Summertime has arrived and millions of women across this country are looking for the perfect bathing suit. Beachwear for women comes in a wide range of options, from long, elegant flowing skirts with concealing tops to string-based items meant for ladies who want to display a body they have worked hard to achieve.

Beachwear for women is one of the most popular retail items once the calendar rolls around to spring and can be found at a wide variety of retailers and websites. Much like anything in the retail world, the prices vary wildly from a suit that can be snagged for a few dollars in a clearance bin to a high-end piece by a big-name designer that will fetch several hundred dollars at a big city boutique.

The designs and patterning of beachwear for women are in a constant state of evolution and changes are noticeable from year to year. A glimpse at a swimsuit calendar from the 1960s or ’70s shows that what was considered risky a few decades ago would now be considered incredibly conservative. In recent years, the waistline of many of the latest beachwear for women products has sank to an impossibly low level as manufactures of bikini tops and bottoms have conformed to the demands of the public, using less and less fabric as time goes on.

When shopping for beachwear for women, it is important to understand exactly what it is that you want out of a bathing suit. For example, a married woman who is visiting the beach with her husband and kids will likely take a different approach than a single gal who just graduated from college. In any case, designers and manufactures of women’s beachwear have produced a bevy of items that can suit any taste, personality and body type.