Resort – What Does It Mean?
When it comes to this time of year, getting dressed can bring on a panic attack. We’re not joking. All of the chunky knitwear we lived in during the run-up to Christmas serves only as a reminder of how grossly we ate our way through the festive season. Then there’s that nice shirt we treated ourselves to for New Year’s Eve that’s now covered in red wine stains. The blazer we purchased to match it, well, lord only knows where that ended up. And don’t even get us started on getting back into humdrum office wear – the wounds from returning to work are still too raw.
It’s a simple notion: if our clothes don’t feel relevant, neither do we. Luckily, designers are aware that come January, our work and social agendas start to pick up in a way that means we need to dress like we mean serious business (not in a Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps way, mind). It might not be spring yet, but there are plenty of new garments out there to perfectly navigate this tricky transitional period.
If you’re well-versed in fashion speak, you’ll know that many brands offer up ‘Resort’ collections these days to help us dress in-between seasons. If the date ranges of fashion seasons aren’t circled in your calendar (we don’t blame you), these pre-spring/autumn lines are ideal for adding a handful of new additions to your wardrobe, bringing fresh impetus to your daily looks.
When it comes to shopping for trans-seasonal pieces, it’s important to bear in mind this guideline: buy items that resonate with the coming season as opposed to the last. This will ensure you get true value for money by investing in garments that will continue to be relevant for the next nine months and beyond.
With semantics out of the way, here are four key pieces that will take you from the chilly winds of autumn/winter 2014 to a – hopefully – much brighter spring/summer 2015…
1. The Lightweight Jacket
Reader, meet your new best friend:
nylon. As the biting chill of winter starts to slacken off and temperatures slowly rise, a lightweight or cropped jacket really comes into its own as an inter-seasonal essential. Brands like Acne, Lanvin and Christopher Raeburn have all developed a ceaseless obsession with nylon and polyester, crafting everything from longer length coats to varsity jackets in these materials for SS15.
Elsewhere, celebrated Scandinavian brand Acne has produced a superb range of bombers in 1970s-inspired brown leather and suede, as well as sportier technical fabrics.
On the more affordable side of the spectrum, ASOS should be your first port of call when it comes to transitional outerwear, with the online retailer currently offering up its biggest collection to date – look out for the unlined hooded trench coats in particular. Meanwhile, on the high street, British mainstay Topman has also weighed in with a strong selection of lightweight festival-style parkas.
For those with one eye on SS15 trends, consider a washed denim jacket – not only is denim the fabric of the season, a lighter coloured design can be paired with all your existing dark wash jeans, enabling you to pull off double denim looks with ease. If denim doesn’t appeal, why not consider purchasing your choice of outerwear in one of SS15’s key colours: red, green or blue?
Look to wear your chosen silhouette over all of your autumn/winter knitwear, or a simple Oxford/chambray shirt when the weather picks up. If you’ve opted for something fairly neutral in black, grey, navy or military green, create a contrast by layering a more colourful or patterned knit/shirt underneath. Alternatively, for something more sportswear-inspired, try an abstract geometric print sweatshirt.
Lookbook Inspiration: Transitional Jackets
Key Pieces
- He By Mango Nylon Ribbed Edges Jacket
- Topman Khaki Parka Bomber Jacket
- Selected Parka With Fishtail
- He By Mango Nylon Field Jacket
- Jack Wills Farnaby Wax Jacket
- Asos Suede Bomber Jacket
- He By Mango Water Repellent Nylon Jacket
- Allsaints Chilton Parka Jacket
- Reiss Toulon Suede Bomber Jacket Navy
- Paul Smith London Harrington Bomber Jacket
- A.p.c. Washed-denim Jacket
- Acne Studios Tony Cotton-blend Lightweight Jacket
2. The Smarter Sweatshirt
While we’re all for sticking with less bulky knitwear as we transition between seasons, it’s important to remember that the sweatshirt has all but usurped the knitted jumper in the style stakes over the past year or so. Not only that, a good cotton sweater will keep you warm but won’t send you into the same sort of red-faced fluster as an overly thick cable knit.
Parisian label Kenzo kicked the trend off and now we’ve never had more to choose from, even on the high street. This isn’t about throwing on an old jersey sweater like you would have done to go to P.E., this is about smarter sweaters that look just as at home teamed with a freshly ironed shirt and tailored trousers as they do a pair of slim track pants when you’re off to the gym.
Take note of Ami, Thom Browne and Carven who have all released a selection of bold designs ready for SS15. On the high street, River Island and iconic sports brand Champion have both produced their own more affordable takes on the sweatshirt that are well worth looking into.
