Isn't it always the case that some of the most beautiful and flattering things to wear can be a total pain? Stilettos, miniskirts, anything white. Ah, white. Despite how difficult it is to keep clean and bright, nothing, and I mean nothing, looks better against bronzed skin than white. Whether its tight and crisp or soft and loose, the contrast is everything you want in the summer: sexy, classic, and easy.*Just look at this model on the right, trotting around Santorini with Joe Manganiello in a recent photo shoot from GQ. She looks simply chic (he's not bad either).
I've already played into the magazines and blogs that told me I must have a little white dress. I've also got a perfectly slouchy white tee, and some crisp white shorts and kicks. The one thing I am totally craving for this season to complete my white out is a swimsuit.
And yet, I am dreading it. How weird is that? The idea has transfixed me, but the challenge of getting this exactly right is a little overwhelming. A white swimsuit really only looks good if you're tan (you can always fake it, though). A white swimsuit will get really dirty at the beach. A white swimsuit can become uncomfortably sheer when wet, and there's no way to test it out first. Trying on swimsuits in general is a curse on all woman-kind. And yet, I am dying to give it a try. Here's a few reasons:
Who What Wear thinks I should.
I have always been obsessed with this spread of Lindsay Lohan from 2006.
She just looks so happy!
Anything Grace Kelly has ever done is worth attempting.
My current brunette inspirations, the Middleton sisters, are all about it.
Alright, I'll be the first to admit that looking at pictures of very beautiful and thin models in swimsuits can cause any normal and gorgeous girl to spiral into a pit of despair. I try not to put too many of those on le blog. My apologies in advance, but it's really difficult to find enough images of great suits off-model. Bare with me, and we can get through it together. Moving on, behold my picks for the best white suits, in a variety of price points:
white out
Inspiring, no? If it's not making a case for white swimsuits, it's certainly making one for laying off the pad thai. Anyway, swimwear is one of those things I don't feel in the slightest bit capable of making fit recommendations about. It is a deeply personal process and one that every girl has to tackle based on her own figure and skin-bearing comfort level. Here's what I will say though: I love a good bandeau these days. I would venture to guess they work best for smaller-chested gals, simply for lack of support, but there are many that come with a removable halter strap. I suppose the most solid piece of advice I can give here is that if you're going to go white, do it right. Stick with brands that are known for their quality and swimability (I made that word up), like Roxy, J. Crew and ViX. You'll spend a bit more, but when you emerge from the pool or the ocean, refreshed and rejuvenated, you can rest easy knowing that you're not putting on an unintentional show for your fellow sunbathers.
Inspiring, no? If it's not making a case for white swimsuits, it's certainly making one for laying off the pad thai. Anyway, swimwear is one of those things I don't feel in the slightest bit capable of making fit recommendations about. It is a deeply personal process and one that every girl has to tackle based on her own figure and skin-bearing comfort level. Here's what I will say though: I love a good bandeau these days. I would venture to guess they work best for smaller-chested gals, simply for lack of support, but there are many that come with a removable halter strap. I suppose the most solid piece of advice I can give here is that if you're going to go white, do it right. Stick with brands that are known for their quality and swimability (I made that word up), like Roxy, J. Crew and ViX. You'll spend a bit more, but when you emerge from the pool or the ocean, refreshed and rejuvenated, you can rest easy knowing that you're not putting on an unintentional show for your fellow sunbathers.
