NAUTICALLY infused fashions sail into stores every spring, but this salty trend is especially prevalent this season, with designers incorporating heavy horizontal blue and white stripes, sea life and boat-inspired touches into garments.

Maritime-themed attire includes items like boat-neck striped tops, wide-legged buttoned sailor pants and shorts, double-breasted jackets with military touches and sailor dresses.

The colors run to navy blue, red and white, with occasional yellow and metallic touches, though anything with boats or fish can also be part of this trend. Anchor emblems are also popular, as are life preservers, sea stars and sand dollars, used on both screen-printed shirts and jewelry.Diane von Fürstenberg took nautical themes to another level in her Cruise/Pre-Spring 2008 collection. Strong blues, reds and whites were a consistent motif in all of her looks, with lots of creatively stripey tops and frocks. To drive the seafaring aesthetic home, she even used ropes as straps for halter dresses, and knotted them into headbands and ties for sandals.

Anyone can look yacht ready in breezy sailor summer dresses, like those in Twinkle's Pre-Spring collection. Both its Chopped Gathered Dress and Intermission Dress are navy blue with pronounced white piping and pleats.

Kate Spade also offered up some nautical footwear this spring, like the Geoma sling-back sandal featuring a small horizontal blue-and-white striped pattern. The Lois Hill Geo Triple Strand Circle Necklace is a classy accessory to add to the look, with round charms giving the subtle appearance of life preservers or bubbles.

Of course, one shouldn't go overboard with this trend, because only children look adorable clad in overdone sailor clothes. Make sure the rest of your attire is basic enough to avoid looking like Cap'n Crunch.

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