Sometime after the holidays, say around mid-January, a seem­ingly strange phenomenon takes place in stores. On the rack next to the velvety frocks, furry vests, wooly tights and Nordic knits ap­pear bathing suits and brightly colored sundresses. Mere feet from the coats there is suddenly a section of decidedly summery shorts and skirts. Surely it is too early for the release of spring lines, so what is going on? The truth of the matter is, despite how much we profess our undying love of fresh snowfall and cozy cool-weather gear, there comes a time when the cold just gets old and we begin daydreaming of basking in the sun, bikini-clad, on a tropical island. For this reason, every year designers produce an interim resort line that bridges the gap between their fall/winter and spring/summer collections. Slowly the yearning for a vacation is creep­ing up on us; luckily, resort 2011 has some wonderfully varied trends to offer that will soon be in stores and ready to arm you for your getaway.

One look that made a strong showing on the resort 2011 runways was the white suit. That is right, head-to-toe white: white slacks topped with a white blouse and a white blazer. The white suit was a particularly notable feature of the Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney, Donna Karan, Lanvin and Celine collections. Crisp, clean and structured, the look has a very fresh feel to it and proves that an all-black ensemble is not the only sure route to chic. So go ahead, wear white after Labor Day. Meanwhile, however, several very different trends that provide a counterpoint to this monochromatic concept have surfaced as well. Resort 2011, like spring/summer 2011, also played with prints and print mixing, distinguishing itself through a particular emphasis on checkered gingham and polka dots. Bold color blocking was popular on the runways of Bot­tega Venetta, Yves Saint Laurent and Prada. Shades of pink in­cluding blushes, roses and salmons were a designer favorite for resort (especially in high-sheen fabrics), as were touches of the eye-catching lemon-lime hue chartreuse.

Another prominent feature of the resort 2011 shows was the maxi length skirt and dress. Certainly this trend has carried over from as far back as summer 2007 when it first hit the major retail scene, but for this coming resort season designers sought to re­invent these pieces a bit. For one thing, there has been a marked boost in the flowy factor; runway looks even implied that it is now in vogue to pair a looser, longer top or sweater with a maxi skirt. Brands are additionally attempting to up the elegance of these pieces; once constructed mainly of cotton or jersey, now maxi dresses and skirts are frequently made of silk, satin and hints of lace. Yet, alongside these ample garments, some much tinier trends simultaneously made a comeback on the runways of re­sort 2011. According to Chanel, Chloé and Christian Dior, micro mini shorts, also known as hot pants, are back. Their minute size is counteracted by a classy fabric, counterbalancing coverage on top and proper accessorization. Likewise, the cropped top, which experienced the beginning of its first renaissance since the 80s this past spring and summer, had a solid presence on the resort runways; see Derek Lam for details. But, like the maxi dress, the cropped top has been refined to be more ladylike through its mate­rial and pairing with a fuller high-waisted skirt.

If you have not yet planned some kind of escape during the coming winter months, do so. Take a vacation from your cold weather wardrobe.