To bikini or not to bikini: How to look good in swimwear

Forget the tired advice of Trinny and Susannah or the eccentric ramblings of Gok Wan: you need to look good in a swimsuit this summer and you need to do it fast! And while Kelly Brook's latest crash diet is supposed to work a treat and Liz Hurley's new Indian yoga technique is guaranteed to have heads turning, sometimes you need a solution that requires the least effort and the most effect - especially if that beach holiday you booked months ago is now just round the corner. But rest assured that if you make your swimwear purchases carefully and pay heed to a few simple tips, you'll find the swimming costume that'll make you out-dazzle the sunshine wherever your destination.

The first area you'll need to pay attention to is your chest. Women with small busts should opt for swimwear with under-wires, boning or padding, all of which will add an extra bit of oomph to the bust. Moreover, a petite chest will benefit from large floral imprints or bold colours or bold patterns - while this sort of detail is best avoided by the more top-heavy. If you're keen to minimise your ample bosom, make sure you opt for under-wire or built-in support to provide you with the body structure that you need. Large straps can also do much to help prevent unattractive sagging!

While many women who have large hips can get away with wearing a bikini, sadly women with anything less than flat stomachs usually can't. Moreover, women with larger waistlines and wide hips are often shy of wearing swimwear at all! However, this shouldn’t be the case. Pick a one-piece swimsuit with an Empire waist and detailing over the chest and eyes will be distracted from the lower regions of your body to the top. What's more, many specialist swimsuit retailers or department stores sell swimwear with built-in tummy control panels, which contain more spandex and are designed to make you look much slimmer.

Additionally, bulging bellies can be hidden by choosing a piece of women's swimwear with detailing at the waist. Large floral emblems that start at the waist and stretch towards the chest will keep roaming eyes busy, while a plunging halter neck won't just draw eyes upwards but will also benefit women with wider shoulders.

If you have a long upper body, it's best to opt for a tankini, which will break up the line of your body and create a division that will have the effect of shrinking your torso a little. And if you're the proud owner of a large bottom, but don't want it to become too prominent when you're on the beach, find an item of swimwear with large block colours around the top; this will help distract eyes away from the derriere. Most of all make sure you avoid boy shorts, which are not only out of favour this season but also won't fail to inflate your posterior.

By following these few simple rules, you'll find out that it's perfectly possible to find women's swimwear that will make you stand out on your beach holiday - without having to starve yourself. Even better, these rules can be used every year, whatever swimsuit style happens to be trendy - so you can show the world that you don't have to bow down to fashion in order to look fabulous in the summer.

Elisha Burberry is a freelance writer who loves her job and the occasional glass of red wine.