You can try on dozens of different bikinis before you finally find the perfect one. It's the right color, the fit is amazing and the thing just makes you look good. Now that you've finally found the best bikini ever, it's time to take care of it so that it can last for as long as you need it to.

There are two things you need to know about bikinis: they don't like chemicals and they don't like heat. Continued exposure to these two things will speed up how quickly your bikini wears out. With this in mind, rinse out your bikini whenever you can. Many public beaches have outdoors showers that let you rinse off sand and saltwater. Simply rinsing off the saltwater or chlorine can do wonders in extending the life of your suit.

When you do change out of your bikini and it's still wet, don't wrap it up in a towel. The moisture from the suit will get trapped in the towel and generate heat which can degrade the elastics in the fabric. It's always best to let your bikini air dry. Never put it in a dryer.

To clean your bikini, don't even think about putting it in the washing machine, not even in a lingerie bag on the Delicate cycle. Always wash by hand with mild soap and warm water. Again, hang it up to dry.

Most women are familiar with the fuzz that starts to build up on the butt. This happens when you sit on the edge of the pool or on the steps. The rough surface snags onto the fabric and, over time, fuzz starts to show on your suit. To prevent that from happening to your favorite bikini, try sitting on a towel instead.

While shorts and a tank top will always be an option to wear to the beach, there are other styles to wear as cover-ups. Sheer over-sized shirts and dresses are great styles to wear to the beach because of the sexiness that comes with the see-through material. It's a way to stay covered and shaded from the sun but still be able to show off your figure and your suit underneath. These billowy styles flow beautifully in the breeze, are easy to put on and slip off and look great on everyone.

If you just want to cover up on the bottom, there are wraps you can wear as well. The original style is called the sarong and is like a flat bedsheet that you tie around your waist. These floor-length cotton clothes are very simplistic and come in a wide array of colors and prints. There are a number of ways you can tie up a sarong including a halter dress option if you like. There are also shorter lengths if you prefer and even sheer styles for you to consider. They're extremely versatile and can be worn by any woman of any size or shape.

Most of us are pretty familiar with the drooping bikini bottom.  It happens.  It's almost inevitable.  Bikinis start to lose their elasticity, get stretched out and the next thing you know, your bottoms are hanging off you when you step out from the water.  There's the awkward adjusting and hope that no one saw anything but we get over it and move on.  If you're tired of having this happen you'll be happy to hear someone finally did something about it.  The pucker bikini (also called the ruched bikini or scrunchie bikini or pucker butt bikini or any variation of those terms) features a distinct puckered stitching down the back.  The extra material has been gathered up and stitched together so that there's no extra fabric to hang down.  It also helps to give your butt a some shape by showing off your curves.  The pucker bikini is one of the newest trends to hit the beach so if you're tired to having to fix your bikini all the time, you should definitely give this pucker style a try.

If you love bikinis and want to take the next step towards sporting a sexier style, you have to check out the Brazilian.  The average bikini bottom covers everything – full coverage in the front, full coverage in the back.  The Brazilian style plays by its own rules and show off more skin.  More specifically, it shows off more of your butt.  This low-rise style still has plenty of coverage in the front, but in the back, the side have been skimmed down a bit to allow you to show off some more cheeky.  It's a sexy, flirty look that manages to still stay modest but it definitely ups the ante.  Many women (especially those in Brazil) are proving this style to be popular so if you're feeling up to it, hop on the bandwagon.

It has been said that variety is the spice of life, and the same definitely holds true for bikinis.  Who said you had to wear the same basic black or blue bikini, and who said you had the wear the same top with the same bottom??  Don't be afraid to add a splash of color to your bikini collection – the beach is a place to stand out and there's no better way to attract attention to yourself than in a bright and colorful bikini.  Not to say that having a simple black or white bikini is boring, but don't be shy to mix it up a little.  And if you want to take it a step further, mix and match tops and bottoms.  Wear a black bottom with a bold graphic print or white bottoms with a multicolored striped top.  There aren't any rules against switching up your tops and bottoms, but as a general rule of thumb, don't mix prints.

