Real stories · The jacket with the kindest sleeves I own

The chic little jacket whose sleeves cover the one thing I always want covered — and the belt gives me a waist while it's at it

A smart little jacket whose sleeves didn't cling to the tops of my arms — that, honestly, was the entire brief. I'm 67, and the tops of my arms and I have an understanding: they come along everywhere, and I'd rather they weren't the main event. Most smart jackets are cut narrow through the sleeve, which means they grip precisely where I'd like a little diplomacy, and cardigans are kinder but do absolutely nothing for a waistline.

What I wanted was one jacket that was generous where I wanted generosity and shaped where I wanted shape.

Then I found the Selviora from a British label called York Boutique — a chic jacket with butterfly sleeves and a waist belt, and I chose the soft apricot, which is a kind colour next to a 67-year-old face.

The design does two clever things at once. The wide butterfly sleeves float over the arms rather than clinging — they cover the exact stretch of upper arm most of us keep tugging other sleeves down over, and because they're cut wide they move beautifully instead of straining. Then the slim belt pulls everything in at the waist, so the silhouette is shaped rather than shapeless — that's the bit a cardigan never manages. The high little collar frames the neck nicely, it's light enough for this in-between weather, and the soft breathable fabric means I keep it on indoors instead of draping it over a chair.

The wide butterfly sleeves float over the tops of my arms instead of clinging to them, and the little belt pulls the whole thing in at the waist. Elegant from the front, kind from every angle.

First outing was a lunch for my friend Barbara's birthday. Two compliments before the starters, one of them from Barbara herself, who does not give them away. Since then it's done a theatre evening and several coffee mornings, over black trousers every time, and it makes the same trousers look entirely different.

Now — it's £39.95, and I'll be honest, I hovered a day at that price. What settled it: it's down from £90 in the sale, it does the job of the smart jacket AND the kind cardigan, and I'd checked I could send it back within a fortnight with free delivery if it disappointed. It didn't. It comes in four colours and in sizes UK 8/10 to 16/18.

If your sleeves also grip precisely where you'd like a little diplomacy, do treat yourself to a look. The Selviora is rated 4.6 out of 5 by more than 180 women, it's £39.95 in the sale instead of £90, and the middle sizes always seem to go first.