A Letter From a Reader

THE COLORFUL SWEATER I ALMOST DIDN'T ORDER, AND NOW CAN'T STOP WEARING.

I'd seen this sweater for weeks before I ordered. I loved the colors, but wasn't sure they were for me. At 68, my closet had become mostly grey and navy. Now it's the sweater I reach for most.

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by linda parker· mount pleasant, south carolina

Posted August 2026 · 6 min read
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Photographed outside..

I am 68 years old, and somewhere along the way I stopped wearing much color. Grey, navy, beige. Safe, sensible, easy. I suppose I started thinking brighter things belonged to younger women, and slowly my closet became quieter.

 

But on a grey, cold morning, another plain sweater does very little to lift the day. What I secretly wanted was something warm and cozy with a bit of joy in it, something with character, without looking like I was trying too hard. The colorful things felt too young; the cozy things were dull. Nothing seemed to be both.

 

Then my sister turned up to lunch in the most wonderful hooded sweater, a patchwork of color, cozy and cheerful, and I couldn't stop looking at it. She laughed when I asked where she'd found it and told me it was from Brooks & Bennett Newport.

 

The sweater is called the Patricia, and what surprised me was how practical it was underneath all that color. The easy fit, the full-length sleeves, the cozy hood, all the little things I actually care about now. I'm going to walk you through them, because they were exactly what finally convinced me.

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A one-of-a-kind patchwork print

We wanted something with real joy in it — so we made the Amanda in a vibrant patchwork print, a boho sunburst of yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, blue and green that looks like a piece of art. It is bold and cheerful without being garish, the kind of thing that lifts a grey day and has people asking, every time, where on earth you found it.

''I haven't felt this confident in years''

Diane M., Greenville SC
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A HOOD THAT EARNS ITS KEEP

This is the one that surprised me.

 

It's roomy enough to pull up when the wind gets chilly, but light enough to sit comfortably behind you when you don't need it.

 

The wind always finds my neck first. Now I don't have to remember a scarf.

“I love having the hood there when the wind picks up. It's comfortable without feeling heavy or bulky.”

Janet S., Bluffton SC
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SLEEVES THAT ACTUALLY COVER THE ARMS

Full-length sleeves that reach the wrist and stay there. Not three-quarter. Not the kind that ride up to your elbow every time you reach for something.

 

I know exactly why that matters and so do you. It's the reason half the sweaters in my closet only ever get worn with something underneath.

“I love the sleeve length. They actually come down to my wrists and give me the coverage I want without looking oversized.”

Carol R., Charleston SC
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COLOR THAT DOESN'T ASK YOU TO DISAPPEAR

My closet had quietly become grey, navy and cream. Safe colors. Sensible colors. Nothing anyone would ever really notice.

 

Then I wore this to lunch and a friend said, “That color really suits you.” She didn't say the sweater looked good. She said I did.

“The colors are even prettier in person. I wore mine to lunch and two friends asked me where I got it.”

Patricia L., Columbia SC
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THE KIND OF SWEATER YOU ACTUALLY REACH FOR

There's a difference between a sweater you admire and one you actually wear.

 

This one works with jeans, errands, coffee and ordinary afternoons. Comfortable enough that I forget about it, colorful enough that I still feel put-together.

“I've worn mine constantly since it arrived. It makes jeans feel like an outfit without having to think about it.”

Maureen T., Summerville SC
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THE PATRICIA SWEATER, AGAINST THE SWEATERS YOU'VE BEEN BUYING

Typical fall sweater

The Patricia Sweater

The look

Plain grey, navy, forgettable

A joyful one-of-a-kind patchwork

Your neck

Draughty, needs a scarf

A cozy hood, chill off your neck

The feel

Stiff or scratchy

Soft, warm and cozy

The fit

Tight or boxy

Relaxed, oversized, skims

Print

Runs small

True fit, XS–5XL

THE USUAL WINTER TOP

Clings, or hangs like a sack

Hot, stiff fabric

No pockets, or too shallow

Bare arms, or a hot cardigan

Loud or cheap-looking print

THE PATRICIA 

Skims with a soft A-line

Soft, lightweight, breathes

Deep, hidden side pockets

Sleeves that cover, and breathe

A cheerful wildflower, noticed for good reasons

Why they're clearing it now

They priced The Patricia at $250.00 when it launched, and it sold at that price all season. But for the Brooks & Bennett Newport Clearance Sale, we wanted to give something back to the women who have supported us since 2001, so the remaining Patricia sweaters are now going out at a fraction of that.

 

I ordered mine that evening. It arrived a few days later, neatly folded and ready to wear. It has been the first thing I reach for on every cold, grey morning since.

THE Patricia HoodED SWEATER

4.7 / 5 from 1200+ reviews

$250.00

$59.95

A vibrant one-of-a-kind patchwork print

A cozy hood with a drawstring to keep the chill off

Soft, warm and cozy — long sleeves that cover the arms

A relaxed, oversized fit that skims 

Sizes XS–5XL · Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee

See if your size is still in stock →

Patricia | Wildflower Quilted Hoodie · $59.95 while sizes last

Our Clearance Sale ends tonight.

Buy 2 get 10%, buy 3 get 15%, buy 4 get an extra 20% off. When it's gone, it's gone.

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Since 2001

Family-owned in Newport

I don't usually write things like this. But I've spent a lot of years choosing sweaters that were comfortable, sensible and safe.

This one is on the chair by my bed, because it's the one I reach for.

— Linda Parker · South Carolina

See the PATRICIA — $59.95 →

This is a personal account from a Brooks & Bennett Newport customer. Linda was not paid to write it. · Brooks & Bennett Newport · Timeless Women’s Fashion · Free Shipping · 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee.

See the PATRICIA — $59.95 while sizes last