Finding the right swimwear can be a fun and also a stressful experience. You want to look your best in the swimwear of your choice at the beach. Light, colorful beach clothing will make you feel comfortable and cool. Some of the varieties you can find in swimwear are the following:

Bikini -- This once-shocking is the granddaddy of fashion swimwear. Looks newest now in super-skimpy triangle, side-tie bottoms. Look for built-in push-up bras, underwire and sculpted cups for extra curves.

Tankini -- A variation of the bikini, has a longer top that leaves only a small portion of the tummy exposed. Don't want to expose your tummy at all? Go for the mock tankini.

Bandini -- A bikini with a bandeau (straight, striplike piece of fabric) top.

Camikini -- Same as the tankini except the top looks like a camisole.

Maillot -- One-piece suit (some creative types have even labeled a cut-out style the "monokini").

Boy legs -- A longer leg resembling really short shorts. Careful here -- tends to make the leg look shorter-- but still a favorite silhouette.

Swimsuits are made of a material such as Lycra or Spandex that clings tightly to the swimmer but also permits a free range of motion. A swim cap worn over the hair and ears also helps to reduce the resistance a swimmer encounters when moving through the water. Swim goggles allow swimmers to see better under water. They also protect swimmers' eyes from irritation caused by chlorine and other chemicals in the pool water, and from salt or pollution in natural bodies of water.

Give some thought to which style of swimsuit you feel you would look best in. Whether it's one-piece or two-piece you'll feel most comfortable in the bathing suit that gives you the most confidence. Swimwear has changed a lot over the years, from suits that were bulky and awkward to swim in to the ultra tiny string bikinis of today.