Yes, the mercury really reads 80-something today. I’ll bet that, like me, this stretch of faux-summer has you taking serious stock of your warm-weather wardrobe. Now is the time to figure out which key pieces you’ll need to be ready for barbecues, music festivals, and afternoons on Big Star’s patio.

One item I plan to add pronto: This tie-dye knit dress from Billabong.

If this summer is anything like last year’s seemingly endless scorcher, I’ll once again be living in roomy shift dresses that don’t cling when I’m glowing and—this is key—don’t resemble the dreaded muumuu. With a roomy (but not shapeless) fit, crochet detailing, and the handkerchief hem that seems to be the ticket in dresses this year, this frock has earned itself a space in my closet.

Now, onto the quest for footwear. Not that there’s a huge rush—rain in tomorrow’s forecast and highs in the 50s for the next several days mean there’s still plenty of time to shop before the real summer shows up. Sigh.

$60 at Billabong, Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave., 312-867-7249