Beauty & Style

Now that summer has officially arrived, most moms are more than a little apprehensive about showing off their bodies wearing nothing but a minuscule piece of stretchy material, better known as a bathing suit.

Swimsuit stress is something we all have to deal with -- even celebrities. But Real Housewives star (and the former Mrs. Eddie Cibrian) Brandi Glanville has obviously found the perfect solution to looking hot in swimwear as a mom, without going over the top and revealing too much skin. If you hadn't already guessed, yes, I'm talking about the monokini.

She was recently photographed frolicking on the beach in a bright blue version of the suit -- and she looked happy, confident, and it's pretty obvious that she felt very sexy.

And even though the monokini is still much skimpier than a one-piece bathing suit, wearing one is not quite as revealing and intimidating as donning a tiny two-piece. If nothing else, it covers up the mid-section, which is a definite problem area for the majority of moms. Pregnancy really takes its toll on your abs, and sometimes that area can remain kind of saggy and out of shape even though we've lost every last ounce of baby weight. (What's up with that?) The monokini really seems like the best of both worlds. It exposes just enough skin to achieve a good tan, but covers up that area that never quite went back to the way it was before we had kids.

It's no secret that a big part of looking good as a mom has a lot to do with a woman's confidence level in whatever she's wearing. If she's comfortable in her outfit, she naturally projects a sexier vibe. And even though a recent poll revealed that the monokini isn't the type of bathing suit men most prefer to see on women, when it comes to having fun in the sun, all that really matters is how we feel, right?

Have you ever worn a monokini in lieu of a more traditional style of swimsuit?

Image via Splash