Linda Wolff: How to Buy a Bathing Suit Without Crying
Bathing suit shopping isn't for the faint of heart. It involves nudity, bad lighting and the awareness of your every flaw. But I've found a few tricks to make bathing suit shopping a little less painful.
Go to your nearest department store (I usually prefer Bloomingdale's) a day (or two, at most) before you need the bathing suit. It is imperative that you're slightly desperate and short on time. This helps with decision making.