Ace & Jig designers Jenna Wilson and Cary Vaughan distilled their Spring offering from seaside notions: Wide-legged, high-waisted pants they borrowed from the beach pajamas craze of the '20s; elsewhere were bold nautical stripes, big belts to be casually knotted, and a truly standout pair of sailor pants with suspenders. All these pieces, of course, came rendered in the brand's signature brightly hued checks and tartans. Material is Ace & Jig's first love, and to hear the duo talk about the traditional mill in India where their textiles are woven is to at least begin to appreciate these clothes, regardless of one's personal aesthetics. One fabric included in the Spring lineup had been created on an antique loom traditionally used to make mosquito netting—just because. At times, things like silhouette seem to take a backseat to this devotion, the clothes coming off as mere vessels of delivery for (admittedly lovely) double-woven cotton gauze. Happily this season, the pair branched out a bit in shapes, and the move paid off. There was a greater sophistication to some of the pieces without sacrificing ease: those sailor pants, a pussy-bow blouse, culottes, a T-shirt with sweet lace-up detailing. Ace & Jig's palpably crafty feel isn't going anywhere, but with additions like these, they're sure to widen their net in terms of customers.
