Dear Stylehog, My bikini's are looking a little stale this summer. I'm thinking about a one-piece instead but how do I keep it stylish and sexy? Thanks, Maria New York City, NY USA

As swimsuit season fast approaches, we too are feeling Maria's plight. Do we go for our old fan favorite, the bikini, the one style that never lets us down and is guaranteed an eye raise or two? Or do we leave our comfort zone, potentially causing damage to our self-esteem, and try one of this season's coveted and updated one pieces? Fortunately, the options for the one piece are endless this summer and surprisingly sexy (yes, the new one piece looks so good, you'll be getting more than an eye raise or two).

This summer when choosing a one piece, steer your attention to 3 areas: the cut, the color and the accessories. Accessories you ask? To many it may seem impractical to accessorize poolside or on the beach but when it comes to swimwear, it's hard to make a statement with such little fabric. For that, we accessorize.

1) The Cut: It seems simple right? Now that we've narrowed it down to a one-piece, how many more options can you have? Think again. Do you want strapless? Halter neck? Thick Strap, thin strap? Cut-out sides? High cut? Low cut? Before you run out of the fitting room in a fit of confusion, consider what looks good on your body.

If you are heavy on top (i.e. large breasts), avoid strapless one pieces. They will not give you the support you need and will only serve to draw negative attention to that area. You want to highlight what you've got so look for a suit with either halter neck (see the J.Crew halter above) or full straps. The straps don't have to be thick, they just have to be there. Also, suits with built-in cups or boning are an amazing asset. Just because your torso's covered up, doesn't mean your cleavage has to be.

To give the illusion of curves, try a suit with side-cut out details (see the green gingham suit from Delia's above). The curved seaming and open back are guaranteed to give you curves you never knew existed.

The most important thing to remember when finding the perfect cut is the size. Make sure it fits! Dance around the fitting room, pretend you are swimming. The name is swim suit. You need to be able to swim without body parts flying loose.

2) The Color: Just like clothing, the color of your swimsuit really does matter. Some simple rules of thumb:
a) Black is always slimming. Period.
b) Too many prints can be messy and create the appearance of bulk. Stick to one vibrant pattern per suit. Let it pop.
c) Light shades become transparent when wet (trust us, we've been there) so make sure a white or light suit is properly lined.
d) Bright shades look best on darker skin tones, so don't be afraid to add a little self-tanner before hitting the beach.
e) Have fun! Don't restrict yourself too much. If you feel great, you'll look great.

3) The Accessories: And now, our favorite part of swimsuit season. Of course we always have fun choosing a suit (who doesn't love spending an entire Saturday in front of a 3-way mirror, dissecting your figure and cursing yourself for lacking the will power to resist that extra brownie at dinner?), but the most fun is finding a few special pieces to add to the suit. When accessorizing a suit, consider the style of the suit. Is it sophisticated or sporty? Girly or boho? Narrowing down the style means keeping your look consistent. The key is to find pieces that you can wear again and actually incorporate into the rest of your summer wardrobe.