When it’s vacation time for me, every day means a different swimsuit – insane, you say? Well, you wouldn’t wear the same dress twice at night on vacation would you?? Good, we agree on that. Now let’s get down to details…To look ‘put together’ you really need to plan a ‘swimsuit outfit’: the cover-up, the footwear, the hat, the jewelry. Plan it all before you pack your bag, then when you arrive at your destination you have the joy of standout style in addition to the joy of sun and relaxation.

Here is suit #1 for our upcoming trip to Turks and Caicos. While I generally prefer two piece suits, Peter convinced me to go for this elegant one piece La Perla with its simple wrap skirt cover up. Glad I listened to him…Suit #2, A simple bikini in a gorgeous shade of purple, found in a gift shop last year in Parrot Cay…unless I discover a colorful print tunic or sarong, these wide legged JCrew gauze pants will do just fine.  The white hat which has a fabulous wired brim will pull the whole look together. Suit #3 – You knew a leopard suit had to be in the mix! This suit is by Juicy Couture, not a label I usually wear, primarily for the younger set, but this suit definitely does not scream ‘teeny bopper’…actually looks more ‘Dolce & Gabbana’ to me!  The gold linen sweater coverup is an old favorite from Banana Republic. Suit #4 – This suit is by Shan, a European brand that I discovered (on sale) at Everything But Water in NYC.  Fit and fabric are both fabulous – the belt and top are actually faux suede.  The style reminds me of the white bikini Ursula Andress wore in the movie, Dr. No, where she became the very first Bond girl…hey, it’s never too late! Wearing it with a sheer chocolate brown coverup by Tommy Bahama, turquoise beads, and simple flip flops.Suit #5 – Gold bikini found a few years back at Everything But Water in the Burlington Mall.  Bond girl worthy for sure.  Leopard mini coverup is fitted, definitely calls for a glam theme: three inch wedge heels instead of flip flops, and a dramatic black hat.   Suit #6 – Another one piece, this time a ‘monokini’ by Karla Coletta, known for sophisticated one piece styles. Because of the high neck, it will look best with a bottom only cover up, so this batik sarong is perfect.  The rubber wedges from Everything But Water will keep the look glamorous while still being pool or beach appropriate.

Suit #7 – Last but not least, a pale aqua neoprene suit by Lisa Marie Fernandez, with a ruffled bandeau top. Top and bottom were sold separately, and though I am a size 4 dress, I needed a large in both.  The lesson here ladies: don’t pay attention to size – buy whatever size looks best on you! For a cover up, my white JCrew gauze pants and top, a Panama hat, and an arm of fun bangles.

Other details to keep in mind:

• Sunglasses have different looks; take along a few different styles to coordinate with what you’re wearing; sporty aviators vs diva ‘cat eyes’!
• Cut the tags out of your bikini bottoms so you won’t ruin a good look with a tag sticking out…
• Pack multiple hats inside each other and stuff the head part with undies.
• Some swimsuit cover-ups can also be worn as a tunic with white jeans, and some tunics would be a cute cover-up. Be creative!
• Just like other clothing items, sometimes a swimsuit will need a bit of tailoring to fit you perfectly. If you really love a suit, it’s worth the trouble and extra dollars.

Planning your resort wear is something I initially learned from Ginger, with one lesson being to be efficient and pack light….Uh, why do that? No way, not for this gal.  In this instance, I prefer Peter’s lesson: “Bring it all!”

Happy vacationing!