Resort Collections are a Walk on the Whimsical Side Selections from the 2014 resort collections: python print separates mixed with florals at Stella McCartney's garden party, above; checks and stripes from Thom Browne, left; a classic sundress from Lanvin, middle; and a Chloé dotted tuxedo shirt, right. The resort shows, which won't end until Christmas, are a complete distraction. Nobody can really decide if resort should be a nice reworking of a designer's latest runway line or its own thing. Should it be relaxed and beachy? Or (why miss the boat?) is there an opportunity to create a fresh interpretation of resort, as Raf Simons demonstrated in May with his first Dior resort show? Certainly resort fashion reveals who has a light touch. Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy reprised a number of ideas from his last ready-to-wear collection, like the notion of converting a jacket into a bustier, but the results looked awkward. And the floral-print collages will look wilted on the racks, especially after a few strong print seasons. The most interesting florals were boldly abstract (Narciso Rodriguez, Carolina Herrera) or amply surrounded by white, like those of Stella McCartney, who added yellow printed python to the lapels of a print blazer. In fact, she used the snake print playfully throughout the collection, including for baseball jackets. Ms. McCartney and her team use resort to amuse themselves. Not that her runway collections are all that serious, but it takes an extra shot of silliness to show a minidress blazing with Valentino-box hearts. We have enough dead-serious frocks. Amid the glamour furs and reconstituted stripes at Marc Jacobs was a sweet little blue sundress in what looked like a dot print or a jacquard. More, please. Donna Karan's fluted skirts with easy tops looked smart and friendly. Acne Studio seemed to be awash in a surplus of orange fabric, though fluid lines are a resort theme. Mr. Rodriguez showed wide two-tone trousers, syncing their stripes to a jacket detail, and repeating the bold pattern in a flowing strapless dress. Some of the most unaffected clothes could be found at small labels, like Philosophy's charming overalls, an oversize polo knit at Rachel Comey, and cute black-and-white checked shorts and a matching jacket at Maiyet. Its designer, Kristy Caylor, also did some knock-around dresses in white cotton eyelet. And while Diane von Furstenberg isn't exactly small potatoes, her mini wrap dresses in neat geometric patterns looked very fresh. Clare Waight Keller hinted of the beach in her Chloé white lace dresses and shorts - and, you know, it was just enough. Her lanky versions of a trench coat and pajama-soft striped pants seemed a tribute to women who hate wearing their clothes in a regular way. That could also be said of Thom Browne's compelling collection of checks and stripes, shown on the reverse, and some very well-done individual pieces. Alber Elbaz might be accused of repeating himself, but this resort collection included some fantastic gems, real keepers, like a fitted red cocktail dress with seams in all the right places and some gorgeous summer (oops, resort) dresses in white.