Summer has arrived and hopefully you’ve found the perfect swim suit, but now it’s time to keep the sun shining on the shape of your suit. Translation: follow these five no fail tips and your beach ready bikini will keep its shape, won’t reek of pool chlorine, and will not fall victim to weird sunscreen-induced discoloration. When the water is calling my name, I know just how easy it is to put a swimsuit through the ringer, but this summer, I promise: keeping it in superior shape has never been simpler…

1. Anticipate the wear and tear –  Chlorine weakens synthetic and polyester fabrics and can break down a suit’s elasticity. Not to mention, products like sunscreen and deodorant can discolor and stain your bikini after a couple trips to the water. To minimize the early signs pre-treat your swimsuit with a gentle stain solution soak like The Laundress Stain Solution.

2. Rinse and repeat –  As soon as you’re done frolicking in the waves, basking in the sun, or dominating in a friendly cannonball contest, switch into your après-swim gear and wash away the day’s waterlogged activities. Be forewarned, water won’t cut it. First things first: get yourself situated in a ultra chic maxi dress or caftan, then head to step three.

3. Hand washing is best –  To make sure your swimwear doesn’t succumb to the surf, sand, and sunscreen you’ve been indulging in, you need to go the extra mile with a little hand washing TLC. Wash your swimsuit under cool water with a gentle detergent (think lingerie-strength) like Woolite.

4. Roll, don’t twist and ring –  It may be easier to twist out the water from your swimsuit, but trust us, if you want this suit to make it to Summer’s end, roll it out in a towel. The more you ring your wares, the more you risk stressing out the elastic fibers prematurely. The last thing you want is a serious skin baring snafu at the beach.

5. The dryer is not your friend –  Air-dry your swimsuit the old-fashioned way: hang it on a clothing line, lie it flat, or improvise — a hanger and shower rod will do the trick too. If you do hang-dry your suit outside, then avoid placing it in direct sunlight to prevent any potential color fade.

…have fun, don’t forget the sunscreen and check out some of my favorite Newport Beach Swimwear Boutiques: SwimSpot in Fashion Island, Beach Candy Swimwear, Molly Brown’s Swimwear, Bardot and Beach Bunny Swimwear.

And if you want to be even more local check out these swimwear lines born in Newport Beach: BeachRiot, KORE Swim, and LUXE by Lisa Vogel