Later, boring black: Check out these bright, bubbly swimsuits for summer

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In fashion, colour seems to come in waves. And right now, the tide is high.

Much has already been made of the hypersaturated hues showcased in the spring collections of Prada, Jil Sander, Marc Jacobs, Christopher Kane and Mark Fast. The Abstract Expressionism show that recently opened at the Art Gallery of Ontario after a blockbuster run at the Museum of Modern Art in New York is a reminder that colour stimulates both our vision and our emotions.

So as we transition into summer, high-impact swimwear reflects a feel-good attitude, with black surrendering to the dual threat of sizzling solids and funky prints.

Consider, for instance, that there is not a single black suit in H&M's sexy new swimwear campaign. Instead, bronzed models sport bikinis in zesty yellow and sherbet pink as well as a one-piece in deep terracotta orange.

Scan J.Crew's endless selection of beachwear; amid the party of paisley, ikat print, stripes and retro dots, anything else looks plain Jane.

Old Navy's range of suits also represents the rainbow, from red all the way to violet.

Whereas past summers touted certain styles - Mondo Monokini! All hail the fifties halter! - the emphasis for 2011 seems to have shifted away from a single silhouette toward a more inclusive message: All shapes welcome, as long as the suit's super-bright.

"Colour is more top of mind this year because it was all over runway so it's very current," says Victoria Kirk, a spokesperson for Old Navy in Canada. But she hastens to add that colour invariably sells well in the swimwear category. "It's such a bold contrast to greys and blacks; people are much more open to wearing colour when they're relaxed and not at the office."

Many swimwear brands have become more flexible in recent years insofar as selling tops and bottoms separately. Another upside to this, apart from solving sizing dilemmas: You can mix and match to pull off an on-trend colour-blocked suit.

And why stop at one suit? "You can have a swim wardrobe just like anything else [in your closet]" says Katie Goldsmith, fashion director for Shape magazine in New York. An editorial in the current issue shows models bringing bohemian flair to the beach. One multicoloured Missoni-print string bikini featured echoes the psychedelic theme of the label's main collection - just on a (much) smaller scale.

Goldsmith notes that swimsuits, like ready-to-wear runway fashions this season, are channeling 1970s glam without the camp. "It feels very clean and graphic - more modern," she says by phone. "It's less costumey than rocking the whole look."

Black is not necessarily the monochrome miracle it's made out to be, Goldsmith adds. For all its slimming attributes, the dark hue sometimes simply can't compete with rich jewel tones and neon brights. "Black is harsh against pale skin," she explains. "Women would be surprised how much more flattering colour can be in swimsuits against [many]skin tones."

Besides, most women already have an LBS (little black swimsuit), says Ariana Afshari, the assistant purchaser for Swimwearworld.com, a two-year-old online purveyor of beach-ready togs. "If they're going to make a special purchase, they want something different that will make them stand out."

Customers are far more likely to buy colours and prints online, Afshari says by phone from Montreal. "Quality comes first but imagery is important to us and dictates what product we'll carry," she adds. "It has to resonate in the pictures."

While pleating, ruffles and hardware offer even more dimension, the beauty of colour is that it rarely falls flat. Add a chunky cuff, statement shades and metallic sandals if you wish, but the suit will definitely speak for itself.

Now all that's missing is your dream backdrop - be it a cottage dock or South Beach or the isle of Capri - a cool beverage within arm's reach and the company of close friends. Slather on that sunscreen and dive right in.