welcome to summer!  i thought we’d kick off the season of sun and fun this week with a look at a few items i simply have to have in my closet when the weather heats up.

first on my list is a collection of gauzy, lightweight summer scarves.  at first glance, i realize that a scarf might not feel like the perfect warm weather accessory.  but i love their ability to turn summer ensembles, which can be a little dull (tees, tanks, shorts, jersey dresses…) into something sensational, without the weight and bulk of big jewelry pieces.  

also, let’s face it:  most of us spend our days going in and out of highly air-conditioned offices, stores and cars, until we hardly know whether we’re going to freeze or melt.  a light cotton scarf is the perfect solution, and so much less preppy than the cardigan-over-the-shoulders look.

over the weekend, i picked up this gorgeous chevron stripe scarf from epice (left, but in green) – i’m thoroughly addicted to this line.  the cotton is light as air, the pattern is incredibly bright and delicate – it’s as close to perfection as a scarf gets. i got mine at covet here in portland, but until they’re online, you can find more styles at goldyn, barneys and kate boutique.

if you’re still new to the scarf game, you might want to give this trend a try with a more budget-friendly option.  virginia johnson makes some of my absolute favorite scarves – they’re light, fun and so beautifully made!  normally on the high end of the scale, they’re having a pretty outstanding sale that’s well worth a look.  my picks are the fig leaf, sailboats and chevron – all under $50 now.

i also love the scarves over at echo – they do a fantastic job of mixing style and value.  my pick for summer is this gauzy block print scarf (far right), which looks like something you picked up on an exotic euro vacation – but really, it’s hard to go wrong with any of their designs!