Swimwear 101: Best Swimsuits for Men

It's just as important for guys to look good at the pool as it is for women.  Unlike the trend in womens swimwear, smaller swimsuits on men are not always sexy...

case in point

...unless you look like this...

... so stick to shorts.

But when there are so many eyesore versions to pick from, how do you choose?  Will you go the route of of the many men who've gone before you and wear what can only be described as something you picked up last-minute at a gift shop somewhere (see left)?  Or will you opt for something a little less Hawaii 5-0 this summer?  The basics of all clothing, including swimwear, is a balance of proportions.  Don't go for anything too small or too short.  Nothing too long (ie- hangs down to your calves) or too baggy.





Personal Shopper Picks: from Norsdtrom

Sundek Volley Wim Shorts $119

Simple enough to throw on a tee and sandals and head off the beach into town.  I personally prefer this shorter (not short) length because it's a little more universal for the average man's proportions.

Hurley "Puerto Rico" Recycled Board Shorts $49

Again, could easily go from swim to walking shorts.  Think about it in terms of having to pack one less item on vacation.  Just throw this on with a polo and some slip-on shoes and you're good to go.

Ezekiel Strip Board Short $54

It's a print... It's a color... But what it's not is a suit you will regret wearing again a few years from now.

BOSS Black "Tigerfish"Volley Swim Shorts $89

While they not be the most exciting pair of trunks at the pool, it's really hard to mess up the overall look of black swim trunks.

Penguin 'Scalloped' Volley Swim Shorts $59

Goodbye Fantasy Island, hello Bay Watch.  I promise the cute girl at the bar won't miss you in these!

Additional image(s) courtesy of Gooole Search

Not So SHORT Story: Dressing up for summer

Before 1- Kristina's typical summer style

Kristina was in desperate need of an update to her summer wardrobe.  She was tired of the tee-shirt-and-shorts look she had been wearing since, well, high school.  She felt like her look had no real style, and needed help putting together outfits.

Before 2- Kristina wanted to get away from just tees and shorts

We needed to do some serious shopping to get her ready for her trip to the Galapagos Islands next month.  Off to Bloomingdale's to take advantage of their end-of-season sales on summer clothes right now (additional 40-50% off the already reduced prices!!)...

Now you may look at this Aqua brand dress (below) on the website and move right on past it, probably because it doesn't seem very versatile.  Isn't silk too dressy for the day?  Sure Kristina could wear it on her vacation, but how was it going to translate into her day-to-day once she got home?  How do you make an outfit out of a dress?

Image of dress as styled on the Bloomingdale's website

First thing we did was to remove the belt that came with it (simple matching fabric sash style), and replace it with the rich brown Michael Kors woven leather belt.  The elasticized waist and flowy fabric of the dress were calling out for something with a little structure.  We balanced out the heaviness of the belt with this great military green jacket from Guess.  To pull the colors all together and finish off the look, we added dark brown sandals.

Re-styled dress Option 1

To change up the dress some more, we decided to keep the belt (it looked so great already), but soften the look by replacing the military green jacket with this great sleeveless cardigan in an oatmeal/tan color.  We replaced the brown leather sandals with some Marc by Marc Jacobs ballet flats to balance out the structure of the belt, and to bring back that military green color into the outfit.

Re-styled dress Option 2

Kristina left our shopping appointment happy and loaded down with shopping bags full of fresh ideas for her summer wardrobe.

What is your summer style?  How do you make an outfit out of a dress?

Dress image courtesy of Bloomingdales.com