Memorial Day has come and gone, signaling the start of summer. For you this may mean storing your ski jacket and grandma’s holiday sweaters to make room for shorts and flip flops in every color. You may even be thinking about boxing up your scarf collection. But before you do, I’ll let you in on a little secret: Summer scarves aren’t just for sailors anymore. That right, it’s time for you to step out of the box and into the sunshine with your favorite accessory.

While not every scarf is a friend of the June heat (for example I wouldn’t recommend wool for a day at the beach) you do have a number of options to choose from. My personal favorite? The versatile, lightweight, square scarf. And just like a square has four equal sides, here are four equally stylish ways to wear your square scarf this season.

The Bandana

Beat the heat with this western-inspired look by first folding the scarf diagonally so the corners match up, forming a triangle. Position the scarf on your chest with one angle pointed towards your feet. To finish off the look, wrap the ends around your neck and tie them in the front underneath the triangle. Giddy up cowgirl, you’re ready to go.

The Belt

Who says belts can’t be functional and fashionable? Twist a large square scarf so that it resembles a rope and pull through your belt loops. Tie the ends in a bow or tuck them in neatly for a smoother appearance.

The Headband

Fashioning your own headband is a great way to keep the hair out of your face or an even better alternative to the dreaded elastic hair-tie. To transform a square scarf into a fashionable hair accessory, fold the scarf diagonally so it forms a triangle. Next, fold the scarf over itself (at the width of your choosing) until it resembles a ribbon. Place the center of the scarf at the crown of your head and double knot the ends at the base of your neck.

The Purse Bow

Let your favorite purse and favorite scarf join forces to create the ultimate summer bag. First fold your scarf as you would for a headband so that it looks like a ribbon. From here, drape the scarf around the handle of the purse. Take one end of the scarf and form a loop. Repeat with the other end. Next you will cross the two loops, creating a hole between them. Pull the top loop through the hole, pull tight and voila!

These are just four of the countless ways to wear square this season. So now that you’re thinking outside of the box, how are you going to reinvent the scarf this summer?

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