Real stories · Put together without trying

The polka dot blouse that does the thinking for me — tie the bow, and you're dressed

Something I could put on for coffee with the girls that said 'made an effort' without me actually having to make one — that's the gap in my wardrobe I'd been staring at for years. I'm 67, and my rail had split into two camps: t-shirts that are comfortable but look like I'm about to do the gardening, and 'good tops' that need ironing, the right bra, and a lie-down afterwards. Nothing in the middle. The number of times I stood there muttering 'I have nothing to wear' at a full wardrobe was becoming embarrassing.

What I wanted was one blouse that did the thinking for me: comfortable as a t-shirt, dressed-up on its own, no ironing board involved.

Then I found the Amoret from a British label called York Boutique — a polka dot blouse with a tie neck, and I chose the pink, which is a kinder colour next to a 67-year-old face than most.

The bow is the whole trick. You tie it at the V of the neckline and the outfit is instantly finished — it does the job a necklace usually does, without me hunting for one. The polka dots read as cheerful and classic rather than loud, the sleeves come to just below the elbow, which is precisely where women my age want them, and the fabric is a soft breathable blend with a relaxed cut that skims rather than clings. It comes out of the wash, goes on a hanger, and is wearable by morning without meeting the iron.

The bow at the neck does all the work — it reads as 'made an effort' even over jeans. Sleeves to the elbow, a soft fabric that skims rather than clings, and not an iron in sight.

I wore it to coffee with the girls the first week and got the highest compliment our table awards: 'You look nice — where's that from?' Since then it's done a birthday lunch, two church mornings and a parents' evening for my granddaughter, and it hasn't looked tired once.

It was £24.95 in the summer sale, half the usual £50. I'd checked before ordering that I could send it back if the fit or colour was wrong — you can, within a fortnight, and the delivery's free — so there was nothing lost by trying. It comes in eight colours and in sizes UK 8/10 to 18/20.

If your wardrobe has also split into 'gardening' and 'needs a lie-down', do treat yourself to a look. The Amoret is rated 4.6 out of 5 by more than 220 women, it's £24.95 in the summer sale instead of £50 — half price — and the middle sizes always seem to go first.