Beach season may be over, but we won't soon forget the images of those tanned, slender bodies frolicking in the ocean this summer. Some of them wore little, some wore more, and some should have worn more but didn't. What were our favorites and our least favorites?

We were pleased to see Paris Hilton in a demure, very classy one-piece suit this season! She was spotted in an unusually non-skin-showing purple one-piece suit, shirred at the chest and complete with an evergreen belt and green palm tree across the front. Tres chic, Paris, although not real trendy!

Jessica Alba wore purple, too, but we weren't nearly as impressed with her choice of suit. Usually right on the money when it comes to fashion, Jessica donned a very plain, outdated bikini. The bikini bottoms we spotted her in were flesh-colored and baggy; not exactly a stellar fit with her purple top. However, we think the flesh coloring may have been a ploy to get us to keep staring and see if she was actually wearing bottoms!

We all know Matthew McConaughey has a great beach body; no need to even talk about what he's wearing. But for the record, he appeared shirtless as usual, wearing only his usual Lance Armstrong bracelet and surf shorts. Other men who made the beach scene a hotter scene this summer were Justin Timberlake, Hugh Jackman and Matt Damon. Often, they were with their families ... but does that really matter?

The itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny bikini was in for lots of the stars this summer, in all colors although the size pretty much stayed the same - tiny! Lindsay Lohan showed off her curvy figure in a black halter number, and Keira Knightley reminded us all of her thin, graceful shape in a red string bikini.

Denise Richards and Kate Hudson showed off their abs in string bikinis as well, doubly impressive because they are both mommies with toddlers at home! Their flat stomachs actually seem to look better now than they did before the babies! Nicole Richie, on the other hand, was spotted pre-pregnancy looking positively emaciated in a pale yellow suit. Pregnancy may be the best thing that ever happened to this woman's body!

Kelly Clarkson was seen splashing in the ocean without a care in the world. She was never one to flaunt her body, often being criticized for being bigger than the average Hollywood diva. We think she looked just great and perfectly beachy in her floral little string number.

Paris and Nicky Hilton were spotted in completely opposite outfits. Nicky, ever the fashion designer was more covered up in a fancy number she may have designed, while sister Paris was in a glimmer silver triangle bikini. Another major cover-up seen was by Helen Hunt, who literally was seen in a head to toe black wetsuit looking ludicrous! A more normal cover-up was seen being worn by Catherine Zeta-Jones, ever the classy lady from Wales.

Kristin Cavallari probably has the most perfect beach-ready body out there. Ironically the star of TV show Laguna Beach, she is a thin, buxom, tanned twenty-something on the arm of heartthrob Brody Jenner in a cute geometric print.

Some divas don't care to be seen baring all of themselves in the sand or surf, when some of that involves post-baby cellulite or stretch marks. They prefer to stay covered and it's probably a good idea! Britney Spears has been seen walking down the streets of LA in what appears to be a bikini top, along with a micro-mini. She may as well be on the beach for all the dimpled, warped skin she's exposing.

Kate Hudson, as svelte as she appeared in some of the pictures we have seen, was also seen with skin sagging from her midsection, as thin as she is. Looks like she lost the baby weight far too quickly!

Whatever the stars pleasure, for covering up or baring all, you can be sure that we will continue to be glued to the pages of the magazines and the screen of the TV next season to see what the bodies bring us!

About Author:

Megan Hazel is a freelance writer who writes about celebrity topics, similar to what consumers read in People Magazine