If you are about to go on a private cruise to attend an event, such as a wedding reception held on a yacht, you want to dress nicely and appropriately for the event, but you also want to dress appropriately for being on a yacht that may sail into fairly open water. This calls for adjusting what you plan to wear to ensure you will be safe on deck, and if the worst happens and you fall overboard, you'll be easy to spot and rescue.

Watch the Shoes

Wear shoes that have no-slip/no-skid soles to help you stay upright. If water splashes onto the deck, the surface could get slippery. Women should try to avoid super-high heels and high platforms because those shoes can be hard to balance in, especially if the deck is not the steadiest. Unfortunately, the weather and state of the ocean can't really be controlled, so you have to be prepared for some rocking and rolling, though hopefully it won't happen during the event.

Blue Is Not Your Color

No one wants to think about going overboard, and the boat you're on should have safety procedures and fixtures in place to prevent such an occurrence. Still, accidents happen. Try not to wear all blue, all green, or all black, even though a more formal event might call for those colors. Those colors can be difficult to spot in water, even if the water is calm and the sunlight bright. If possible, wear brighter colors, including yellow or red.

More Than Your Personality Should Be Sparkling

Of course, you may have to wear a color of clothing that would be hard to spot, so also wear something that would reflect light easily. This can be anything from a watch with a large face to a sparkly hair clip. Should the worst happen and you find yourself in the water, the boat should stop so you can swim up to the boat. But if the water is rough, you might find that difficult. Having something that you can use to create a a signal lets people on the boat keep track of you.

Cruise companies take all precautions possible, including delaying trips on days when the conditions are bad. But because the weather can change quickly and because it's better to be prepared and not need the preparations than it is to not be prepared and suddenly need help, take clothing color and reflectiveness into account, along with how steady your shoe soles are.