Our 1 Sol Swimsuit Model contest is closing for entries tomorrow! So to inspire you to get those last minute entries in, here are some tips on how to model a bikini like a pro. Tips that will help you strut your stuff on the beach and look great on camera wherever you are.

1. Relax and have fun. Body language says a lot, a nervous tense model has an air of sheepishness and though her body may be svelte and her bikini flattering she wont look her best unless she is really relaxed and feeling confident. Also, a real smile that lights up your face because you are genuinely having a good time will look more natural and will draw the viewer in. Fake smiling and ridge tense smiles will get you looked over or ignored.

2. Do your makeup lightly and naturally, let your skin breathe. Some tinted sunblock, a little mascara, and a tinted gloss are all you really need. If its early in the season a dusting of bronzer could help give you a sunkissed glow, but you won’t need that once summer beach season gets going. Over doing your make up with heavy foundation, lipstick, etc, will create an obvious mismatch from face to body making you look like a cheesy 80′s pageant girl. Go natural, and play up your assets.

3. Look at models you admire, copy them fiercely. Top models are on top for a reason, they have the style, the poise, they know how to work a camera and look easy and natural about it. What poses are they using? how do they have their hair and makeup? What is their overall look? You can learn a lot about how to stand, what to do with your hands, and how to look sultry but not cheesy by looking at models you admire and practicing their moves in a mirror. Practice enough and it will become second nature. Learn their moves, then when you’ve really got it down, add your own twist to it.

4. Be yourself. Okay I know, I told you to copy other models, but that is just to get started. Copy models to get those flattering poses to steal some trade secrets, but you’ve also got to own those poses, make them yours. Let your personality show and people will respond to that, on camera and in person.

So, all you aspiring bikini models and beach mavens, go strut your stuff!

See the 2012 Miss California USA Pageant results here

Natalie was one of the gems 1 Sol signed and quickly became the face of our designer bikini line. She has been featured in both our catalog and online store and has contributed greatly to 1 Sol’s success. We are planning on interviewing Natalie Pack about her recent win and crown and would love for you fans to send in questions to ask her.

Again 1 Sol congratulates Natalie Pack on her 2012 win for Miss California USA. We are proud to see our 1 Sol Family succeed!

To view Natalie in our swimsuit collection, please visit our online store today and choose from several amazing styles that we feature for the 2012 beach season. 1 Sol offers designer bikinis and has been featured in today’s most popular magazines. Inquire and buy today!

The most important item in your spring break suitcase is of course a heart stopping bikini. But is one hot bikini enough? probably not. You want to pack at least two flattering swim suits if not three to give yourself plenty of pretty options and to to allow swimsuits to dry out completely after rinsing. One of these should be you work horse bikini, the one that looks great, is flattering on your figure, and has enough coverage to allow you to do any water sports or fun high energy activities that come up without worrying that you’ll reveal too much in the process. The other bikinis should be your wow the crowd bikinis, think daring cuts and sparkling embellishments, These are bikinis to be noticed in, not necessarily what you want to go water skiing in.

After you’ve got the all important bikini chosen, use your swimwear determine the other items in your suitcase. Choose a coverup or two that work well with more than one of your swimsuits.

It may get cooler at night than you’d expect so bring a pair of jeans you can dress up or dress down and a light sweater to pair it with.

Bring a couple of dresses that work on the beach and on the street so that you can easily take your look day to night.

The important thing is to pack separates that you can easily mix and match to maximize the potential outfits from as little separate pieces as possible. When in doubt, pack clothes that can be worn twice. You’ll thank yourself for this planning and when you see other girls hauling huge suitcases to the hotel while you tote your week of clothes in a light carry-on bag.

Bring one dressy outfit. Make it a real knock out dress that you would wear out on a hot date, because who knows you may end up needing to dress to impress – or at a bar or restaurant with a strict dress code.

Don’t fill your suitcase just because you can, you are sure to find plenty worth taking home on your trip, and you’ll be glad to have the room to take it home without having to drag another bag around with you.

Last but not least, bring a good sunscreen and have fun!

Congratulations to Stephanie B. on winning the Kru Vodka Swimsuit Model Contest. We would also like to congratulate her on her superior taste for choosing a 1 Sol bikini with hand tacked pleats to show off the curves that wowed the judges over at Kru.

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is always visual treat and we are proud to be included in its illustrious pages.

What can you do in 5 weeks to get yourself beach and camera ready? It turns out you can do a lot. Focus on three basic areas of fitness, either stepping up your game or throwing a last minute program together. Either way, you can do a lot to look good in a short period of time if you are dedicated and motivated enough (how is a $1000 grand prize for motivation?!).

Nutrition: At its most basic, a diet is just you trying to burn more calories than you take in. There are lots of diets that claim that they will give you faster results through a magical combination of foods, but none has ever been really scientifically proven. Your best bet will be looking at your current diet and cutting out some bad habit eating, or swapping high calorie meals for leaner healthier ones. Keep track of your eating with a notebook, and make sure you are eating a healthy variety of foods with plenty of water.

Cardiovascular exercise: Again, it doesn’t matter much what you do, so long as you are doing it. That said, what exercises pack the biggest calorie burning punch? Running (8 mph)burns an estimated 550 calories per hour, continuous lap swimming burns around 500 per hour, step aerobics can burn around 500 an hour as well, and motivated indoor cycling with high rpms can get you burning upwards of 450 calories per hour. Do one of these activities for an hour everyday and you’ll immediately be dropping a pound a week (without cutting calories!).

Strength training: Melt all that fat away and what will you reveal? Hopefully some hot toned muscles! You can hit the gym and the cycle of machines, or free weights, but all you really need is your own body weight to tone up. Try a daily series of push-ups, pull-ups, abdominal crunches and leg squats to tone up those muscles as you lose the extra padding.

The clock is ticking ladies! Whatever program you decide you throw yourself into you better do it soon because the bikini doesn’t lie!

It may still be biting cold in many parts of the US, but spring is just around the corner, which means its already time to start planning your spring break! And it’s time to start shopping for that heart stopping bikini to make you smolder on the beach this year.
Will you choose a daring Brazilian cut, or maybe a stunner with shimmering Swarovski embellishments? The bigger question on your mind, once you’ve picked the perfect flattering bikini, might be how are you going to show it off?
Panama City Beach has the right idea and has announced plans to go for the world record for the biggest bikini parade during their 2012 spring break. The current world record was set by 357 bikini clad babes who paraded on Surfers Paradise Beach in Gold Coast, Australia.
In a bit of friendly competition, Australian representatives have already announced that if their record is beaten they will organize an even bigger bikini parade next year.
The spirit of competitive partying and a spectacle like hundreds of bikini clad women could take Panama City Beach’s usual Spring Break festivities and elevate then to a new level. Its clear that is what organizers are hoping anyway.
So, if you plan to join in a record breaking bikini parade, or just to strut your stuff solo on the beach or boardwalk this spring break make sure you choose a knock out bikini that will really wow. Where do you find one of those? Here at 1 Sol Swimwear of course!

1. Drink lots of water: staying hydrated with at least 8 glasses of water a day will not only give your metabolism a little boost, but it will give your skin a gorgeous luminous quality that will have you smoldering in photos.

2. Avoid alcohol: not only does alcohol ruin your bikini bod with empty calories it undoes all the hard work your water regimen is doing by causing dehydration and boating, not a good combo when you need to look your best for a photo shoot!

3. Eat less, but more often: six smaller meals spaced throughout the day will boost your metabolism and keep hunger and binge eating at bay. You don’t want to get so hungry that you pig out on fast food throwing your whole day out the window do you?

4. Avoid high levels of salt: salt causes dehydration and bloating – you know the deal now, both are enemies of bikini model who wants to look her best. This means avoiding processed foods or takeout meals that are heavy on the sodium.

Now that you know the tricks of the trade, why don’t you enter the 2012 1 Sol Swimsuit Model Search?

Think you aren’t thin enough or tall enough to be a model? Think again! Swimsuit models are much more diverse in size and look than runway models. Beautiful women of all heights and sizes have made careers out of their hot beach bodies. All you need is confidence and have a body you are proud of. 1 Sol Swimwear is supportive of all ethnicities, ages, and body types: so if you look great in a bikini, or know someone who does, then enter!
Simply fill out the entry form and submit a tasteful photograph of yourself in a bikini that best expresses who you are.

Every major model or TV personality had to start somewhere, so this could be your chance to pursue your dreams. 1 Sol Swimwear is a high fashion swimwear company known for their high quality elegant catalogs that feature gorgeous models in stunning swimwear. Just take a look at some shots from our previous catalogs to see the caliber of photo shoot the winner will treated to.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER WILL:
Receive a $1,000 cash prize
Receive a trip to Los Angeles to appear in 1 Sol’s 2013 catalog shoot
Be the face of 1 Sol’s 2013 collection

TOP 20 MODEL CONTESTANTS WILL RECEIVE:
$100 Gift card for 1 Sol’s online swim boutique
All entries must be received before 3/31/2011

Take a chance, the only way to be discovered is to put yourself out there.
Your life could change today!

Be sure to choose a suit with adequate lining so you don’t find yourself baring all when you hit the water, if you are unsure ask a sales clerk if the suit you have chosen is known to be sheer. This should not be a problem if you invest in a designer bikini over a cheap. Cheaper made white swim suits tend to be on the sheerer side. The last thing you want is to find yourself emerging from the water to a beach of snickering scandalized bystanders, so invest in the better bikini here, you’ll be happy you did.

Choose a classic cut with more coverage to up the style and sophistication, you don’t need to skimp on material in order to smolder in this trend’s white-hot pieces. Confidence is the key to any look, so if you are hesitant to try white at all, opt for more coverage so you can rock it with an unflappable assurance that will turn heads no matter where you wear it.