Nautical stripes, knotted trimmings, over-sized sunnies, wide-brimmed hats spell resort wear. Officially known as cruise wear, resort wear is a focused line of clothing but could also be worn around the year. A while ago, when resort wear came to be a specialized collection, the usual consumer was the crème de la crème and the jet set. The folks who would go out and buy an entirely new wardrobe for a vacation they were taking in warm weather locales. But now, every designer worth their thread – Chanel, Dior, Prada, Oscar de la Renta, Versace, Helmut Lang are showcasing resort wear in all its glorified easiness. Spots such as Las Vegas, Bahamas, Dubai, South Africa, the Caribbean and Thailand to the Greek isles, the Spanish coast and Costa Rica have been the inspiration for resort clothing. But today, these garbs have much broader fascination for men and women alike.
Comfortably Stylish....
Resort wear evolved to wed comfort to fashion and a happy marriage this is! This specialized clothing has garnered immense popularity amidst those who order the ease and comfort that worn away clothes have but with a new cut or collar. The need to do away with typical tee shirts and shorts with sporty caps was a must. The usual fabrics employed in resort wear are cotton, linen, denim, straw, silk, poplin and microfibre. Light weight, easy to breathe through and trouble free packing is the USP of resort wear. Add to that, easily washable, no ironing and fuss-free. Resort wear revolves around sailing and yachting. Nautical styles, sailor collars, stripes, traditional Hawaiian prints such as hula girls and palm trees, distressed denim and cheery floral prints are typical of resort wear. The colour palette is whites, pastels, sky blues, mint fresh greens, sun yellows, creamy ivory etc. Oversized hats, large sunglasses with colourful rims, open sandals and creative cuts are imperative in the wardrobe of a sun kissed wanderer. Add a little chutzpah and comfort clothing just became voguish!
Miss Stylish at the resort....
While beach cover-ups, sarongs, bikinis, et al are the obvious choices for a woman, resort wear has moved a notch up with pretty draped back dresses, scarf-print bikinis that tie at the hips, neon bright button downs and little duffel bags in colourful florals. Kaftans have been reborn as classic statement pieces that one can pair with Roman sandals that have knee high tie ups in satin. Wallpaper print dresses with pretty bows by Prada are appealingly unstudied in their look. Flowy looks, deep V- cuts and billowy back scoops are all over this style of clothing. Solid-hued, coloured, patterned, floral sarongs are de-rigueur in the resort ensemble. Throw one over a sweet bikini for that long evening stroll on the beach or simply to lounge around on the deck. Linen pants in pastel shades teamed with sailor tops connote relaxation and an affluence that is extremely stylish. Full-length evening dresses with flowers tucked away in the tresses or long skirts worn with boho-chic trinkets are modish on an evening out, sipping a margarita perhaps!
Mr. Stylish at the resort...
Relaxed and uber stylish is the look for men. Nothing else could spell it out better. Polo shirts, dinner jackets, linen wear, cargo shorts and the perfect pair of dockers or what are otherwise known as boat shoes signifies resort wear for the male. Tennis of golf shirts that are T-shaped with a collar and two to three buttons below the collar worn with a pair of shorts or pants are ideal. Available in every conceivable colour and fabrics such as wool, silk or cotton, there is aplenty to choose from. Speaking of shorts, most men own a few pairs in different varieties. Cargo shorts or simple cotton ones in khaki or olive green paired with striped t-shirts. Easily styled linen pants worn with a pastel coloured linen short sleeved shirt are chic as well as cool. Sandals or beach slippers are a must.
No Rules, No Frills
Designers have taken ‘cruise’ or ‘resort’ to imply ‘whatever the heck I feel like doing right now’ and that is palpable in all resort wear collections on fashion runways across the globe. It is finally being viewed as a niche style season in the fashion calendar. While the high end of this resort wear rainbow is still aimed at the fashionista jet-setter who would need a fantabulous, full-skirted gown along with her beach chappals and over-the-top sun hat, resort wear also has a mass appeal that lies in its prêt-a-port line. So, in the mood for a detox from haute couture- the one that makes you wonder how the model ever got into that creation - pick up and soak in the resort vibe and leave behind the hair salon, pro make up, waxing, and mani-pedi routine. Stroll into the sunset.