Tips to minimize figure flaws and accent assets

Little things do a lot to make beachwear more flattering.
By KATHRYN WEXLER
MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
At least with lingerie, you get to stay in bed.
With swimwear, you've got to actually walk around -- in public and practically buck naked.
We went to Colleen Sherin, fashion market director for Saks Fifth Avenue, for tips on how to minimize body flaws without wearing a sheet to the beach.
Bust too small? Sherin suggests bathing suit tops with ruching or shearing details, "to create a little bit of interest where there isn't anything else."
There are many padded swimsuits now, both in bikinis and two-piece suits, she says. "Some are structured almost like a bra."
Bust too big? Try a swimsuit with a halter tie so you can adjust the support, Sherin says. At Saks, women with D-cups or larger often opt for suits by Shoshanna, she said.
Take the plunge
And don't hide your assets. Sherin recommends "a plunging neckline -- especially in Miami."
Belly too bulbous? Generous fabric is the answer for this one.
"To hide rolls and bulges, ruching, pleating, a wrap-style bathing suit or tankini can disguise that very nicely," Sherin says.
A tankini incorporates a little curtain over the stomach, and Isaac Mizrahi does a nice one for Target, called "Brown," at $18.
"A cheveron pattern can also have a slimming effect," Sherin says. "The zigzag can draw the eye in."
Thighs too full? Go for suits with a higher cut leg, Sherin says. Maddeningly, there's not much more to say on this subject.
Forget the belt
Hips too wide? Look for vertical stripes or a vertical pattern. "Definitely avoid horizontals on the hip area and also avoid a belted style which might accentuate the hips," Sherin advises.
Hips too narrow? It's hard to believe this is a problem, but OK. Sherin says choose a bathing suit belted at the hips to give them some accent.
Chunk in your trunk? Lots of bikinis this season have little swishy skirts attached to the bottoms for a bit of um, privacy. Burberry, for instance, has the two-piece Kilt Swimsuit, a high-brow way to cover a rumpled rump, $280 at Saks.
But Sherin warns against a widely cut bikini bottom. "In fact, a fuller bottom can make you look larger, but don't go as extreme as a Brazilian cut," she says.