Gimme five ... Men's swimwear looks for summer

Here's how the serious swimmer makes waves this summer: yellow sporty swim briefs with black inset (also available in reverse back/yellow and denimblue/yellow) in nylon/elastane. By Hom, £20, from a selection at King's Road Sporting Club, 38-42 King's Road, SW3. Further stockists: 01793 720232.

A pair for the more modest beach boy - shorts that double as swimwear: spearmint and skin-tone summer beach shorts in quick-drying Microfibre, by Ermenegildo Zegna, £105, from 37-38 New Bond Street, W1. Further stockists: 020 7518 2700.

If nothing else, these will save the wearer time on chat-up lines of the "Where are you from?" variety: navy and Union Jack motif trunks in Lycra mix, by Moschino Mare, £50, from Selfridges, W1. Further stockists: 020 7318 0500.

What's the point of those winter months at Holmes Place if no one sees the end result? Barely there black and white cartoon-floral-print swimshorts in Lycra, by Tom Ford for Gucci, £120, from Gucci, 18 Sloane Street, SW1. Further stockists: 020 7235 6707.

Possibly summer 2002's briefest encounter: grey and white stripe swimsuit in Lycra, by Tom Ford for YSL Rive Gauche, £150, from YSL Boutique, 171-172 Sloane Street, SW1. Further stockists: 020 7235 6706.