The biggest mistakes you’re making in swimsuits

With summer weather as hot as this year, it’s tempting to throw on a swimsuit and live in it all season long. Unfortunately, bikinis aren’t exactly office-friendly, so we’ll have to settle for keeping them contained for evenings and weekends at the beach.

Although they are the epitome of relaxed fashion, swimsuits require more care than the rest of our wardrobe due to their delicate nature. That means paying close attention to washing instructions and drying times to keep them looking their best.

Maryanne Terzis, swimsuit expert and owner of Bikini Haus boutiques in Toronto, sat down with us to bust the myths surrounding swimsuits and tell us about the mistakes you may not even know you’re making.

Myth no. 1: The best time to buy a swimsuit is in summer

Surprisingly, it turns out that summer is one of the worst times to buy a swimsuit, as many designers and retailers start receiving shipments as early as April.

“Summer is the smallest of all the designers’ collections,” Terzis said. “Resort collections (October – February) are the largest, then spring (March-April) and then summer (small in comparison).”

Myth no. 2: Can I throw my swimsuit in the washing machine after wearing it?

Consider this myth officially destroyed. Maryanne recommends always hand washing your swimsuit or at least rinsing it between uses.

“If you’re away somewhere, fill the bathroom sink and rinse your suit. Then let it soak like this overnight before letting it dry flat,” she advised.

She also recommends bringing a small amount of a stronger cleaning agent like Oxi Clean to remove tougher stains.

Myth no. 3: I should leave my swimsuit in the sun to dry

Despite the quick drying time, the sun is too harsh on the fabric to be a viable option for drying your swimsuit. The sun’s ultraviolet rays can weaken the fibers of your swimsuit, as well as discolor it and alter the original color.

Instead of exposing it to the sun, Maryanne recommends leaving the swimsuit on a towel in the shade to dry.

Myth no. 4: I can wear the same swimsuit during my entire vacation.

For a tropical vacation, you should plan to pack one swimsuit for each day of the trip, or more if you’ll be going in and out of the water frequently. “Why wouldn’t you bring more?” Terzis said. “It doesn’t take up much space in your closet.”

To avoid sunburn or extreme tan lines over the course of your trip, she also recommends packing swimsuits with different necklines that you can alternate each day. That way, you’ll end up with plenty of options for different activities or excursions should they arise.

Keep your skin and your swimsuit in tip-top shape all season long and shop our favorite summer essentials below.

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