Reinvent Your Wardrobe with These Styling Tips from the Resort 2015 Collections

After over a month of previews, resort collections have been seen and heard everywhere (hello Stella McCartney garden parties and models dancing in Zac Posen ball gowns!). And though the season is technically months away, perhaps no better time than summer to start daydreaming of how you will work your favorite pieces into your wardrobe. (After all, the climate-- sunny and balmy-- is a match.) Plus, there's a rational aspect to all this plotting: you're bound to shop the resort collections as they're available at the retail stores longer than any other collection.

But why wait until October to hatch an outfit or two? In the meantime (or to kill time, rather), we took an extra close look at the resort collections to figure out how to wear the trends right now. Because sometimes the trend isn't exactly what you wear, it's how you wear it.

For starters, mix pastels and metallics, as shown at DKNY (pictured, above). The two play well together because they don’t compete with each other—rather they complement. Before you try it out, know that rose gold works with pink, silver look best with cool colors, and gold pairs well with warm tones. If you are more of a prints person, go for striped separates—and mix them together. If you feel a bit intimidated giving this look a go, seek out pieces with solids or a softer print, like a floral, as shown at Kenzo (pictured, above). You’ll ease your way into the trend while still driving home the mood.

Here's a trend to love: flats with everything. If flats feel too dressed down for your taste, pair them with an ornate and feminine frock, as shown at Erdem (pictured, above). You'll create a balanced, chic, and unexpected look—not to mention be the envy of all your friends wearing painful, sky-high stilettos.

Swimwear, something that we are in fact wearing right now, is beloved for its ease and simplicity. If you want to add a touch of your own style to your beachwear, pile on some jewelry à la Cuchnie et Ochs. The key to nailing this look is to keep your jewelry look clean, so opt for architecturally shaped pieces and stay away from anything beaded, delicate, or dangling.

For more styling tips on how to wear resort trends now, click through the gallery. You'll find ways to reinvent pieces you already own (hint: tie a long-sleeved shirt around your waist for a chic take on layering without all the bulk), styling tricks to make your legs look longer, and more.