Jill Stuart Resort 2015

Review by Brittany Adams
For Resort, Jill Stuart envisioned "a sophisticated tomboy with her golden, toned body melting under the sun," she said at a studio preview. A "cruise" outing in the truest sense, the new collection was full of breezy, lightweight fabrics such as crisp cottons, washed chambrays, and soft linens ideal for a vacation getaway or balmy days—that explains why Stuart couldn't wait to re-create the new samples for her own summer wardrobe.

While the contemporary designer is best known for her ultra-girly wares, she struck a cleaner, more grown-up note here with standouts including a boxy poplin camp shirt paired with matching cuffed shorts, and faded indigo surplus jumpsuits. Those comparatively casual pieces ultimately felt fresher than Stuart's signature frilly baby dolls, but she certainly didn't abandon femininity. The clingy knit bodysuits layered underneath several looks added a sleek yet sexy edge to the mix, as did borrowed-from-the-beau button-ups in pinstriped silk and a black cutout bra top styled with a pareo-like wrap skirt. All in all, the lineup scored points for its relative restraint and suggested that Stuart is headed in a promisingly pared-down direction.