From tankinis, grass-effect bikinis and halter-tops to one-piece maillots and ankle-length covers, women are taking pains to dress up and look glamorous by the poolside or beach.

Today there are swimsuits to flatter every body type and aesthetic taste. Heavier women, or those with wide hips, should definitely stick with solid colors and avoid busy prints. Halter-tops and high-necked swimsuits are a good option, too, but high-cut legs should be avoided at all costs, as they tend to emphasize the hips. Those who are busty or have broad shoulders should emphasize the bottom half of their bodies; medium- to high-cut legs and printed bottoms are their safest bet, and they should stay away from deep necklines and strapless tops.

Bikinis and cutout maillots made quite a splash at the Los Angeles Fashion Week, thus dictating the swimwear styles this year. Wild was the key word, as itsy-bitsy crochet bikinis were tied at the hip with stringy bows and even in some cases embroidered corsages. The Fashion Week clearly highlighted that frills and embellishments are in vogue this season. Hipster bottoms with very wide belts are stylish too, although a variety of belt widths are available, usually in the same color as the suit or even in contrasting colors.

The summer of 2005 witnessed another interesting swimsuit trend: the emergence of round, square and rectangular metallic rings, which adorned the bottoms as well as the tops. The metallic detailing could be seen off the sides, in the bust, on the straps and even at the back.