Swimming for a suit ShopGirl explores the myriad ways to find that perfect swimsuit, and how to look and feel good wearing it

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Root canals. Reeds under fingernails. Disturbing a hornets’ nest.

Few things are more painful than trying on a swimsuit, unless you’re actress Eva Longoria.

A recent online survey by Marshalls found that when given the choice among heights, spiders, being seen in public in a bathing suit or flying in an airplane, 16 percent of women found the bathing suit proposition to be the scariest option of all. Although I defer to heights, the bathing suit is a close second.

The changing room, with its always-unflattering fluorescent lights, is the great equalizer. Or torture chamber, depending on your point of view. Skinny girls, voluptuous women, plus sizes and petites all can find something that accentuates their flaws.

“I say, go with a friend, get changing rooms next to each other, laugh and have fun,” said Cynthia Nellis, the guide to women’s fashion on About.com. “It doesn’t matter what you look like. Nobody likes to try on bathing suits.”

But does it have to be this way?

No. Although Bangor isn’t exactly a swimwear mecca. For starters, our swim season isn’t very long. We’re not that close to the beach. And in all honesty, it has taken me three years to find a replacement for my previous swimsuit.

It helps if you know what to look for – and when to look. If, like me, you’ve been searching forever, you shouldn’t wait for things to go on sale. Shop now for the best selection, and if you’re a difficult fit, try separates. I like the range of options at Filene’s and J.C. Penney. Though, through a complete fluke, I found a Calvin Klein suit at Marshalls that had all the bells and whistles I needed, all for $25. Score!

That’s not to say I didn’t audition some real doozies. Following the advice of a magazine article I read, I first tried a halter top. Which had all the support of a strip of Scotch tape. Then there was the tankini, which for some reason doesn’t flatter me like it flatters everyone else. I settled on an underwire top with a cute but not too small bottom, which, in retrospect, looks exactly like my old favorite suit.

Swimwear experts recommend choosing a style that mimics the cut of your favorite, most flattering undergarments. I’m no expert, but I think a tan helps ease the pain too, and it doesn’t hurt to fake it. All but one of the women in my office who tested the new Jergens Natural Glow would recommend it, and with a price tag under $6, you can’t go wrong.

Unfortunately, there’s plenty that can go wrong when it comes to swimwear. I know. I grew up near Old Orchard Beach and I’ve seen it all: the too-small bottom; the unsupportive top; the binding leg band; the triangle top on a D-cup; the see-through-when-wet suit; the thong – in Maine, no less. Some things are better left unseen.

Thing is, it’s much easier to know what not to wear than to find something that actually fits. As in full-coverage clothing, there are some basic rules of thumb, according to Suze Yalof Schwartz, fashion editor for Glamour magazine: Play up your best features with a pattern or bright color. Draw attention away from problem areas with a dark, solid color. Shirring, beading or other details will add interest if you have a small bustline, and women with a larger bustline should never, ever compromise support for the sake of style – and they don’t have to. To all you busty gals, invisible underwires and soft-cups are your friends. High-cut legs, especially on a one-piece suit, will make your legs look longer.

The Web site www.moreswimsuits.com recommends a bikini with a halter-style top if you have a short torso – this will make the overall line from neck to thigh appear longer. And plus-size women needn’t hide in a skirt suit. The Web site www.silhouettes.com has stylish, sexy options for women of all sizes. Among the slimming looks are cinched waist tank suits, one-piece options with a faux belt under the bustline and a sheath that covers the upper thigh.

Glamour’s Schwartz also recommends the Miracle Suit line at www.miraclesuit.com for plus-size women. She says they “have a high Lycra content to suck your body. Some are strapless with ruching around the belly. The look is modern and sexy.”

Regardless of your figure, the options this season are a bit more forgiving – and interesting – than in years past. Brown is the new black, and accents of shells and beading make it anything but basic. I adore the cute, sexy-prep options from Nautica – in particular the striped tankini, which won’t be making an appearance on my body anytime soon. Schwartz recommends Old Navy for great deals on quality suits.

In the past, I’ve found the options from Lands’ End to be a bit too conservative for my taste, but I’m loving the floral bikini separates the catalog is offering this year – and so is Nellis, the fashion expert. And for those of us who love the classics, Lands’ End’s “Little Black Suit” line is always appropriate.

For larger-busted women who want to splurge a little, there’s nothing sexier than the bikinis by Shoshanna at Bloomingdales.com. Separates range from $35 to $108 per piece and they’re designed with support – and high style – in mind.

There’s always Victoria’s Secret – a standby for curvy gals who like something stylish and sassy. And closer to home, Kohl’s and Target are loaded with affordable options.

Junonia.com offers wonderful options for the active plus-size woman, while Epic Sports in Bangor has a range of suits made for swimming, not sunning.

Women of all sizes, shapes and stages of life will find something at everythingbutwater.com. In addition to its wide selection of designer suits and cute options for juniors, the site also offers plus-size, maternity and mastectomy suits, along with options for women whose breasts are a size D and up.

Still have a fear of trying? Schwartz recommends ordering a bunch of suits online, spraying on a bit of sunless tanner, dimming the lights and turning your home into a big changing room. Or, even less painful, you can log on to www.glamour.com and visit the virtual fitting room to see what styles flatter your figure. If you find something you like, you can order it online.

The upside to shopping online is you avoid those pesky fitting rooms. The downside is you still have to try them on. Maybe next time you shop for a swimsuit you could bring along a few spiders to distract you. Or climb a ladder. Or hire Eva Longoria’s trainer.

Swimsuit Do’s and Don’ts

Suze Yalof Schwartz, fashion editor for Glamour magazine, offers the following tips for swimsuit shoppers:

. Don’t bring along a friend whose body you envy.

. Don’t’ shop for a bathing suit during “that time of the month.”

. Do ask a saleswoman what she’d recommend for your figure.

. Do groom and spray on a tan before trying on swimsuits.

. Do start two sizes higher than your normal size and work down, rather than up.

. Do stay away from fitting rooms with bright, cellulite-enhancing lights.

. Do think outside the box and try on something you wouldn’t normally consider.

ShopGirl would love to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions by e-mail to: kandresen@bangordailynews.net, by U.S. mail to: Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329, or by fax to: 941-9476. Tune in to ShopGirl at 5 p.m. Fridays on WLBZ-2.