Bright, colourful, patterned? tops to jazz up a very boring black suit?

[roisin]

I work in a secondary school where dress code is mixed, but I've decided I want to go smarter and join the 'suited' brigade.

I've bought a lovely black linen suit from Next this morning. The skirt is very long (because of my horrible legs/ankles), so there is a lot of black. (I've looked but can't find a piccie online.)

I will probably spend about 50% of time without jacket on, so simple "posh T-shirts" won't really do; but they do have to be short to go with the jacket as well.

I couldn't find anything suitable in Next today.

I was wondering if I had the courage to carry off something really bright and bold. Any suggestions?

Oh btw I am size 14, flabby, big belly, but pretty flat-chested.

don't do it

'bright and bold' with black generally looks shocking.
if you want patterned try monochrome B&W
otherwise you need dark, lush, rich colours that won't make the black look drab or end up looking cheap themselves.
Purple? Rich green?

I can't picure the shape of the suit at all I'm afraid, but on general principles would strongly counsel the next one being a) trousers and b) not black.

Why trousers?

would have thought more practical for hiding 'horrible legs/ankles' whilst not getting swathed in too much of one colour...

but I have been known to be wrong

Too late now anyway for trousers
I'll keep looking for tops though.

I used to be very much against black and colour (trinny and susannah's influence!) but since my colour consultation have been using a lot of black with fuchsia and plum and aubergine and think it looks great. Black and white is still an old time favourite but doesn't suit everyone.

I wonder if this sort of thing would work - knitted top - they have it in turquoise as well. You may not find it short enough (although I find nowadays that having your top longer than your jacket/cardy is perfectly OK).

Or this sort of thing oasis top - comes in black, white and green. they also did little short-sleeved cardies but they seem to have disappeared from the website.

oh yes, grey excelletn with black

I think most colours look a bit rubbish with black, stick to whites, greys etc
However I do think a really deep cerise pink is nice.

Oh, if Trinny and Susannah disapprove of black with colours, then I'm definitely getting some.
I find them and their 'rules' extremely irritating.

Seriously though, I've seen people in black + colour, who look fab.

A white shirt with a black suit is fine for an office or a bank or something, but far too formal for my school. I'd look like I'd come for an interview or something. I definitely need tops that will lighten up the suit.

Incidentally there was a lovely x-student working in Next and I asked her advice about the suit; and she agreed that it was a fab suit, but would definitely need a bright top to be appropriate for our school.