Resort 2009: Bright Lights

This is another reason I like this year's resort collections. They've taken a trend from the Spring and Fall runways, neon, and toned it down to be a bit more wearable. Bright, saturated colors dominated the Resort runways, in stand alone pieces, toned down with neutrals, or even piled on with other bright colors. This year's resort is definitely fun and festive!

Thakoon, Rachel Roy, Temperley London: That Thakoon dress is such a breath of fresh air (is it just me, or are the resort collections shot super gorgeously?). The silhouette is so classic Grecian goddess, but the lemon yellow color and crinkly, pleated fabric are so organic and modern. I really can't get over how insanely gorgeous this dress is. It doesn't even need accessories. Over at Rachel Roy, bright colors like papaya and lemon were layered together, with a print nonetheless. It sounds like a hot mess, but it works out beautifully. I think it's the slimness of the cardigan, paired with the sleek shape of the (sequined!) skirt, balances out the loud print and saturated colors. I love the idea of a long cardigan with a high-waisted mini. It's so unexpectedly sexy. And how adorable is that Temperley London dress? The assymetrical shoulder and the stud details are so rocker-chic, but when paired with the aqua fabric the overall look is strong and feminine.

Bottega Veneta, Jason Wu, Yigal Azrouel: Pairing a cropped trench jacket (I think that's what it is) with a drapey, floaty dress is such an interesting idea. It's not exactly real-person friendly, but it does look good on a model. The amethyst and emerald shades are so gorgeous together. I think pairing jewel tones together is always a win, especially with minimalist accessories that let the colors shine. The pop of orange at Jason Wu is a different, but equally chic take. The overlay detail on the skirt is fantastic (and slightly floral?), and combined with the aqua on the shoes, the neutral palette is perfectly balanced by the more festive colors. This is probably the easiest way to incorporate this trend into your wardrobe: one or two bright pieces against a background of neutrals. I don't understand why I like this look from Yigal Azrouel. It has a turban and a caftan tucked into a mini skirt. It sounds ridiculous. And I still love it. I think the idea is that a bright, oversized top tucked into a neutral, basic high-waisted mini is both relaxed and chic.


ADAM, Bottega Veneta, Chris Benz: I didn't realize that all these looks are from the same color palette! Freaky deaky. This ADAM dress isn't that bright, but it's such a lovely shade of coral that I had to put it in. All of these looks have some sort of coral, paired with another shade of peachy-red (I'm counting the pink insert in the neckline of the ADAM dress, just go with me here). That sounds like it should clash horribly, but it works here because the pieces are really simple, streamlined, and classic. You can get away with crazier colors if you do it in timeless cuts. I really love the look from Chris Benz. It's so boy meets girl in those outrageous colors. That man is genius.


Image Sources:
Thakoon: style.com, Rachel Roy: style.com, Temperley London: style.com, Bottega Veneta: style.com, Jason Wu: style.com, Yigal Azrouel: style.com, ADAM: style.com, Chris Benz: style.com