Brown is often overlooked, but shoes, bags and belts in the earthy colour can be a great way to finish off an outfit. As a nod to Summer, stick to browns that are a little lighter, like tan, taupe, chestnut and cognac. 

This particular smart casual ensemble matches a pair of Summer jeans — rolled at the cuff or cropped — with a dressier top and brown accents. Choose any colour palette and feel free to throw in some pattern. The example on the left is light, soft and pretty, while the example on the right is moodier with a harder edge. 

Here are the components: 

Jeans: Choose white, black, blue or grey skinnies, or straight leg jeans. Roll them at the ankle so that they look Summery. Or wear boyfriend jeans, or cropped jeans. If you want to look especially vibrant for Summer, jeans in a colour are another way to go.

Top: Choose a top that is dressier than a tee or slubby piece of knitwear. Think silk blouses, boxy shirts and draped styles in fluid fits. Any style at all really. I’ve chosen a few silk blouses, a tuxedo shirt, and a draped style. Partially or fully tuck the top to showcase the brown belt. 

Footwear: Choose brown sandals or pumps with ankle straps. That way you’ll give cropped or rolled jeans some structure. A brown peep-toe bootie is another way to go. 

Accessories: Add a belt in a shade of brown. Your outfit will probably feel more pulled together if you keep the browns of your belt and footwear a similar shade, but it’s not essential to do so. Skinny and broad belts are both fab. Studded belts work well too. Throw in a bag of your choice in any shade of brown. Alternatively, a cheetah shoe, bag or belt which incorporates the same shades of browns works well. Add jewellery, eyewear and watch as desired. 

This is the type of outfit that will take you just about anywhere these days. I bet you’ll be able to shop your closet for most of these items already.