Looking good in a bikini on the beach this summer is not as simple as walking into your favourite store and buying the first bikini that catches your eye. Here are top tips for getting the perfect bikini for the beach for you.

1. Before you even think about going shopping, go to a tanning salon or buy a self-tanning or sunless lotion. When your skin has that bronze glow, you will look better in any bikini you try on. Hint: If you choose to tan yourself in a tanning bed, a stand-up tanning chamber, or a machine spray session, make sure to tan nude so you won’t have any tan lines that will interfere with trying on a bikini with dissimilar lines.

2. Take your body measurements in advance of your shopping trip, and remember to take the sizes with you to the store. If shopping online, the same tip is important. If the bikini has a label that indicates small, medium, or large, make sure you know what size you wear, and what the measurements signify.

3. When trying on a bikini, pay attention to any excess bulges or skin overlap that is produced while modeling the bikini in the mirror. If the swimwear pushes skin where it makes you look unflattering, then toss the suit aside and try on another style or a larger size.

4. Try on and purchase swimwear according to your figure. For example, if you have large muscular legs, or thick legs, do not choose a bikini bottom shaped like boy shorts. To appear slimmer due to being overweight, try on a string bikini. If your legs are short, and you want to elongate your appearance, choose a high cut bikini bottom whose fabric rests above the hips. Tankinis are good for making a tall and lean body look shorter and more proportionate.

5. When you exfoliate and moisturize your legs prior to your shopping trip, your body will look much more appealing when you’re trying on those bikinis.

6. Every woman has a favorite color that complements her hair, skin tone, or eyes. Remember to choose a bikini that meets those same standards. For example, if your skin is sallow colored, you might not want to buy a yellow bikini; rather, you could choose black, chocolate brown, or bright blue.

7. If you already own accessories like sunglasses, sandals, or a beach cover-up, then think about buying a bikini that will match your accessories, so you don’t have to start all over and buy everything to match.

8. For the ultimate bikini shopping trip, you could start several weeks in advance with an exercise program that focuses on reducing your body’s trouble spots such as your belly, your upper arms, or your hips. Bikinis always look better on a woman who has a firm body.