Welp, it’s that time again...bathing suit szn is upon us

While we couldn’t be more excited to soak up the sun, our well intentioned New Year’s Resolution to hit the gym and get healthy before our trip to the beach seems to have taken a back seat to pizza eating and drinking copious amounts of beer... Again, oops.

And before you @ me, I just want to say… every single body is a beach body (if you…. have a body and you…. are at the beach). Every body is beautiful in it’s own right. Sometimes we can all use a little help to get us there. Sometimes we could all feel a little bit more confident. Sometimes that confidence comes from the PERFECT bathing suit that’s designed to draw the eye, camouflage where necessary and hold your boobs in place so you don’t put out an eye.

That all being said, here are the suits that’ll help you to look like you spent a whole semester at the gym:

Cut (it) out

Being big on details and all, we love a strategic bathing suit cut-out… and we love the utilitarian/BDSM vibes this leopard print one from ASOS is giving us BIG TIME. When you opt for a cut-out, you’re getting all the perks of a one-piece (holds you in, covers you up) because you actually are all of those things, but that’s not what everyone else sees.

Divert attention

We love this suit from Forever 21 because it draws attention to the fact that you’re 1. A Queen amd 2. Is a fun, conversation-inducing pop-culture reference. You’ll stand a little taller when you’re wearing this because you’ll be channeling an actual Queen and they are known for their good posture and we all know that is the #1 slimming trick we’ve got in our arsenal.

High waist

Anyone who is a little sensitive about their tummy should stock up on high-waisted bikini bottoms and embrace this trend! It’s sexy because it’s totally vintage-inspired and it hides a multitude of sin… I mean skin. This coral suit from Aerie is the perfect suit for a little support up top and will make you look super tan. It also creates the proportion of an hourglass figure for those girls who are built straight up and down.

Vertical stripes

We all know that horizontal stripes aren’t the most flattering (not that that’s ever stopped us from wearing them because… wear what makes you happy guys), but that's because their sister the VERTICAL stripe is where it's at. This suit from Aerie is no only s’cute but crazy-flattering. The up and down lines will (once again) create the illusion that you’re longer, leaner, and overall tinier than you actually are. Plus, the colorful palette here will pop once you’ve got yourself a tan!

Another reminder: We’re not telling you, by any means, to hide a single thing about your beautiful body. We say EMBRACE what you’ve got. But sometimes, your confidence falters when you’re not feeling comfortable, and that’s exactly what we’re trying to help save here. We hope our picks and tips for creating the summer bod illusion give you that little extra boost and help you to have the most incredible trip of your life!