

You'll learn how you can enjoy "vacation food" and still weigh the same--or less--than you did when you get back home.

If you haven't already read "Real People Don't Diet" check it out and give it a try.  It comes with a guarantee so you have nothing to lose!

http://www.realpeopledontdiet.com

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Until next time, thanks very much for reading.

And if I can answer any questions for you, please drop me an email at
cate AT realpeopledontdiet.com. 

Keep it Real!

:-)  Cate

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~~~

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