zip-up sweater in black cashmere by local designer Savannnah Knoop that can be worn a thousand different ways, but it won't be in 'til august. O, the desperation! Uncomprehendingly, local "chain" shops do not seem to stock very many sweaters, and the small boutiques smart enough to offer cashmere are hawking it at something approaching the price of gold, knowing we are desperate and will pay anything for a bit of warmth. Since we are reaching deep into our pockets anyway, why not go straight to Fall 2008 ready-to-wear and couture, some of which is available already on net-a-porter and eluxury? I recommend black since it's back in a big way, and you'll get more wear for the buck out of it.Balmain showed the perfect tuxedo jacket, animal-print trousers optional. It would look so chic tossed over a summer dress. It would even be adorable with a tank top, jeans, and statement jewelry.
Dolce & Gabbana topped a huge number of their fall looks with Astrakhan long vests or jackets. The one below is shorter and more manageable than the majority, and so warm and fluffy that maybe you can overlook the karmic consequences of wearing something made entirely of fetal lambs.
Gucci jumped on the Fair Isle bandwagon and produced this adorable wool vest that cuts all the black with a hand-crafted design for that desirable "Kate Moss at a summer music festival in England" look we're not over yet. Combine with unseasonable boots (one of the perks of living in SF), clashing prairie dress, and stringy hair. 
The most important issue to keep in mind when doing the whole winter-coat in the (supposed) summer look is to keep it short and relatively casual (but no parkas or rigid trench coats), so it looks like it was thrown on as an afterthought, i.e. it totally doesn't need to match your outfit. Doo.Ri's wool flare-sleeve topper achieves this really well, because it is unstructured yet elegant. 
There, problem solved. Now we can move on to thinking about what to pack for trips to Sonoma and Napa, where we can warm our chilled selves.
