I don’t know about you, but as I age I increasingly want comfort in all things. Maybe it’s a feature of not having had many cuddles over the last eighteen months, or the cold weather we’re experiencing in the Northern hemisphere, or because I’ve realised that you don’t have to be uncomfortable to look and live stylishly. Whatever it is, I want comfort and I think my recent purchases reflect that.  So here are five comfort-inducing items I have bought in the last couple of months which have, to coin a phrase, sparked joy without compromising on style.

1. A soft, warm duvet cover and pillows.

I had really struggled to find a soft yet stylish duvet cover which Him Indoors could love as much as I do! Last year, I bought the set below from the French Bedroom Company.

I love it but he doesn’t – or rather, he loves its softness, but its look, not so much. For those of you who live in North London, he said it reminded him of the clothes displayed in Blustons, the rather old and tired clothes shop in Kentish Town, which closed a few years ago. I tried to argue it was Art Deco, but he wasn’t having it. Anyway, happily I found this gorgeously simple and extremely soft set from Beddable. I almost bought the green as it looked so luxurious but the colour wouldn’t have been right for our bedroom colour scheme, so I went with the navy. It’s 100% cotton and is on sale at the moment for £87.20, down from £109.00.

2. A nightie that covers my bottom half.

I love pyjamas, I really do, but not for sleeping. When the temperature dips below 1 degree centigrade, and I’m in bed, I want my body covered in a soft, breathable fabric, my legs able to move without encumbrance, so that I can sleep even if Him Indoors steals the duvet cover. After much trawling through th’internet, I finally found a nightie that fits the bill. Step forward Soft Touch Star Midi Nightdress, made by Oysho, part of the huge empire Inditex which owns Zara. They specialise in warm clothing for outdoor pursuits as well as bralettes (and if you want to know what a bralette is, and why you should consider one, check out my blog post on that very topic). £29.99

3. An oversized cashmere jumper – not in black!

Desperate to find a jumper that wasn’t black or beige, I’m delighted to announce I was able to find this beautifully soft cashmere sweater in – well, they call it purple, I call it lilac – they being Arket. I am a huge convert to Arket – they are part of the H&M stable – and they are all about pared down, simple designs without much embellishment, including oversized top halves and pared down bottoms, so to speak. They also have a fab little cafe in their store opposite Liberty’s, should you find yourself in town and in need of refreshment.  They do try try be sustainable and this jumper is made from a blend of recycled cashmere and RWS certified wool. £135.

4. Bamboo boot socks.

I love cashmere in all things, particularly socks, as they keep your feet toasty, which is very important to me, as my extremities feel the cold so badly that my husband says I have Reynauds’ disease – I don’t – but I tell him that if you want to keep Dez happy, keep her warm! So, black cashmere socks – could I find any, could I b…..y!  The only pair I did have became holey very quickly, and not wanting to spend over £30 on a new pair, I hunted around and finally found the good old Sock Shop selling Bamboo socks for the incredibly reasonable price of just under eight quid for three pairs. So, not entirely sure how warm or soft they’d be, but reckoning that the price was worth a punt, I punted, and I’m delighted to say they are soft, warm and hold their shape and warmth after washing – result! £7.99 for 3 pairs

5. Cashmere scarf and gloves.

You know I love Uniqlo, and this scarf, which they call a stole, and these gloves are just the business!  I bought these in-store when I was shopping in town recently. Just to mention – their self checkout is amazing – you just pop your items in a well next to the card machine and it scans all your items automatically – genius! Anyway, impulse purchase but extremely pleased with both gloves and scarf, although they call it a stole.  Warm, soft, comfortable, I have even been known to wear the scarf for Zoom calls. £39.99 for the stole and £24.90 for the gloves.

Winter may be coming, but  I’m ready!