How To Wear Trends, Inspired by the Resort 2015 Collections

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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.

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Tie a Long-Sleeved Top Around Your Waist

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Doing so creates a layered look without adding bulk. To keep your outfit cohesive, choose an add-on piece of the same color as the rest of your ensemble. The key to nailing this look is to keep it effortless, so don’t knot it, tie it.

Inspiration (from left): Alexander Wang , Acne Studios, Moschino

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Combine Pastels and Metallics

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These two play well together because they don’t compete with each other-they complement each other. But you must choose your colors wisely. When wearing pink, go with a rose gold. For cool colors, like baby blue and pale purple, opt for silver, whereas with warm colors, like Creamsicle orange and honeysuckle yellow, lean toward gold.

Inspiration: DKNY

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Don't Worry About Wrinkles

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Sounds too good to be true, right? To get the look right, seek out summer fabrics like linen and light-as-air denim. If you’re wearing separates, achieve a cohesive look by wearing the same color. Last but not least, look for pieces with fancy, feminine elements like embellishments. You’ll want it to look like you put thought into your outfit to balance out the overall laid-back mood.

Inspiration (from left): Antonio Marras, Donna Karan

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Wear a Masculine Shoe with A Feminine Dress

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To balance out a girly dress, accessorize with nothing but a masculine shoe. No matter what color dress you choose, you’ll want to keep your shoe in neutral territory. The idea here is to drive as little attention to your shoe as possible.

Inspiration: Erdem

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Sport Sneakers with Everything

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Sneakers continue to reign supreme. The sporty style is a cool counterpart to any ensemble-whether it be a dress, pant, or skirt. To enhance the look, seek out pieces with clean lines and feminine details.

Inspiration (from left): Max Mara, Baja East, Marni

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Dress Up Your Swimwear

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Follow Cushnie et Och’s lead and pile on gold jewelry-we specifically love the look of matching bracelets on each arm; it anchors the swimwear. To keep your look clean, stick to architecturally shaped pieces.

Inspiration: Cushnie et Ochs

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Layer Open Lace With a Crisp Blouse

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To make open-work lace more daytime appropriate, layer it over a crisp button-front shirt. The two together bring to mind the classic yet unexpected pairing of a ball skirt and a blouse. Seek out a shirt with clean lines-think of it as a blank canvas for an ornate piece.

Inspiration: Valentino

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Wear Pumps That Match Your Pants

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A long tapered trouser will instantly elongate your leg. To further the illusion, pair the pant with a pump of the same color. Not knowing where the hem starts or stops is a welcome trick to add to your wardrobe.

Inspiration: Jason Wu, Louis Vuitton

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Wrap Fabric Around Your Wrists

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Raf Simons sent girls down the Dior runway with ribbon wrapped around their wrists-some even wore a bangle over the ribbon for added interest. To try the look at home, seek out a ribbon that matches a special element in your look.

Inspiration: Dior

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Mix Your Stripes

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Stripes going in different directions work well together because they are so clean. To complete your look, you’ll want to add in another print, like a floral, to break it up. If you feel a bit intimidated giving this a go, seek out pieces with small patches of stripes. You’ll ease your way into the trend while still driving home the mood.

Inspiration: Clover Canyon, Kenzo

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Toss On A Light Scarf

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To work the style into your warm weather wardrobe, effortlessly drape an airy scarf around your neck and leave the ends loose. As undone as it may seem, it will be the perfect finishing touch to your look.

Inspiration: Bottega Veneta

Replay gallery

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