You know how you’re certain you hate a specific piece of clothing the minute you lay your eyes on it, but then find yourself surprisingly adoring it? This exact thing happened to me with ponchos.

Somehow I always considered they’d make me look like a sack of potatoes, not flattering my figure in the way I want clothing to do so I’ve been avoiding them since I can remember.

That is, until a recent visit to my parents’ when a wine spill all over my dress forced me to change into anything that I was able to get a hold of first. That’s how I ended up borrowing one of my mum’s ladies ponchos.

The free flowing, the instant comfort won me over right away, and a quick look at the mirror proved how wrong I was all this time in avoiding them. The textured fabric, the smooth design, the colour immediately gave me ideas of how it can be styled.

You might as well guess the next thing that happened was me going on a shopping spree for ladies ponchos and no, I didn’t get to keep my mum’s. I’ve come to learn this is the piece of clothing ideal for women of all ages so the purchase was worth every penny.

Though I’m working out as often as I can, eating a well-balanced diet (guilty pleasures every now and then), trying to keep my weight under control and maintain my physique, truth be told, after having two kids my body’s changed and a bit of layering sometimes is exactly what I need, so a poncho isn’t just meant for the colder days of the year.

Perfect as an outer layer as well as a base, a poncho happens to be quite the versatile piece a woman ought to have in her closet. Since they’re available in many styles, patterns, fabrics, lengths and colours, I couldn’t resist getting more than one so my latest temptation is wearing a poncho with every outfit on every occasion.

So far I’ve worn them with a relaxed look, more specifically athleisure pairing them with slouch pants or leggings plus sneakers, on the more elegant side in a combination with culottes, skirts and stilettos, and chic relying on jeans and boots.

The western flair made me want to include more western pieces, such as cowboy boots, hats, and even bolo ties along with the rest of my accessories, such as necklaces, brooches and belts.

If you get a poncho, prepare to get hooked.