Beginning to Clothes Shop 18 Months Prior To A World Cruise in 2009

What should you be doing 18 months prior to a world cruise? The first is oblivious, if you haven't done so already, now is the time to book. It's also time to start thinking about a wardrobe - most true world cruises range in the 90 to 100+ days range, therefore, it isn't practical to even believe you can pack a different outfit for each day. So, the challenge of shopping for a trip of such great lengths has begun.

Cunard is a cruise line that is much more formal than the mainstream cruise lines such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and even Princess and Celebrity, and, Cunard defines their requested attire as follows:

"The general atmosphere onboard is elegant, but relaxed. Although shorts and
swimsuits may not be worn in the ships’ main restaurants, casual attire
(including shorts) is welcome during the day at the Kings Court on QUEEN MARY 2
and at the Lido Café on QUEEN ELIZABETH 2. Swimsuits, brief shorts and exercise
clothing should be reserved for poolside lounging, deck activities and the spa.

For shore excursions, you will need to pack a range of summer or warmer clothes,
depending on your itinerary. Remember to respect the cultural dress norms of
your hosts when visiting shrines, temples and churches. A lightweight raincoat,
umbrella, walking shoes and a spare pair of glasses will always stand you in
good stead. Don’t worry if you forget something as our shops onboard carry a
wide range of leisurewear, formal clothing and

One of the great thrills of a Cunard voyage is the sheer glamour of the evenings. Evening attire for the ship’s main restaurants, effective from 1800hrs, will be specified in your ship’s Daily Programme and will be required to dine in the restaurants.

Formal: Tuxedo (or formal dark suit) for men. Evening gown or other formal attire for women. (A range of gentleman’s formal wear is available to hire or purchase onboard ship).

Elegant Casual: Slacks, sweater, shirt and a jacket for men. Skirt or slacks with a blouse for women. No jeans.

Informal: Jacket and tie for men. Cocktail dress, dressy trouser suit or similar for women. No jeans."

Therefore, I am beginning to shop for outfits such as St. Johns knits. Expensive? Yes, but, they last for years and years and always look great. For me, the two toughest things to shop for are shoes and formal wear. I am not one to sacrifice the comfort of my feet for the sake of fashion and, I like formal wear that looks good even after I've worn it more than twice. Therefore, I need to look beyond Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik for shoes.

Fortunately, for me, NYC is a shoppers dream come true, not to mention the upscale malls of Northern NJ such as The Mall at Short Hills which features upscale department stores such as Saks and Neiman Marcus. So, with summer sales now in progress at the clothing stores, I will begin shopping for my wardrobe for this trip of a lifetime.