Lookbook Inspiration: Smart Sweatshirts
Key Pieces
- Asos Sweatshirt With Crew Neck
- Asos Sweatshirt With Crew Neck
- Lee 101 Crew Sweatshirt
- Thom Browne Classic Crew Neck Sweatshirt
- Orlebar Brown Dudley Loopback Cotton-jersey Sweatshirt
- Reiss Grant Stitch Detail Sweatshirt Blue
- River Island Grey Floral Sketch Print Sweatshirt
- Scotch & Soda Home Alone Crew Neck Sweatshirt Grey Melange
- Ted Baker Loocy Sweatshirt
- Thom Browne Colour-block Wool-jersey Sweatshirt
- Acne Studios Casey Loopback Cotton-blend Sweatshirt
- Levis Vintage Clothing 1950s Cotton-jersey Crew Neck Sweatshirt
3. The Dressed-Up Joggers
Want to score some serious style kudos at a dinner party? Try casually dropping that Gosha Rubchinskiy is your go-to for well-made jogging bottoms. The Russian designer’s spring/summer 2015 collection is chock full of wearable pairs that you could easily team with smarter items.
Alternatively, if that’s all a little too lofty, feast your eyes on the recently refurbished offering from British brand Whistles. The label has been producing an array of premium joggers since its first foray into menswear last year, and things are only getting better for spring/summer 2015 (we’re particularly partial to the navy ones).
Wood Wood and Carven have wholeheartedly backed the look too. Take note of the latter’s knack for styling joggers – spruced up with a tailored shirt. This is one of the new rules of wearing track pants: don’t be afraid to smarten them up; think of them less as loungewear and more as fresh, contemporary alternatives to your chinos.
Lookbook Inspiration: Smart-Casual Joggers
Key Pieces
- Allsaints Wilde Sweatpant
- Topman Charcoal Grey Skinny Joggers
- Topman Grey Marl Skinny Joggers
- Asos Skinny Fit Smart Jogger In Brushed Jersey
- New Look Sweatpants In Pique
- Asos Slim Sweatpants
- J.crew Wallace & Barnes Melange Cotton-jersey Sweatpants
- Indigo Sweatpants
- Band Of Outsiders Cotton-jersey Sweatpants
4. The Statement T-Shirt
Picking out a new T-shirt isn’t exactly the easiest task these days. There’s so much on offer. You’ll probably have noticed that the trend right now is for louder designs with bags of personality. However, if you’re after something more timeless, yet still eye-catching, florals and block stripes are not only on point for SS15, but have quickly developed into perennial print trends.
Whichever type you go for, when it comes to styling, it’s best to let these bold tops speak for themselves, anchoring them with neutral (black, grey, white and navy) legwear and a smarter, more grown-up leather trainer in white or black.
Just because it isn’t balmy outside just yet, it doesn’t mean you need to keep your tees stowed away; after all, a good t-shirt is vital year-round, to be paired with slim jeans and a bomber jacket for a night out or formal trousers for a dressed-down aesthetic.
Topman Design has channelled a 1970s Woodstock vibe with its T-shirts for spring/summer 2015, while over at COS things are more minimal and uniform. Those that want something slightly more directional or fashion-forward should try Christopher Kane, whose SS15 collection makes use of abstract stripe patterns that are both unique and on-trend.
Otherwise, A.P.C., James Perse and Sunspel are your best bet if you well-cut plain tees in undeniably summery colour ways, which will become an essential part of your daily rotation from now until next winter.
Lookbook Inspiration: Printed T-Shirts
Key Pieces
- River Island T-shirt With Floral Print
- Supremebeing Geo Beast Lion Tee In White
- Cheap Monday Justin Gaffa Stripe Tee In Red And Black
- He By Mango Tropical Print T-shirt
- He By Mango Striped Cotton T-shirt
- Topman Red Check Skater Oversized T-shirt
- Christopher Kane Paper-print T-shirt
- Lanvin 125th Birthday T-shirt
- James Perse Cotton-jersey T-shirt
- Neil Barrett Degrade Cotton-jersey T-shirt
- Etro Paisley-print Cotton T-shirt
- Maison Martin Margiela Resin-coated Camouflage-print Cotton T-shirt
Final Word
The months that bridge the gap between the darkness of winter and the onset of summer don’t have to be a style no man’s land. Designers’ resort collections offer plenty of inspiration for keeping your wardrobe constantly up to date (whatever the weather), while high street brands offer regular drops to keep you ticking over.
So, what will you be adding to your wardrobe for the upcoming transitional season? Let us know below…
