NEW YORK — Swimwear is about so much more than a bathing suit.

“Think of swimwear as dressing,” says Stefani Greenfield, the owner of the Scoop chain of fashion-forward boutiques. “It’s not about swimming, it’s not about the beach, it’s about the summer lifestyle.”

Of course, you really might be going swimming or to the beach, but even then you can arrive in a chic ensemble with a great bag and a bamboo beach mat instead of a stained T-shirt with a ratty towel.

The look all starts with cover-ups, which Greenfield owns more of than bathing suits. Among her favorites are crisp cotton dresses, flowy caftans and a man’s button-down shirt, and she loves the look of the modern gypsy.

Suze Yalof Schwartz, the fashion editor at large at Glamour, is a fan of cover-ups that aren’t sheer.

“People are wearing dresses that are cover-ups. You’ll see some that are Indian-inspired with lots of embroidery, not sheer cotton. These cover-ups are covering up, not a cover up that you see everything — I never understood that anyway.”

As for colors, neutrals look great accented with shell, wood or gold jewelry, Pucci-like bright patterns will bring a smile to your face and white is always right.

“There is nothing more beautiful than all white in the summer. You’ll feel lucky to be a woman!” Greenfield says.

There are few rules for the silhouette except that it should be flattering — and cover at least your bustline or your rear.

“You should feel good,” she says. “These are some of the happiest times of your life.”