Let's talk about a common fashion dilemma! With the inevitable get togethers and Bbq’s that happen during the summer, you want to look classy, but laid back at the same time -- you don’t want your outfit to come off as a “try-hard" ensemble when you're just going to a casual outing. Well today, I’m sharing with you my style secrets for such situations.

1. Jeans. But not just any jeans.

For a casual event, I always feel safe going with denim. But in this day-in-age there are so many trendy jean options! Take for example these bell bottom jeans, from Zaful. The flare at the bottom spices up the what would otherwise be a boring denim capri. If you’ve never shopped at Zaful before and you’re wondering about size, according to their size chart I was a small and the pants ended up fitting fine!

2. The half tucked button down.

For this, I use a loose fit button down -- maybe a size or two larger than what I would normally get. I leave it unbuttoned at the top and half tucked in your high wasted jeans for a “thrown together” look. I got this staple piece at a vintage shop but you can get one of these essentially anywhere. I’m linking up a similar one here.

3. The classy details.

This is the funnest step! The point is to to look fashionably casual with a touch of class, and a fun purse and classic shoe can do just that. Below I'm listing my current favorite product for each of those categories.

3a. The fun handbag.

The Wine’d Up embellished handbag, by Mary Frances, (which is shaped like a wine bottle in an ice bucket!) could make a sweatshirt look classy, let alone this casual outfit I'm sporting! It's made handmade with the finest details. It’s incredibly unique and by far the most eye catching purse I’ve ever owned. The beading and metallic finishing adds elegance to the ensemble while the fun shape adds some flare! Not to get too side tracked here, but if you haven't already checked out the rest of the Mary Frances handbag collection, you absolutely have to. They have so many fun designs -- there's a purse shaped as a hot air balloon, one mimicking a film camera, and another in the shape of a guitar, just to name a few!

3b. The classic shoe.

The Pearl Black flat, by Rhea Footwear, is much more of a minimalist piece. It provides a simple, preppy feel to the ensemble, making it the perfect partner-in-crime for the starkly different, embellished handbag. Not to mention, their shoes come with a non-slip technology to keep you safe on slippery surfaces -- read more about it by visiting their page. These all black loafers are pretty much perfect for any occasion, be it work or play.

So to sum this long rant up, my advice is to take a super casual, otherwise boring, outfit and add a touch of classy accessories and voilà! You've got yourself that classy but carefree look!