Bikini Phobic? 10 Steps to sexy without going all the way

Soon, doctors will have a pill you can take for bikini-phobia. In the meantime, there's shopping.

Kidding, of course. But outside 90265, the zip code for Malibu, wearing less string than it takes to tie up a bakery package strikes alarm in most women. In fact, for a good portion of America, a bikini falls somewhere between wishful thinking and lycra terrorism.

The great news is, with all the new sexy bathing wear, it's easy to flirt with a bikini, without getting fully involved.

MJ Day, a senior associate editor at Sports Illustrated, who works year round on their Swimsuit Issue ("I know nothing about sports"), tells Shine how to gradually go from comfy coverage to bare minimum. You might take heart at the fact that when Day goes on a photo shoot with four girls, she brings more than 500 suits. "You'd be surprised at how many of them don't work, even on a model," she says. "So if you like something, try it on. The suit that scares you most, is often the one you look best in."

Ready to walk the tan line?

For more swimwear ideas...

20 Gorgeous swimsuits under $30

15 Body-flattering bikinis under $100

Best Beach Coverups for Every Style

[Photo credit: Thinkstock/iStockphoto]