Whether you’re sailing south or remaining close to home until the arrival of warmer weather, cruise wear inspires warm thoughts and gives your wardrobe a head start on spring.

“Cruise wear is a first offering of spring fashion as well as being a must for those heading south,” says Kim Ariesen, the proprietor of Studio Style Ladies Apparel and Accessories in Port Stanley.

“Whether or not you’re going south, new cruise wear transitions your look forward with a welcome change of style and colour,” adds Ariesen.

Fresh colour offerings include blush pink, ice blue, lilac, mint and yellow, which pair well with the latest low-key neutrals of stone, dove grey, mocha, sandy taupe and navy.

Black and white combinations move forward, with navy and white offering fresh appeal.

“Navy also looks great paired with ice blue, soft citrus yellow and many other new hues,” says Ariesen.

If you’re craving bold colour, bright lemon, indigo, turquoise, vibrant red and hot pink are all ready to go.

Popular patterns include small to mid-sized floral and pixilated floral prints, abstract and paisley prints as well as smatterings of stripes.

Although the term ‘cruise wear’ may conjure up notions of fussy cocktail attire, contemporary offerings are more casual, in line with the more relaxed atmosphere that now prevails at most resorts and on most cruises.

Follow fashion’s flow and anchor your wardrobe with streamlined mix-andmatch pieces that march to the ’70s-inspired beat that’s in tune for spring and summer.

“Key items to snap up now to wear south and refresh winter-into-spring wardrobes include figure-flattering and comfortable separates such as capri pants, leggings, maxi skirts and an assortment of streamlined, body-skimming tunics, knit tops and scarves,” notes Ariesen.

A waist-length knit jacket with clean-cut lines strikes a polished top note and layers well when paired with tunics; these can be worn with long skirts and other bottoms.

Colourful and patterned scarves introduce shots of spring to winter wardrobes and are ideal for travel as they can be worn a number of ways to save precious packing space.

Wear a large scarf to keep your shoulders warm, as a stylish head wrap or as a sarong on the beach.

Ariesen also suggests wearing tunics as tops with capris and jeans, as dresses atop leggings, and as beach cover-ups on warm weather escapes.

“Maxi skirts can also do double duty as (beach) cover-ups and can be worn out to dinner with a fitted knit top and accessories if you’re traveling south,” says Ariesen.

Stylish warmer weather accessories include both delicate and more substantial necklaces and earrings made of copper-toned and mixed metals.

Other warm-weather must-haves that travel well include a clutch and a tote bag, a floppy sun hat, some stylishly oversized sunglasses and two or three pairs of shoes.

Flat espadrilles – fancy slip-on sneakers – hit the deck or beach with style, while a pair of flat-form, platform- soled slides or sandals are sure to elevate your look.