I own three swimsuits. I hate all three of them. I want to be clear about this: it's the SUITS I hate, not my body. I'm good with my shape; I don't spend my time wishing that this were larger or that were smaller. But I have a hard time finding a swimsuit that fits, because I have a real woman's body.

I have a small chest and large hips and a long torso. I also have two kids, which means that inevitably I wind up getting in the pool, rather than just lounging on a deck chair. I need a suit that I can swim in and walk around in and make lunch in.

I'm still looking for that suit.

What's the secret to finding the perfect swimsuit? Oh I wish I knew.

Fortunately, some other really smart people DO know!

Melissa Kagan at iVillage has compiled a great tutorial on finding the right suit for every shape.

It's bathing suit season again. But if you'd rather relocate to Alaska than have to go through the dreaded task of shopping for a swimsuit, don't book your ticket yet. All you need for a positive suit-buying experience is a little know-how. Recognizing which swimsuit style is most flattering for your shape is half the battle. The other half is realizing that there are very few perfect bodies out there and that everyone is self-conscious about some part of their figure.

Michelle offers tips for flattering hips, thighs, busts, and torsos of various sizes and shapes, and offers practical suggestions for your hard-to-fit area. Mix and match her suggestions for multiple difficult areas.

Once you know how to deal with your problem areas (I hate that phrase, but you know what I mean) you can skip on over to Everything But Water and check out the hot trends for 2008. Their list is exhaustive, and is organized into useful categories, including inspiration, fabric treatment, color, and accent. Everything you need to know about what's hot for summer is right here.

Now that you know what you're looking for and what's out there, it's time to shop. Plan to try on a LOT of suits; if you're ordering from the Internet or a catalog order multiple sizes (the size you think you need plus one size up and one size down). Don't buy or keep anything that doesn't fit properly; you're better off with ONE suit that really works than with three that only sort of work. Trust me, I know.

Who has the best suits? I'm a big fan of Lands' End, which has a wide range of sizes and shapes to suit every body. Lands' End also provides convenient returns at Sears stores nationwide, which makes ordering three or four or ten suits worthwhile.

Finally, how about a short history of the swimsuit? Fashion Era's got it! For all of you who are wishing that swimwear covered up a little more of you -- it used to, you know. Not that long ago. Be thankful for the tankini; it's a lot easier than what women used to wear.

Susan Wagner writes about style at Fashion Find and The Working Closet, and everythign else at Friday Playdate. Please join her for a Fashion and Shopping Birds of a Feather session at BlogHer.