Bazaar: Good thing

Velvet shirt, pounds 40

If last year's pounds 80-plus price tags on simple casual-but-smart velvet shirts meant that you went without, mope no more - your days sans velvet are now over. Delicious, floppy velvet shirts in a wide range of fashionable colours are currently filling the racks at M&S. Of course it's a shame it has taken them a year to get their act together, but the price - a mere pounds 40 - and the colours - orange, chocolate, ruby, purple - more than make up for their tardiness on the fashion-front.

Marks & Spencer, call 0171-935 4422