Ready to take the plunge and buy a new swimsuit? This season, you may want to get ruffled and ruched.

That's right. You'll find ruffles on swimwear tops, swimwear bottoms and also on one-piece swimsuits. And ruching — a technique in which fabric is gathered — not only adds an element of glamour, it also helps conceal and flatter.

"Ruching, gathering and draping all achieve a slimming effect," says Lynn Siegel, of Blum's Swimwear & Intimate Apparel, 5110 Main St., Amherst, in the Walker Center.

That's not all. Skirted bottoms are everywhere this season — be they ruffly, slit or straight.

Some have a retro look; others are quite sporty.

"Women think in terms of coverage, but they are not just for coverage. They are a fashion statement," Siegel says.

Of course skirts often appear in women's/plus-size swimsuits, which do offer more coverage. But skirted bottoms of many styles also are found in all categories of swimwear — junior, missy and even in contemporary lines, which generally offer less coverage and more plunging necklines, Siegel says.

Lands' End calls its skirt the SwimMini; it's attached to a swim panty and also is available with a tummy control lining. Its shortest style, at 8 inches long, is called the Mini SwimMini. It sits lower on the waist and has a ruffle trim.

Also on the abbreviated side, Juicy Couture offers sassy skirted bikinis.

And Tommy Bahama offers its "skirted hipster" in a sea of solids as well as some prints.

Like many of today's swimsuits, these are sold as separates to be paired with a choice of tops, be it a halter, underwire bra or other style.

So if a woman is a size 12 bottom and size 8 top, no problem.

"Separates allow you to mix and match and choose a suit that works best for you," Siegel says.

InStyle.com highlights other trends of the season: punchy prints, ocean hues, sporty looks, electric animal prints, detailed one-pieces and — again — all those ruffles.

Taking a cue from the runway, tribal prints and splashy florals also are popular.

Siegel also sees a lot of bright colors — "some strong yellows, quite a bit of coral from different companies, and pink has made a comeback," she says.

Retro looks continue to put the glam in swimwear, with many styles inspired by Hollywood starlets of the 1940s and '50s.

"It was fun to look back at old Hollywood swim styles and bring them forward with updated looks and approaches," says Suzanne Bryant, vice president of design for Lands' End, in a trends report.

Elements include flirty ruffles, evening gown-inspired necklines, or fabric shirring and draping at the midsection to create a curvy figure.

Other things to look for:

One-piece suits: As an alternative to the ever-popular tankini, one-piece suits show up on many trends lists. Styles include strapless maillots, one-shoulder designs, cut-aways, belted suits and more.

Bold prints. Trina Turk is just one swimwear line filled with prints that are, simply, fun.

The Whimsy Swirl design is an all-over colorful abstract that appears on both a tankini and a bikini top. Even cuter: The tankini top is shown with a white hipster with a fold-over waistband that features the same pattern. (You can check it out at www.lordandtaylor.com).

Adjustable features. We're talking straps that can be removed to turn a swim top from a halter to a bandeau. Or drawstrings that can alter the length of the bottom.

Slimming swimsuits. Today, there are many options to choose from. The Miraclesuit has long promised "Look 10 pounds lighter in 10 seconds" on its hangtag.

Lands' End slenderizing suits offer three options: Targeted Control, Tummy Control or All-over Control.

Its ShapeWear collection features supportive fabric panels at the abs, obliques and back for targeted control, for example.

Tummy Control offers support at the midsection. The company's "All-over Control" technology is described as offering "fabric that delivers slimming power by fitting snugly, yet feels comfortable in and out of the water."

In addition, its Faille collection features a vertical ribbed fabric said to be firming and visually concealing.

You'll also find one-piece suits from a variety of manufacturers with corset details designed to offer shape and control.

Polka dots: This season's polka-dotted suits are so cute we just had to mention them. Look, too, for gingham checks — some '50s-inspired.

Add a few ruffles, and you're ready for any beach party.

Swimsuit strategies

Hips? Tummy? Thighs? Everyone has "anxiety zones" when shopping for a swimsuit.

To ease the stress, here are some tips from Suzanne Bryant, vice president of design at Lands' End:

Minimize or enhance waist and tummy

Strategy: Define a waistline, create some curves.

Find great waist-defining details such as princess seams, draping and shirring.

Look for swimsuits that feature lines, prints and special detailing that will help to define a waistline.

These same details draw attention to the waistline and can create the illusion of a smaller middle.

Look for swimsuits with slimming fabrics. Try control suits with draped and shirred fabric overlays.

Minimize hips and thighs

Strategy: Draw eyes up and away from hips.

Women with triangle shapes (hips are wider than shoulders and/or bust) should look for suits that slim the lower torso and draw attention to the upper torso with shapely necklines, bust detailing and shirring.

Details to look for include: surplice (diagonally crossed) or V-necklines, empire-style waist, darker colors on bottom, patterns on top.

Enhance bust area

Strategy: Create a fuller-looking top half.

Find supportive built-in bras to offer support and bust enhancement.

Flattering top styles include halter, V-neck, scoop neck and shirred tops.

Minimize bust area

Strategy: Provide bust support with good coverage.

Higher necks are a must when trying to minimize the bust.

Look for back straps and supportive bras built into swimsuits.

Quality fabrics will also aid in coverage and camouflage top areas.

Lengthen legs

Strategy: Go for higher leg openings to create the illusion of longer legs.

Choosing a suit with a 2-inch leg opening will instantly lengthen legs.

Side-tie bottoms are great for adjusting the leg openings to a desired height.

smartin@buffnews.com