Would a perm work for my hair?

I really want to get my hair permed so i can have hair like Bethany Galleoti (haley james scott from one tree hill). However, i swim year round / six days a week. My hair dresser says it will be a waste or money because it won't hold because of the chlorine. My hair lady also said that even if i get my hair permed i will still have to curl it every morning for it to be curly, because the perm will only add "body and wave." I don't understand why. (I am VERY hair illiterate.) Why can i not get a perm that makes my hair curly like i want it? Just to give everyone an idea of my hair type, it's about 18 in long. Not thick but not super thing, and straight unless i sleep on it wet.