Summer's almost over, but that doesn't mean we want to put our swimsuits away for the next nine months just yet. Labor Day is coming up, and hopefully all the exotic vacations we dream about will soon come to be.

Naturally, we've all got our qualms about wearing our swimsuits, since they're the most impossible, finicky, dangerous (not literally) article of clothing we could ever wear. The chances of something terrible happening--suit falls off in ocean, suit is see through, suit clings awkwardly, suit makes us look fat--are way up there.

To prevent the endless list of potential disasters, we've asked a few experts their opinions on how to avoid swimsuit faux-pas, and learned a few things.

Firstly, it's universally flattering to wear a dark suit, whether it's solid, patterned, or printed. With all these colorful, light options in stores, it's easy to believe that something that looks good when it's dry will also look good when it's wet. Not always. But if you just can't stop thinking about that light colored suit you saw the other day, make sure it's lined in all the right areas.

Lisa Dixon, senior designer at Jantzen, says, "If you are buying a white or very light colored suit make sure that the fabric has a little beef to it, if it is too thin without a proper lining chances are you will be see through when wet."

And while we're talking about trying on our suits, Dixon recommends that we make sure they're accident-proof. "It is really important to bend over a few times and march in place a bit...the shifting should be minimal and [you] should always look in a three-way mirror before buying a suit."

Remember that you should wear what you're comfortable in--don't buy something that you plan to fit in when you lose five pounds, shop for your beautiful self now. And if you're self-conscious about your body, buy suits that flatter you best.

Fran Kauchner, designer of Silhouettes Swim Solutions, says, "Find a company that offers mix and match in different sizes and styles and can accommodate any body type. You can select a different style top with different style bottoms, and you can also mix and match color, like wearing a darker color on the bottom."

Feeling more confident yet? Here's a last thought from each expert.

Kauchner recommends, "Find a great cover up. Here's where you can play with color and length, even a sarong. [Get] other accessories to complete the look: Great sunglasses, hoops, bangles and sandals."

And Dixon warns against wearing underwear as a swimsuit, no matter how last minute your plans are. "Don't think you're fooling anyone, every woman on that beach will know that you are in your underwear! Plus, it will become see through and bag out when wet, there is a chance it will not stay tight enough around 'certain areas' that it needs to stay tight around."

Hopefully you've conquered your fears about swimsuits now that you're armed with lots of good advice, but to hear about other women's stories, check out Me Against My Swimsuit before you go splashing in the waves. Happy early Labor Day!

--Venus