Summer is almost here, and it’s officially time to set aside my beloved layers for the next few months. I’ll admit it: I’m more of an autumnal dresser at heart. But I'm also a July baby, so to fully embrace my birthday season, I'm prepping my new-season wardrobe with a few early-summer sale finds.

Nodding to recent trends and my tried-and-true styling cues, there are a few entry points that are foundational to building my summer wardrobe : soft knits that are still lightweight enough for warmer days, easy dresses that can be styled up or down, and pops of color and print, from maritime-inspired stripes to a punch of cherry red .…