How to get your money's worth

     The economy is pretty rough for most of us, money is tight for many of us and even if it wasn't you would still want to get your money's worth on any purchase you make.  Most women do that spur of the moment purchasing at times.  You know what I mean - you see something that you just love and have to have it right NOW !  Retailers know this and tend to put new, exciting items right in our faces.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with going with those desires, occasionally.  But when it comes to swim wear we usually think about it and try it on and think about it some more and text a friend a picture and ask them their opinion and then decide.  So we have plenty of time to look for what makes a quality suit.  Weather we are looking to purchase from a discount store or a high end boutique, we don't want a new swimsuit that will fall apart after just a few wearings.

     We Googled 'buying a quality swimsuit' and you will surprised at what we found.  Only one of the links on the first two pages even mentioned quality.  All the other links talked about chlorine and how to buy a suit that would fit the body that we all wish we had.  The one almost informative link said that you should look for a suit that best fits your needs and is made of a fabric that will hold up to your life style.  That is all great but where is the info about exactly what to look for?
     Well - it is right here.  We'll keep it basic and brief because too much detail = boring.

     SEAMS -  do a little pull and tug test on your seams.  I don't mean you need to tie it between tractors and pull, to test the seams, you just need to be able to give a tug and NOT see them pulling apart.  This may sound silly but you will be surprised. Look for loose threads in the middle of the seams.  There is no reason for those and a definite place that will start to come undone soon.  You don't always have to have a serged seam but you always need a strong seam.
     THREADS - some companies still use the clear nylon thread.  This is totally for their convenience so they don't have to match the fabrics, carry a large inventory of thread colors or worry about thread changes.  The nylon threads tend to irritate the skin and may also wear into the fabrics faster than your standard cotton or poly threads will.  Check for the thread to be sturdy, not too thin and definitely not looking like they are frayed.
     FABRIC - not all suits have to be made from spandex fabrics.  If you are buying a bikini or a two piece suit that really doesn't require a lot of stretch then you can get by with a larger variety of fabric types.  The stretch is very important.  If it stretches too easily, it will most likely not hold it's shape when it becomes wet.  A saggy butt or a suit that will not stay in place is a useless suit.  Consider the thickness of  the fabric. Too thick will take longer to dry (if that matters to you) and sometimes will not 'give' when you are moving.  This could cause tops and especially bottoms to shift in directions you would prefer they not go.  If a fabric is too thin then it may become see through when it is wet and again, may get very saggy and weak when it is wet.  Check out the straps.  You want there to be some stretch for a good fit and also for comfort.  You don't want it to be such a loose stretch that it will not stay tied or stay snug.  Who wants to be retying all day long.  Or worse yet, have it come untied at an inopportune time. 
     This is a start.  In the next couple of weeks we will be posting pictures of different features of a bikini and swimsuit that will also help you find the best suit for you. Exposure takes pride in our work and will show you the steps we take to guarantee quality.
     Remember - an expensive suit is not always the best suit, a name brand suit is not always a quality suit and you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get a suit that will last you the entire season or even many seasons.