While women’s bodies are continuously going through changes it is important that we remember to choose the most flattering swim suit for our current body shape. Women of all shapes and sizes – including large and small busted, short legs or torso, and the pear-shape – are able to alter their appearance in a swimsuit by simply choosing the right style.

Trying on swimsuits can be a very stressful time for a woman, especially during the first shopping trip of the season. Most of the time I end up frustrated with the way my stomach or thighs look in a bathing suit – and leave with nothing.

But before putting myself through more agonizing hours of trying-on swimsuits, I learned a few things from fashion expert and InStyle Women’s Fashion Writer Cynthia Nellis, as well as Cosmopolitan’s Senior Fashion Editor Nancy Brennson. Armed with their knowledge, I was able to flatter my own figure with a stylish swimsuit. I now feel it is my duty to let as many women as possible know – flattering your shape is easier than it sounds. These basic body shapes can classify almost any woman, helping her to look great wearing so very little.

For the small-busted woman:

Let’s face it, we aren’t all full-figured as we may want to be. The normal cup size for a college-age woman is a C, but this may not be the case for everyone.

So, for the barely B cups and under – while padding is always an option, you run the embarrassing risk of it falling out. So to avoid a stuffing disaster, opting for a halter or triangle bikini should send some volume to your chest. Wearing lighter colors or print fabric can also add to the effect.

“Take advantage of underwire bra tops for more lift, but beware of the bandeau top, as it tends to flatten,” Nellis said in a February InStyle article.

Brennson also added that if your figure overall tends to be petite, showing off your stomach with a cute thick-wasted bikini will distract attention from your chest.

Swimsuit brands including Roxy and Pacific Sunwear typically have halter-top swimsuits. These brands were originally formed for surfers, assuring that the top will stay in place.

For the large-busted woman:

This category would include D cups or larger. Therefore your first concern – support – may be found in the common underwire, sculpted and built-in soft-cup bras. A cute wrap-top also can do the trick.

Both Brennson and Nellis advised to be careful not to make your breasts look larger than they already are. This can be done with a one-piece or an underwire top.

“A v-neck neckline will accent the large-busted woman perfectly,” Brennson said in a Cosmo questionnaire.

Nellis recommends stripes or colorblocking, but emphasized the importance of sturdy straps to hold everything together.

A one-piece also is suggested for those who plan to fight the ocean waves, this secure suit can also keeps everything in place.

For the pear-shaped woman:

This shape is just like it sounds – slightly thinner on top, with curvy hips or a large posterior. The idea here is to even out any disproportionality with the right patterns and style of swimsuit.

“Wide straps on the top help to even everything out,” Nellis said.

Solid-colored, strapless one-piece suits are a fashionable way to flatter this curvy shape. A pear-shaped woman should always avoid string bikini bottoms and boy-shorts.

Prints on top with a solid dark bottom draw the eye upward, creating a visual balance, Nellis said.

Sarongs, also known as a wrap, can take away from your curvy figure if draped appropriately around your waist. Brennson recommended the miracle swimsuit, which can take up to two inches off your figure, found at a plus-size stores.

Short legs or torso

Those with stubby legs or a tiny torso should work on making their figure appear longer. Sometimes wearing chunky flip-flops can be a temporary fix, but in the long run, a swimsuit can do more for your height issue.

Lengthen your figure by finding a suit that is cut high on the thigh. (Avoid the 80s style at all cost though.) Wearing a suit that ties slightly above the hipbone will give you a longer look.

Vertical stripes also can visually lengthen the body, but as with the pear-shaped woman, so will the printed top with a solid bottom. Both prints will bring people’s attention to the upper-body, eliminating some disproportionality.

“This shape also should avoid boy shorts and skirted bikinis as they draw the eye downward and can make you look shorter,” Nellis said.

Feeling good about yourself in a swimsuit generates confidence, leaving your self-consciousness behind. Remember – the most important swimsuit accessory is your confidence. Everything these days is a trend, so throw your fashionable worries out the window and allow yourself to be comfortable and have fun in whatever you wear.