Real stories · The jumper that replaced my scarf

Thirty winters of scarf-fiddling — then I bought a jumper with a zip where the fuss used to be

A jumper with its own scarf built in — that's what Sandra called it when she saw the collar, and honestly there's no better description. I'm 67, and I have spent thirty-odd winters fiddling: scarves that slip, scarves that dangle in the washing up, scarves abandoned in cafés across York. And still, somehow, a cold draught down the neck on every walk.

What I wanted was the warmth of a scarf without having to manage one.

Then I found the Averiellethia from a British label called York Boutique — a soft grey jumper with thin rainbow stripes across the front and, the clever bit, a zip-up stand collar. I chose the grey; there's navy, white, red, khaki and green as well.

The collar is the whole idea. Cold morning: zip it up and the neck is sealed, snug as a scarf that cannot slip — which is why the draught down the collar has simply stopped happening. Warm café: zip it down and you're comfortable instead of roasting. And the jumper around it earns its keep too — a soft, breathable knit that's warm without being heavy, a relaxed fit that's kind about lunch, and those stripes: the grey keeps it sensible, the rainbow keeps it cheerful.

Zip up on the cold walk to the shops, zip down in the warm café — the collar does what thirty years of scarves never quite managed, and the stripes cheer up everyone I pass.

It was £34.95, half the usual £70, and with a fortnight to send it back and free delivery there was really nothing to argue about. Even for me.

It has since done a week of school-run mornings and blowy walks with Winnie along the river, zip up, zip down, not one scarf consulted. At Thursday's coffee morning two women asked where it was from, and my granddaughter says I look 'like a rainbow' — which at 67 I am choosing to take as the highest compliment available.

If you also own a drawer of scarves you're vaguely at war with, do have a look. The Averiellethia is rated 4.6 out of 5 by more than 240 women, it comes in six colours, in UK sizes 8/10 to 36/38 — and at half price the grey goes first.