Help! White top and black skirt outfit needed. Trying to avoid the school uniform look!

[GrammerPedent]

I am not good at clothes shopping! Can anyone help me with this?

For an event next weekend I have to wear a white top and black skirt. I'll be on a stage so I need the white top to be good enough quality to not be see-through.

I'm generally skint so don't treat myself to new clothes very often so for this purchase that I have to make I'd love it if I can find a skirt and top that I'll enjoy wearing and that I'll be able to wear again (maybe mix and matching with other things in my wardrobe) afterwards.

(The skin on my back is very sensitive and can't tolerate polyester. Cotton is best, or viscose.)

Budget for the whole outfit = £60 or thereabouts.

I'm hoping those of you who are more stylish than me will have an idea of what's in the shops at the moment and might be able to point me in the right direction?

Roughly what height and shape are you?

Are you looking for a classic or fashionable look?

I would suggest getting a white vest you can wear under your top. It will give you more versatility.

How about a top like this that can be tucked in for the event but then worn loose/more casually later?

Skirt it depends what suits you, personally I would just go for a neat knee length pencil or a line skirt and opaque tights but do you prefer longer/more floaty skirts? Will you wear heels?

Lovely top RaisingSteam. Might get that myself.

I think the most important thing is the length and shape of the skirt then get a top. Would you wear a midi tube skirt?

This viscose top from French connection is on sale but only available on a 14 or 16.

clicky

Thank you for your responses!

To answer a few questions:

I'm 5ft 4 and generally a size 10 on top but with biggish boobs (30E/F), and size 12 on bottom (and I've got chunky legs).

With my chunky legs I'm more likely to go for an A-line type skirt than anything figure-hugging.

I don't particularly want to look fashionable, just not frumpy. I'm 32 but I would say I dress less fashionably than other people my age. I only tend to buy 2-3 items of clothing a year but I buy decent quality clothes and then wear them for years on end.

I've looked online at Pepperberry which would usually be my first port of call for tops but the white tops all seem quite functional rather than pretty, and they're very pricey for something I don't think I'll enjoy wearing. The only one where I like the style is polyester which I can't wear on my back: www.bravissimo.com/pepperberry/products/tops/shirts-and-blouses/dobby-lace-top/ivory/pt398ivy/

Thanks for the suggestion that I can wear a vest under any top to give me more options. I've already got a cream vest which I assume will look ok under a white top.

I like the Phase Eight top that RaisingSteam linked, so I'll add it to my list to try on when I manage to get to the shops (on Monday).

I'll aim to get the skirt bought first and then I can check that whatever tops I try on can either be tucked in successfully or look ok as they are.

Lucked my behind and thighs wouldn't fit into a midi tube skirt I don't think (as a guide, I have the kind of figure where if I try on skinny jeans I have to try on a 16 to get them over my legs and then they gape massively on my out of proportionally smaller waist). Sigh!

There are some nice white shirts at the shirt company

Thanks for that curtains . Most of them are too pricey for me. I got excited about the Petra shirt which is on sale but they only have a size 14 left