Mid-Season Styling Ideas to Make Your Summer Wardrobe Fun Again

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A summer uniform can be a good thing: you know your pieces, assemble accordingly, and go. After weeks rotating the same combination of tops, bottoms, and dresses, though, the sweet easiness of a uniform can sour into a banal march (and, possibly, a hefty dry cleaning order). It may be time to add a new element or two to the mix, if only to give yourself something new to smile at when you pass your reflection.

Here we have five such ideas for infusing newness into your high-summer look. You probably have most of these elements in your closet somewhere, but just in case you need help with the shopping part, we've suggested a few outstanding buys for each.

Shirtdress as Duster

This stylish SXSW attendee took a standard-issue denim shirtdress and layered it as a duster over her floral jumpsuit. The end effect adds movement and visual interest without extra heat.

Shop it now: Proenza Schouler snap-front dress in black, $612 (from $1,750); Equipment washed shirt silk dress in white or black, $310; ASOS White shirt dress in oxford blue, $108

Olive Green

Earthy olive green is usually reserved for fall, but it can be styled for summer, too. If you're partial to black leather accessories, this is a good way to lighten an outfit, as evidenced by this Coachella-goer. Gold jewelry is especially pretty paired with this color.

Shop it now: Nasty Gal midi-length dress, $58; Citizens of Humanity drop-crotch cargo pant, $218; Eres one-piece swimsuit, $520

Summer Scarf

"Scarf" and "summer" seem like a counterintuitive pairing, but this snap of At Large fashion director Julie Ragolia from NYFW: Men's makes the case for it. Size and shape are the key ingredients: look for something square and nothing short of massive.

Shop it now: Rag & Bone palm tree-printed scarf, $225; Club Monaco patterned boarder scarf, $99

Colored Lens Sunglasses

Literally look on the bright side through sunglasses with colored lenses. Like a graphic clutch or a bold shoe, this is the kind of accessory that can carry your entire look.

Shop it now: Ray-Ban round sunglasses with pink flash lenses, $160; Illesteva round sunglasses with blue lenses, $195; Acne Studios aviators with yellow lenses, $400

Long Over Long

Burn the fit 'n flare dress. For a very cool looking and incredibly simple silhouette update, pair a tunic-length top over long skirt. The trick to this pairing is ensuring that the bottom layer is slimmer than the top.

Shop it now: Theory crepe tunic in black, $315; Hope slim skirt, $210; La Garconne Moderne slip skirt, $195