Blue dress turns out to be just the colour for himself

Fiona has been shopping online although her other half’s name is always on the delivery note, which leads to some confusion

T he chief comes into the kitchen. He is holding a long blue garment up against his body and he is looking rather pleased with himself.

“How strange,” he says. “Someone has sent me this dress.” And it is very odd. Because, although it is my account, for some reason his name is always on the delivery note.

I have been trying to work out why. At some stage I must have ordered something – and had it sent to him. And I am not computer clever enough to be able to change the details.

So, all these things that arrive and are meant for me are opened first by him.

It has become something of a joke at Armstrong Macgregor Towers.

Already this summer my husband has received two girlie parcels. One containing a pair of pink sandals, another a rather fetching floral hat. Because that is what we did in lockdown. Instead of going to the shops we went online and bought our goods.

At least this time it is not so much of a shock, because blue is more his colour.

“Do you think it suits?” he asks cheekily as he models the dress next to his jeans.

And garments are very much on the agenda this week because, after six months, I am back to work – and filming a couple who have started a vintage clothing business.

Rose’s Wardrobe makes outfits copying fashion from the 1940s through to 1960s.

Swing dresses, high-waisted A-line skirts, cotton ruffle blouses: they are producing items that our grannies and great-grannies used to wear.

And the venture seems to be going great guns, as folk hark back to supposedly rosier days.

I ask what the appeal is of a wardrobe from yesteryear.

“Times were often hard back then, although women still made a big effort with their clothes and makeup.

“Perhaps it was to boost spirits. Whatever, they were made to last and they were looked after...”

Unlike today’s throwaway society, I can hear you saying. Well, my new dress is one of the very few items of clothing I have bought recently. It arrived within a few days of the order and was brought to the house by a rather chatty van man.

We got talking, two metres apart, and I remarked that deliveries must be booming as folk order off the internet.

At least this time it’s not so much of a shock because blue is more his colour

He replied that they were rushed off their feet and that the extra business was allowing him to get to know the various routes.

Which was useful, as he had just joined the company, having had to take the job when his own small digital firm looked like failing.

He told me he is putting the blame on the coronavirus.

He then added that nearly 20 years ago he lost his first business during the foot and mouth epidemic.

Dresses aside, we have to hold on to our hats. And we have to keep hoping that things begin to improve.