ARLENE | Gold scrollwork on indigo

I wore it with one ring and nothing else and I did not feel underdressed once.

Evening dressing gets harder, not easier. The rule used to be that you put on something plain and then added jewelry to lift it, and now the necklaces sit in the box because they catch, or they are heavy, or the clasp has become a five minute job with the bathroom mirror. Which leaves you plain at a table where everyone else has made an effort.

Arlene arrives already finished. The gold scrollwork runs across a deep mottled indigo in the manner of old brocade wallpaper, and because it is printed on a light matte weave rather than a shiny one, the gold catches the light without going metallic. The cut is loose through the shoulder and falls straight to the hem, so the ornament stays unbroken down the body. Point collar, tonal buttons, two hip pockets.

Why women our age keep coming back to it

• It does the work jewelry used to do. The gold ornament finishes the neckline on its own, so there is no clasp to fight with before you leave.
• Matte, not metallic. The weave keeps the gold warm rather than shiny, which is the difference between evening and a costume.
• Straight from shoulder to hem. No shaping to interrupt the scrollwork, so the pattern reads as one piece under low light.
• Black underneath is all it needs. The indigo sits over black without any adjustment, so the rest of the outfit is already in your closet.

Buy more, save more

• Buy 2 and save 10 percent
• Buy 3 and save 15 percent
• Buy 4 and save 20 percent

The discount is applied automatically at checkout.

How it fits

Arlene runs on the small side, so size up rather than ordering straight. It comes in 8 through 22, and these are UK sizes, not US ones, so go by the measurements rather than the number you usually buy. The chart gives bust, waist and hips as body measurements in inches, so measure over a light top with the tape level. Between two sizes, or layering underneath, take the larger one.

30 days to change your mind

Send it back within 30 days for a full refund. There is no restocking fee and no questions about why.

A few recent reviews

Wore it to a fortieth wedding anniversary and two women asked me where it came from.
Ellamae T., Sedona

The gold does not look cheap, which was my only worry ordering online.
Rosetta V., 68

My hands do not manage necklaces anymore. This solved that problem entirely.
Lavonne H., Sun City