As summer if fast approaching it's time to talk about "swimsuit season" and the excess that comes with swimwear. Having a large amount of bathing suits seems like a waste of space and resources for anyone who is not training to be an olympic swimmer (even then, not sure if it warrants a wardrobe-full.) Personally the only time I ever need multiple bathing suits in a short amount of time is when I go on vacation. Otherwise there is always enough time in between wears for me to wash the same bathing suit. I would go with a rule of no more than three. I know that sounds crazy for those of you who are beach obsessed but I want to challenge you to think simpler! Can you mix and match bikini tops and bottoms to get a new look with the same items? Have you tried a different cover-up? Also if it's your favorite bathing suit then why does it matter how many times you wear it? "If it ain't broke don't fix it!" I understand that swimsuits, aside from underwear, are extremely personal clothing items and everyone feels differently about them, so I would urge you to turn away from what the trends are feeding you and find what works best for YOU. My mother used to bring a single black one piece to our family vacations and switch it up each day with a cute sun hat or sarong. Love it. I on the other hand am in love with this floral Madewell one piece that I've had for several years and always makes me feel confident in, as well as out, of the water!

There's no way to talk about swimsuits without talking about body image issues. I do not wish to claim myself to be a complete expert on this topic for fear of giving the wrong advice, but I will say that I have recently have come to terms with something. For a while I have felt like I shouldn't look for bathing suits that cover up my stomach because that would keep me from feeling motivated to work out or tone that area. However, I decided screw that, if one pieces and high waisted bottoms make me feel best on the beach then why would I say no to them? Body acceptance is complicated and absolutely a process but I encourage everyone to think about what makes them feel confident and go with it!

If I haven't scared you away by now and you're interested in where you can hunt down some sustainable bathing suits check out The Good Trade's curated list of lingerie/swimwear brands that includes my new favorite brand Araks! Although the brand isn't cheap it has a ton of great investment options that are simple enough to be classic but fun enough to be trendy! I'm obsessed with this one piece because I'm such a sucker for color blocking: