SUIT YOURSELF; TANKINIS, TUMMY CONTROL, OTHER TRICKS OF THE TRADE LET ALL BODY TYPES SUNBATHE SWIMMINGLY.

Byline: Barbara De Witt Fashion Editor

Haven't bought your swimsuit yet?

Join the crowd. Even hardened shoppers - women who'd elbow their own mom to get to the good stuff on a sale table - hate buying swimsuits.

You know the reason. They show all, tell all.

Oh, sure, swimsuits now have hang tags indicating which styles hide hips or enhance small bustlines. But they can't perform miracles.

Even Carol Wior's famous Slimsuit only promises to whittle an inch off the waist (it comes back when you remove the suit), and Curves' Thril!s can only boost the bust so much without looking totally fake.

But the Scandal Suit, which makes a fashionable comeback this summer, comes close to perfection.

Created by L.A. swimsuit designer Anne Cole to reflect how fashion was radically changing in the early '60s, it ended up on the cover of the Wall Street Journal. And it looks new again in the current retro era.

According to Cole, ``That one-piece black suit with mesh insets caused such a sensation, yet it only gave the illusion of bareness.''

However, it's the tankini - a two piece suit with a tank-inspired top - that Cole predicts to be the season's best seller because it offers one-piece coverage in a two-piece suit.

And unlike the new bandeau bikini, nobody can see if you've been enjoying too many Twinkie binges.

Think there's nothing for you under the sun?

According to Kathy Ireland, who's modeled for several Sports Illustrated's swimsuit editions and now has her own swimsuit collection at Kmart stores, there's a suit out there with your name on it, so listen up.

``To achieve a slimming effect, try a swimsuit with vertical lines, which will create the look of a longer torso,'' Ireland suggests.

To make your legs look longer, she says to try a suit with a high waistband. And to hide large thighs and hips, slip into a skirted suit or swimming dress, which happen to be in abundance this year. However, if the skirt is too short, it makes your thighs look even bigger, so use caution.

Swimsuit shopping is such an ordeal that Lands' End has done complete studies of them and the women who buy them. And one of the things they've learned is that most women prefer a solid color.

For years, Miss California pageants put their contestants in a rosy pink shade because it was considered the most flattering color for all complexions. And solid white suits have been a favorite of perfectly tanned and toned poolside show-offs. However black remains popular for its slimming abilities.

Black may seem safe, but Lands' End swimsuit expert Kim Ross says not to rule out prints, such as the season's new tropical designs.

According to Ross, they're colorful and youthful and keep the eye busy so it doesn't linger on any particular spot, which makes them great on hourglass figures.

Women with a triangle-shape (hips are wider than shoulders and bust) should look for suits that have deeper shades on the bottom and lighter shades or designs on the top to draw the eye upward, Ross says. And she suggests a suit with wider straps, which will broaden shoulders and help hips look narrower.

When you're trying to define a thick waist, Ross says tummy-control suits are great, as are suits with surplice wraps, shirring in the waist area, or princess seams.

Wondering how long the bandeau style and other figure-revealing types will be with us?

According to Cole, it's connected to politics.

``When you've got a conservative president, you always see more modest, one-piece suits. And when there's a president as liberal as Clinton, you'll see higher-cut legs, lower-cut tops and lots of lingerie looks,'' she observes.

However, she adds that the millennium will be an influence, and she predicts that we'll be wearing metallic colors in space age fabrics for the summer of 2000.

Hot trends, cool look

Looking cool under the sun takes more than a splashy suit. To complete your beach-bound ensemble, check out these new products.

No wedgies - Don't you just hate it when your swimsuit slips? To keep your tube top and bikini bottom in place, try BeautiControl Body Glue. It's a roll-on glue that's good for a quick dip, but needs to be reapplied after a longer swim. It's $25 a bottle, and the number to call is [phone].

Beach boys - Retro swim fashions have caught on in the guys' department. Gazelle Swimwear has created a new line of vintage designs, including a '50s-inspired Diamond Head design in Lycra and Spandex. It's $26, available at menswear stores and at Jgzalaol.com.

Hot shades - Numerous designers are putting their name - or at least their initials - on sunglasses. Cartier's new shades are made of wood with platinum and 18-karat gold trim, while Brighton has added its trademark silver trim to make them as easily identifiable as their handbags and belts.

Sunburn relief - When you've scorched your skin, get relief from aloe vera. The plant extract comes in tubes and bottles, but Banana Boat's new spray gel is the least painful to apply. It's $4.99 at drugstores.

Tan, don't burn - To make it easy to use protection, Sun Swipe has packaged sunscreen-soaked towelettes in single-use packets for $1.49 at Walmarts.

Or you can sparkle with the same stuff used by the models in this year's Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. It's Sungirl Sunscreen With Glitter, and it comes in a rainbow of color choices for $9.99 at Nordstrom and Long's drugstores. For more information, consult the Sungirl Web site, www.sungirl.com.

Just fake it - Among the newest types of self-tanners to try are Estee Lauder's tinted self-tanner, so you can have a tan while you tan and see exactly where you applied the lotion. But take note that these tinted types do rub off on swimsuits and towels.

Status beach gear - Waterproof watches that keep ticking in the shower have been around for years, but Bell & Ross has a watch that will take you down 7 miles below sea level and still come up stylin'. The Hydro Challenger, with a dial designed to be read at all angles under water, has an ultra-trendy rubber bracelet. For serious swimmers, the Hydro Challenger is $1,600 at specialty stores such as Hing Wa Lee, 140 W. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel; and Feldmar Watch Co., 9000 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. For more information, call [phone].

Hanging 10 - The hottest sandal on the beach and the boulevard is the slide, that ultra air conditioned shoe that gives maximum exposure to polished toes. Among the latest styles is Birkenstock's Samba Lug, available in several colors at major department stores. For more information, call [phone].

- Barbara De Witt

CAPTION(S):

14 Photos, Box

Photo: (1--Cover--Color) On the cover: Pink tankini from Lands' End. To order, call [phone].

(2--Color) Anne Klein's racy red and black two-piece has an athletic edge that works well on someone whose shoulders are broader than her hips.

(3--Color) Athletic looks such as this surfer-inspired suit are making a strong style statement, but they look best on long legs. Available at Target stores.

(4--Color) The summer sizzler is Anne Klein's bandeau bikini, a tube top variation on the bikini that requires a tan, and plenty of confidence.

(5--Color) Hula-happy tank with a matching sarong (also called a pareo), from Lands' End enhances a triangle-shaped figure.

(6--Color) Liz Claiborne's retro two-piece offers modest coverage and '60s savvy. The wide white straps make narrow shoulders appear wider.

(7--Color) Anne Klein's leopard print tankini is a cross between the bikini and a tank top that's ideal for hour-glass figures. It's available at most department stores.

(8--Color) no caption (Sunglasses)

(9--Color) no caption (Sun Swipe towelettes)

(10--Color) no caption (Banana Boat's spray gel)

(11--Color) no caption (Clarins Skin Care Milk)

(12--Color) no caption (Watch)

(13--Color) no caption (Sungirl Sunscreen With Glitter)

(14--Color) no caption (Sandals)

Box: Hot trends, cool look (See text)