Summer, like winter, requires its own proper fashion and beauty etiquette. Whether you’re cruising the beach or headed poolside this season, it’s important to keep it effortless and fun. Say goodbye to your dowdy recession attire. Below are my tips to help make sure you’re a fashion “do” this season and not a fashion “don’t.”

Don’t over-do it with fake spray tans. Do opt for a more natural glow. Not a fan of the fake and bake? The key is finding the right self tanner designed to give you the perfect tan. Summer is the best time to give yourself a great tan but long exposure to the sun isn’t the healthiest. Look out for sunless tanning cream for a gorgeous and flattering glow without the damaging side effects of the sun.

Don’t be a victim of makeup overload. Do keep it simple. Keep makeup from melting off your skin by keeping it light. Foundation is out and tinted face moisturizer is in, at least for the next three months. Replace bright blush for bronzer and dark eye shadows for sheer colors. Try to avoid makeup at the beach and remember to choose bold, colored nail polish. For the best lip coverage, apply shimmery lip-gloss or clear lacquer—red lips are big summer don’t!

Don’t wear barely there clothing. Do sport breezy tops, summer skirts and lightweight dresses. Steer clear of tiny shorts and belly-bearing tops. Do incorporate denim and khaki shorts, summer skirts and baby doll tops. “Be mindful of the length of your hemline; select miniskirts and shorts that hit right below the widest part of your thigh for the most flattering silhouette,” suggests stylebakery.com. Another affordable alternative is the chic “Maxi,” a bohemian inspired dress that hits the floor. It can be worn to the beach or on the weekends. Take into account visible bra straps. Tank tops are nice and cool, but visible bra straps are tacky. Before heading out, make sure to do a bra strap check.

Don’t wear bathing suits in public places. Do wear a cover up or tunic over a bathing suit. Wearing swimsuits under clothes should be avoided in places other than the beach like restaurants or the mall. Keep in mind that swimsuits can be sexy but also fitted. Try to wear a full-coverage suite that fits properly. Beach cover-ups come in a variety of styles and colors, not to mention are a huge hit this season.

Don’t rock unflattering shoes or winter styles. Do wear flat sandals, espadrilles and dressy flip-flops. Store the Ugg boots and leave the ballet flats at home. In its place, sport glam beach to street sandals. Espadrilles and gladiator sandals look great with long skirts and sundresses. Socks with sandals are a huge fashion faux paux for summer (well, let’s just say year round).

Don’t wear excessive jewelry. Do look for key summer accessories. Limit big necklaces and flashy pieces. You can’t go wrong with a chic beach tote, a great beach bag or a straw fedora. No outfit is complete without a cool pair of aviators or retro chic sunglasses.

photo by nathan umstead

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Every time I turn on the T.V., there’s an ad for the newest fad diet, workout equipment, or special pill promising to make you perfectly toned “just in time for swimsuit season.”  Yeah, right. These ads promote an unhealthy relationship between you and your body: nothing is ever good enough. Before embarking on that outrageous cabbage soup diet or, worse yet, a fast, check yourself.  Is it your body or your mind that needs a workout?

Whether you’re a size 2 or 22, you can choose how you want others to see your body, and it starts with how you see yourself:

• Accept who you are, not what you should be. Ask who defines my ideal of perfection? What is good enough for my standards? It’s time to find out what you want to be, beyond what you look like in a swim suit.
• Change the way you talk to yourself. Get rid of the “should-a, could-a, would-a’s.” Start living in the now! Begin by adding “but” to the end of these sentences with yourself and add in something positive you did today. (ie: “I should have gone to the gym but having dinner with my parents was more important.”) As stupid as this may sound, over time it changes the way you feel about yourself and the decisions you make.
• Recognize your progress. Write down (and read) something positive about what you are accomplishing each day. “I am learning to take care of my body by running this morning.”
• Fake it till you make it. If you exude confidence, even if it’s in the way you carry yourself, people will respond to it.  If you talk in a low, soft voice, don’t maintain eye contact, and are slouched, especially in a swimsuit, people will assume you’re insecure.  By making direct eye contact, people will spend more time looking at your face than your “problem areas.” You may even see that, when you just stand up straight, that little tummy you are worried about disappears.
• Don’t make food the enemy. Starving yourself will only lead to being cranky and, when you begin eating anything “normal again,” you are bound to put the weight back on. When you’re trying to curb a craving, take a walk instead. After you workout your serotonin boosts and makes you feel better. Serotonin is the “feel good neurotransmitter.” Eating protein and working out naturally boosts this neurotransmitter, which in turn makes you feel better.
• Write a list of all your INTERNAL positive qualities. Put it on your mirror and read them to yourself every morning. It’s not all about the outside. Regardless of what you look like, your inner confidence is most important; it radiates on your outer beauty.

All in all, don’t jump out of the pool and wrap yourself in a towel, or worse yet a floaty.  Be proud of who you are, curves and all.  When you truly believe in yourself and love your body, flaws and all, others will too.  Your positive energy and confidence will out shine whatever you are (or aren’t) wearing.

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