A design from the Elie Tahari Resort 2009 collection is displayed in the Elie Tahari showroom in New York on Thursday, May 29, 2008.[Agencies]

Forget what your mother told you about not mixing prints. The Elie Tahari Resort 2009, shown in a preview in New York on Thursday, May 29, breaks that rule, with an array of prints that will satisfy anyone suffering from late winter doldrums.

The collection included everything from abstract watercolor prints on silk shift dresses and loose flutter sleeve tops - think Georgia O'Keefe's flower paintings - to graphic black and white, op art and Biba-esque prints on sheer chiffon.

Some fabrics had a crinkled effect, making packing for a trip a breeze. Pleated linen wide leg trousers likewise avoided an iron-and-pressed look. On the other hand, slim tapered jeans and a pencil skirt gave a welcome bit of structure to peasant-style printed chiffon blouses.