Real stories · The dress that ended the standoff

I argued with my wardrobe every morning for years — this dress ended it

One dress, on in ten seconds, and the morning argument with my wardrobe is over — that's what this turned out to be. I'm 67, and every morning for years my wardrobe and I have held the same negotiation: the trousers that need the right top, the top that needs the right cardigan, the whole committee meeting before breakfast. Some mornings the wardrobe won and I stayed in yesterday's jumper.

What I wanted was one dress with all the decisions already made.

Then I found the Marisandra from a British label called York Boutique — a midi dress in the deepest green with a soft high rolled collar, long sleeves and proper side pockets. I chose the green; there's purple, red, blue and black as well.

The trick is that it's one decision instead of five. The high collar means no scarf-deliberations, the long sleeves and midi length mean no cardigan committee, and the soft, breathable feel means it simply goes on and stays comfortable — which is why I'm dressed, properly dressed, before the kettle's even boiled. The relaxed cut skims rather than clings, and the pockets take my glasses and a tissue.

A soft, deep green dress with a high rolled collar — on in ten seconds, warm all day, and it looks decided rather than settled for — which is why the morning standoff is over.

It was £34.95, half the usual £70 — about what the three 'nearly right' tops in my wardrobe cost, combined, none of which go with anything. I'll admit I checked I could send it back if it didn't suit — a fortnight, and the delivery's free — which settled it.

It has since done a library run, two coffee mornings and one lunch in town, each time straight off the hanger with no negotiation whatsoever, and at the lunch Sandra narrowed her eyes and said 'you've been looking very pulled-together lately'. I have. It takes ten seconds.

If your mornings also start with a committee meeting, do have a look. The Marisandra is rated 4.6 out of 5 by more than 220 women, it comes in five colours, in UK sizes 8/10 to 18/20 — and at half price the green goes first.