A letter from a reader

At 62, I had jumpers for home and blouses for going out, and nothing in between

I have never written to a shop before, and I did not expect my first letter to be about a jumper.

My wardrobe has always been split down the middle. On one side, my jumpers: soft, warm, lovely for the house, and every one of them looks like I am about to clean the oven. On the other side, my blouses: smart enough for lunch out, but they need ironing, they are no good once the weather turns, and by the time I have put a cardigan over the top I look like I am off to a job interview. Every autumn invitation meant standing in front of that wardrobe, choosing between comfortable and presentable.

I wanted something as easy as a jumper that looked as smart as a blouse.

So I put up with it, and shivered in a blouse whenever I wanted to look nice.

Then I saw it on a friend at a birthday lunch

Margaret arrived in a red knitted jumper with a proper little polo collar and three white buttons at the neck, worn with cream trousers, and she looked so put together I asked if it was new. It was soft as anything when I touched the sleeve, a jumper through and through, but that collar made it look like she had made a real effort. She told me it was the Varelle, from Nottingham Boutique, a little boutique that has been quietly dressing women our age for a few years now. I ordered mine that evening.

What happened at Sunday lunch

I wore it to Jean's for Sunday lunch with my cream trousers, top button open, and I was warm and comfortable all afternoon. Three different women asked me about it, one of them while we were clearing the plates, and my friend Sue told me I looked like I had made an effort, which I have decided to take as a compliment. Nobody would have guessed I felt as cosy as I do on the sofa.

It is a small thing, one jumper that does both jobs. I had forgotten how easy getting dressed can be.

Three things I have learned since

One. A collar changes everything. The neat polo collar frames the face and makes a soft jumper look properly smart, smart enough for lunch out, with white jeans or good trousers.

Two. You choose the neckline. There are three buttons at the neck. Do them up on a chilly day, or leave the top one or two open for a softer look.

Three. It skims, it does not cling. It is a soft, jumper-weight knit with dropped shoulders and a relaxed shape, ribbed at the cuffs and hem, and it sits at the hip. Comfortable all day.

About the price

I had assumed anything this smart would cost a fortune.

The Varelle is £32.95. It was £66.

There is no catch. They have their autumn sale on and delivery is free. Mine is the red, and it also comes in green, cream, light blue and navy, from a UK 8 right up to a UK 20.

I did go and read the reviews before I ordered. Just over three hundred of them, sitting at 4.2 stars. Not the suspiciously perfect five you see on some sites, which if I am honest made me trust it more. One woman had written, "Comfy enough for the sofa, smart enough for lunch. I have bought it in three colours." That was the one that decided it for me.

What I would tell you if we were friends

If you came round and we sat out on the porch with a cup of tea, this is what I would tell you.

Stop choosing between comfortable and presentable. Find the jumper with a collar, and you will reach for it every time somebody asks you out.

It does not look like it was made for somebody half my age, and it does not look like I have given up either.

Caroline