Dain Blanton (from left) in navy square-cut Speedo, Chip McCaw in jammer trunks by Speedo, Eric Fonoimoana in square-leg floral Speedo, Dax Holdren in royal-blue Speedo jammer, Todd Rogers in navy square-leg Speedo, Rob Heidger in turquoise Splash by Krizia boxer trunks and Jeff Nygaard in black Speedo jammers. Click on the photo for a larger image. RICK MEYER/LOS ANGELES TIMES

The Chronicle's women's swimwear preview appeared May 20. (Go to augustachronicle.com/swimsuits for a slide show.) Today we offer beachwear tips for the fellas. After all, swimwear designers claim guys buy a new swimsuit every two to three years.

Earlier this month, the Los Angeles Times asked professional beach-volleyball players who compete on two-man teams in Southern California to serve as models.

On their own, the players have a smorgasbord of style. And a few, like Jeff Nygaard, 28, admit to being virtually fashion clueless. Hey, they're always at the beach. The 28-year-old owns one dress shirt, one pair of khaki trousers and one sport coat, which - some investigative digging found - is really the coat to the only suit he owns.

For men who are truly brave at heart, there's a daring, colorful collection of pareos - or body wraps - to match summer swimwear. Modeling a couple of them are Mr. Blanton and Mr. Nygaard, professional beach-volleyball players. RICK MEYER/LOS ANGELES TIMES

But give these guys a GQ photo op while they're hanging out at Hermosa Beach in Southern California, and instantly they pull together cool looks from this season's hottest trends: board shorts and short-short trunks in bold colors and retro prints, matching tropical shirts and bottoms and colorful pareus or body wraps for the daring.

Unlike the baggy, knee-length, boxer-shorts style that has dominated men's swimwear for more than a decade, some of this year's cuts cling to the body. So it helps if you look like something Rodin just sculpted.

Mr. Nygaard spends about four hours a day practicing at the beach. He works out daily and jogs three miles three days a week.

''If you feel like you are in good shape, that alone will give you the confidence to wear a short and to take off your tank top,'' said Dax Holdren, 28, who has played professional volleyball for five years. ''But you gotta get into the gym and work out or find a sport or something athletic that you like - jogging, tennis, bowling - something that will get your heart rate up. You gotta sweat.''