Scarves aren’t the first accessory that comes to mind when imagining a summer wardrobe. But this year it’s been impossible to miss the way celebrities have been draping them over burn-out T-shirts and racer-back tanks or wearing them under shrunken leather jackets, adding a splash of floral, Ikat or plaid to warm-weather ensembles.

The look has captured imaginations. And there are so many lightweight scarves in bright colors and interesting prints in stores and on the street that it’s looking like Paris out there. Why now? Certainly, there’s a cheap chic factor — those versatile rectangles of fabric (even the inexpensive ones) can add an effortless appeal to any outfit and give it texture and layers, not to mention add interest to solid basics.

They’re easy to style, too, provided you use a few basic principles.

• If you decide to mix a printed scarf with a printed top, make sure those prints are very different from each other. A top with navy blue and white nautical stripes works with a yellow and fuchsia floral scarf, but a polka dot top and a swirly printed scarf won’t. The shapes on each garment should be totally different so the whole thing doesn’t become an optical nightmare.

• Wear a scarf that works with the proportions of your body. It shouldn’t be so thick or long that it makes your neck disappear and your top half bulky. Rule of thumb: It should drape elegantly around the neck no more than twice.

• And finally, keep things cool. With all the linen, cotton and gauzy, lightweight fabrics available, livening up old summer staples is a breeze.