For a long while, wearing nautically-themed clothes or accessories was considered to be a habit women should not leave home without when going on vacation – but that was supposedly packed with the bathing suit to be taken out only the following year. Nautical shoes and nautical everything is making a strong comeback this year, experts say, so no better way to getting ahead of the trend than by buying one such pair of shoes right now.

Just to know what to look for, fashion insiders are saying we should keep our eyes peeled for anything that screams nautical even remotely. If we don’t want to look like copy-cats, they say, we should search for shoes that are either a combination of red and blue, or have stripes and bows. Of course, the associations here can be limitless and, as long as we stick to something stylish but simple, success is as good as guaranteed.

The choice range is just as wide when it comes to the style of the shoe. From the regular espadrille or ballerina footwear, to wedges with bows and country-style adornments, and funky pumps that combine elegance with trendiness in a very unique way, there’s plenty for us to pick out from.

The same thing goes for pricing: while for a pair of Stella McCartney nautical pumps we should shed well over $500 (and some change), cheaper versions, although not as fabulous, are also available. A pair of dotted espadrilles from Aplay, for instance, costs a little over $10.

However, the best thing about this emerging trend is that it takes the vacation out of the, well, vacation, stylists further argue. At the same time, it also brings a dash of color into our life, while also allowing us to be as elegant as we desire. Dots and stripes, combinations of red and blue, or black and white should not be exclusive to our holidays, they point out, when they look so fabulous in everyday life as well.