Stylin' At The Pool
by Lisa Siegel

LYCRA: Don’t get in the water without it
Whether you are at the neighborhood pool or dipping in the ocean on a well-earned vacation, stylish moms know the key to the right swimsuit. Lycra is your friend! Let your body shape dictate whether you wear a two-piece, one piece, tankini, maillot, or boy shorts and a halter. But whatever the style, the fabric of choice must always include a little Lycra to accentuate your best body parts and hide those areas that just don’t seem to respond to sit-ups.

THE BIG COVER UP: The cool tee shirt is your friend
Forget the terry cloth beach robe that looks like it should be hanging on a hook in your shower. Don a cool tee after stepping out of the pool or coming in from the beach. Today’s tee shirt is fitted in a variety of different styles. Try a regular tee with cap sleeves. When the evening gets cool, change to a scoop neck with three quarter sleeves. For a really hot day choose a tank with a racer back or one with spaghetti straps. For more coverage, look for a camisole tank. Tee shirt fabrics look best in all cotton or cotton with Lycra. Remember if it hangs like pajamas, it probably looks like pajamas. When you’ve found your style, choose a tee with a cool design or words that express who you really are.

THE BOTTOM HALF: Bag the shorts!
If you are wearing the cool tee (see above), don’t ruin the look with your husband’s gym shorts. In fact, forget the gym shorts. After a dip in the water match your cool tee with a wispy gauze ruffled skirt in a drop waist. For getting in and out of the pool all day, try a smooth flowing easy tie skirt in matte jersey or thin cotton. For a party look or an afternoon on the pier getting ice cream with the kids, wear cabana pants tied at the waist. Look for elastic waists, ties or a quick snap at the side so you can slip it on and off to join the kids in the water. Why should they have all the fun?

HAIR: Ease is the thing.
If you lean toward longish hair, slick it back with some gel into a neat ponytail or twist it up and hold with a tortoiseshell clip. For some real fun, try the reversible ribbon headbands that are available now . Or try a short cut for summer and feel the wind on the back of your neck. But whatever you do, make ease the thing. Nothing dispels the myth that you are "totally mom" like a "do" at the pool.

FASHION ACCESSORIES: Popsicles are in!
Popsicle colors are hot this season! Melt a little color into your beach wardrobe with flip-flops, beach totes, straw hats and sun visors in cool watermelon, lime, orangeade, and hot pink. If it makes you thirsty, it is probably a great color for this summer.

SUNSCREEN: The final accessory
The rule on sunscreen is “SLATHER, SWIM AND REPEAT.” I know it sounds like a broken record (is there such a thing as a sounding like a broken CD?), but protecting your and your kids’ skin in the hot sun of summer is the most important thing you do. So here are the rules. Apply sunscreen to dry skin 15 to 30 minutes before going outside. Apply several dabs of sunscreen and connect the dots. Most sunscreen is applied in too thin layers that do not give enough protection. Reapply every two hours and after swimming or sweating. If you don’t have sunscreen under your fingernails all summer, you probably aren’t using enough.

Lisa Siegel, Writer
Lisa lives in Atlanta, GA and is a "Totally Mom" to two school aged boys.