Real stories · The set that counts as three outfits

I bought one set and somehow came home with three outfits — and there are pockets

One set, three outfits, and pockets — that's the arithmetic that got me. I'm 67, and my wardrobe is full of perfectly nice things that only work with one other perfectly nice thing, which is somehow always in the wash. Whole shelves of clothes; strangely few outfits.

What I wanted was something where the maths ran the other way for once.

Then I found the Velmora from a British label called York Boutique — a two-piece in deep red: a soft knitted jumper with a pretty gathered twist at the front, and a matching long flowing dress underneath. I chose the red; there's a khaki-coffee and a black as well.

The trick is that the pieces were designed together, so every combination looks intended. Worn as a set it reads as one considered outfit — which is why it's become my default for anything that needs 'smart' — the jumper alone is lovely over trousers, and the dress alone works under a long coat. Three outfits, one hanger. The knit is soft with a comfortable amount of stretch, the dress swishes rather than clings, and there are pockets in it, which at my age is simply romance.

Worn together it's a whole considered outfit; the jumper alone works over trousers; the dress alone works under a coat — three outfits from one hanger, with pockets for the keys.

I'll be honest: I hovered at £49.95 — until I divided it by three outfits and half the usual £100, at which point the hovering felt theatrical. A fortnight to send it back, free delivery. Done.

It has since done a birthday tea as the full set, a Tuesday as just-the-jumper and a coffee morning as dress-under-coat, and nobody has noticed it's the same purchase — except Sandra, who notices everything, and called it 'quietly clever'. High praise from that quarter.

If your wardrobe is also full of clothes but short of outfits, do have a look. The Velmora is rated 4.6 out of 5 by more than 170 women, it comes in red, khaki-coffee and black in one easy size with plenty of give — and at half price the red goes first.