Swimsuit shopping has been dreaded by women for a very long time, but it doesn’t have to be.  Sure, seeing all that cellulite harshly highlighted by the flourecent lights of a dressing room is U-G-L-Y, but there are so many cute suits this season that you may not even notice those ripples.

This summer there is no one-size (or style) fits all for bathing suits.  There truly is a bathing suit for everyone regardless of shape, size, style or skin tone.  No longer are you bounded by the basic two options: the one-piece or the bikini.  Stores are carrying the monokini, the bikini, the tankini — and many variations on each of these different basic cuts. With all the options out there, you are sure to find one (or one for everyday!) that fits your budget and looks H-O-T.

Who would enjoy that?

I remember the first time I went bathing suit shopping with my mom. I was young, naive and didn’t care what my pudgy body looked like in that Barbie bathing suit. But my mom was a different story. I remember hearing the now-familiar gasp/shreik combination as she pulled on suit after suit…and came out empty handed…in tears.

It is sad but true (and recently proven in a poll by Fitness Magazine): Shopping is no leisure activity. In fact, to most women, it is a nightmare for their self-esteem. Fitness magazine polled 1,001 women about their experiences with shopping and some of the more staggering statistics are below:

64% say shopping for clothes is bad for their self-confidence.

10% have cried in the dressing room.

39% have purchased something that was too small, hoping it would look good once they lost weight.

14% have refused help from sales personnel so they wouldn’t have to reveal their size.

15% have accidentally ripped or gotten stuck in a garment that was too small.

It is sad that women have been reduced to this. The fact that a number inside a pair of pants is more important than the way a woman feels; that women are ashamed to tell other women the truth out of fear they will be judged; that women try so hard to get into a size that is not right for them that they get stuck in a freaking dress.

I know it is normal to find fault within ourselves – every single woman on earth has something she hates about herself – but this poll just blows my mind. It is time for women to stop focusing on the negative and start reminding ourselves of the positive. Yes, I think my ass has a bit too much cellulite for my liking, but damn! does it look good in a pair of jeans. And, sure, I’d like a flatter stomach, but no one seems to notice it when I flash them my killer smile (and pour on the charm).

Ladies, we are always telling our friends how great they are and how hot they look; I think it’s time we remind ourselves of that fact, too.