Forgive the self-indulgent posey snap but I thought it was as good a time as ever to share a classic heels round the pool shot given the topic of this post. This picture was taken for a friend's photography portfolio and the swimsuit was actually purchased at a local pharmacy - shopping gold! 

As a Caribbean gal, it's a firm statement that you can never have enough swimwear.....ever! I dread to think how many bikinis I've worked my way through in my fairly short life. From bargain bikinis and cheap suits to the overpriced and underused, I've learnt it is worth 'investing' in good quality swimwear that's made to last through days on the boat, chlorine bleaching swimming pools and very strong year round sunshine.

With so many new brands popping up, I thought I'd share some of the latest and greatest in swimwear and how to get your hands on them! The list could quite easily have been endless and there are many brands that for various reasons I've chosen not to focus of just yet (the expensive but uber stylish, Lisa Marie Fernandez  or the local, Caribbean talent of Jae Jolly and the forever popular L*SPACE.) I want to share new brands, full of colour and style, with shipping to the Cayman Islands within a reasonable shopping budget....well I tried!

HERE ARE MY CURRENT TOP 5 SWIMWEAR BRANDS. ENJOY!

1. TRIANGL

TRIANGL is a new Aussie brand that took 2014 by storm.

Its marketing strategy was to have the best babes of the blogging world - the TRIANGL GIRLS - wear its new line and wow, it has really worked. The bikinis are made from neoprene (wetsuit material) which can make the sizing a little tricky as there isn't much 'give' but they do have a +LIVE CHAT to help you with any such queries.  

All orders are placed online here and they do deliver to the Cayman Islands for those of us island-bound.  I bought the MILLY SANTA ROSA (small top and medium bottoms) and I've been really happy with it:

2. PILYQ 

PILYQ of Barcelona is a trendy, geometric, fun line of well-fitted bikinis, suits and beach wear. The swimwear is high quality and the style is both feminine and modern. The line is generally not cheap but it does seem worth the money (more so the swimwear than the resort wear).

I have now collated a few PilyQ pieces, all purchased on island from Sand Angels - some even during the sales! Check them out for yourselves...

3. MIKOH

MIKOH is a collaboration of two Californian-born sisters, Oleema and Kalani Miller.  

Rihanna wore their classic white 'kini in 2011 and since then, the duo has become iconic for their strappy style. 

Treat yourself to a purchase from their site or here on ShopBop (which delivers to Cayman).

4. MARA HOFFMAN

MARA HOFFMAN  is a New York based designer with a penchant for tribal, geometrics and colours! The style is very unique and very striking but also easy to wear (which doesn't always follow).

You can rejoice as MaraHoffman.com ships to the Cayman Islands, amongst lots of other countries and is also available on ShopBop. Get shopping!

5. DEL MAAR

DEL MAAR is a Latino-Australian brand - which turns out may be the perfect mix! It's line is colourful, well-constructed and most importantly, reasonably priced! They also have a really helpful guide to "bottom coverage". Decide which  coverage you would like - from a Latin Moderate Cut to a Cheeky Cut, it's all mapped out for you on their helpful site. The brand is available to ship internationally via their website online and on ShopBop (although it's spelt wrong as 'Del Mar'...).

If you still want more swimwear trends for 2015, check out Haute in Miami's article on the latest styles in beach attire!