Ladies who like to wear push-up bras know that the bikini top version isn't the greatest thing to wear at the beach.  Once it gets wet the padding can look kind of weird and maybe even a little bumpy and lumpy.  So if you happen to be the small chested type, the best bikini top for you, sans padding, is the strapless bandeau.  Since there are no neck ties to this style, it's best suited for women with smaller cup sizes simply because gravity will not be working against you.  You won't have to keep tugging at this top to get it to stay in place.  The wide band of the bandeau emphasizes your chest and adds some definition.  If you can find a bandeau with a print on it, even better because graphics and patterns help to enhance your chest even more.

If you haven't yet discovered the wonders of ruching, you've been missing out on a design technique that works small miracles.  Ruching is the gathered effect that results from bunching up and stitching together fabric.  It kind of looks like the clothing has been hiked up and you want to pull it down to smooth out the bumps and wrinkles.  What the gathering does, however, is create a texture that hides any lumps or bulges of your own. Ruching, in fact, if extremely forgiving. Think about it, if you have a smooth bikini bottom, that body hugging fabric is just going to accent any concerns you might have. So if you're concerned about looking as svelte as a bikini model, try on a bottom that has a ruched effect.  This wide width of fabric on the bottom show here also helps too – it hugs your hips to help flatter your figure while also offering more coverage.

The issue of tan lines seems to be an age old discussion.  Some can actually look cute, while others look completely ridiculous.  If you do not wish to give the impression that you lie around naked all the time, a thin line of a triangle top can actually look quite flattering.  Under a tank top, it shows the beautiful bronze that you worked on while still showing that you have a sense of propriety.  For others, there is certainly nothing wrong with perfectly even color.  For swimsuit or lingerie models, it often expected.  Either one of these tanning options are acceptable, but it is when you start tanning in a variety of swimsuits that things can get a bit crazy.

I really cannot begin to imagine what garment could have caused the look on the left, but if you find yourself with tan lines like this, you need to head for a spray tan fix ASAP. On the other hand, Jennifer Lopez looks positively adorable with a very slight line at her exposed shoulder. It shows that she may have been enjoying some relaxing pool time earlier, but she doesn't look like she was attacked with a white marker. Follow these examples for tan lines, and you will remain sexy from the beach to the club.

Like any other fashion ensemble, we all want to accessorize our bikinis.  However, accessorizing does not mean strolling the beach in 5 inch heels and over the top jewelry that would make Harry Winston jealous.  Depending on the style of bikini, you may want to wear a simple necklace or bracelet.  Forget anything that could be destroyed by water, such as a watch or leather accent.  Cute sunglasses always look great but in the sand, flat, open toe shoes are really the only appropriate option.

There are some instances when it is acceptable to dress it up a little.  If you happen to be attending a swanky pool party where you will be walking primarily on a hard surface, fancy heels are perfectly acceptable and incredibly sexy.  This type of event is more for the purpose of showing off than swimming.  It is also fine to choose a sparkling necklace, which will draw attention to that fabulous cleavage displayed in your triangle top.    Keep in mind, however that this is the only time that evening shoes and jewelry should be combined with swimwear.  False eyelashes and Jimmy Choo sandals at your local beach will be uncomfortable and ridiculous looking.

As you can see, the model at left is immersed in water and wears a lovely, but practical shell necklace. It coordinates with her bikini, but is simple and will not be harmed by the water.  Though the model at right wears an elaborate black pearl necklace, she appears to be attending an upscale pool party, in which case her accessories are perfectly acceptable.

I think we can all agree that one of the main purposes of wearing  a bikini is to show off that fabulous chest.  However, a flimsy triangle top is not the best fit for every pair.  No matter what your age, a sagging bosom is never attractive.  Women with larger chests often need a bit more support, unless of course they have been surgically altered.  This is not to say that a D-cup can't look good in a triangle top, because there are many that do.  The goal is to find a top that will offer the correct shape and support, regardless of the style.  Sweetheart halter tops are especially flattering for women with larger breasts.  They are cut low to provide plenty of cleavage, but have a wider halter that is sure to give the right support.  On the other end, bandeau tops are probably the least flattering style for this body type, as there are no strings or straps to offer any kind of support.

Jennifer Love Hewitt was seen on the left wearing this black bandeau top.  She is a very beautiful girl and in reality, has quite an attractive chest. Unfortunately, this top flattens and pulls, creating a very unflattering look.  The model at right has a similar sized chest, but wears a stunning sweetheart top in brilliant blue. The neckline accentuates her chest, while the wide halter gives her support.