This is a very important factor when it comes to swimwear, just as it is in every day life. The little black dress (LBD) is an ideal companion as it's a column of colour, it's slimming and it will go mainly unnoticed. Like an LBD, choosing a little black swimsuit (LBS) will mean you can wear it again and again and no one will think you are still wearing the same old swimsuit every time.

Colour and pattern are very important - a lot of the time we only buy swimwear with holidays in mind, so we go for tropical colours and prints. This is all very beautiful especially when sun-bronzed and relaxing by a pool, but change the location to swimming lessons on a winter morning at your local lido, no sun tan, no designer shades and it's a completely different ball game!

You can choose colour and statement colours, but all you have to do is make sure it's the right colour for your skin tone. Go bold, but try the pastels as well as the black - if you want the black with a splash of colour, try the costumes with the neon-bright go-faster stripes.

As for pattern, just be aware of what it is accentuating and what it is hiding. An all over small sprig-like or geometric print can hide a multitude of sins, but a bold floral print placed right in the centre of the swimsuit could make you look wider and shorter.