A Letter From a Reader

THE ONE SWEATER I REACH FOR WHEN I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT I'M WEARING.

Linda: I'd seen Brooks & Bennett on my feed for weeks before I finally ordered. I almost didn't. I'd bought enough sweaters that itched, or hung on me like a sack, or pilled after two washes. This one has been on me four days out of seven since it arrived.

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by mary ellison · mount pleasant, south carolina

Posted July 2026 · 6 min read
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Photographed at home..

I'm 68. I kept seeing Brooks & Bennett and kept scrolling past.

Not because I didn't like what I saw. Because I've been disappointed before, and at a certain point you stop believing the photographs.

 

Every sweater I'd bought in the last few years fell into one of two piles. The soft ones lost their shape by February. The ones that held their shape scratched at my neck all day until I gave up and took them off in the car.

 

So I did what I imagine a lot of you are doing right now. I read the comments. I looked at the reviews. I put it in the cart and left it there for eleven days.

 

Then my sister ordered one. She wore it to lunch and I asked her twice where it was from before she reminded me I already knew.

I'm going to tell you exactly what's different about it, because it took me eleven days to work it out and it shouldn't take you that long.

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A CUT THAT SKIMS, NEVER CLINGS

It's cut with a gentle ease through the body, close enough at the shoulder to look intentional, relaxed enough through the middle that it never grips. It skims. It moves when you move.

 

That sounds like a small thing. It is the entire difference between a sweater you wear and a sweater you fold back up.

''Its so comfortable I didn't have to adjust it all day''

Diane M., Greenville SC
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SOFT ENOUGH TO WEAR AGAINST BARE SKIN

No scratch at the neck. No itch at the wrist. You can put it on over a camisole, or over nothing at all, and forget about it.

 

I have worn it for seven hours straight without once pulling at the collar. If you've spent a winter adjusting a sweater every ten minutes, you'll understand why that's the first thing I noticed.

''It's soft and doesn't itch my skin at all''

Linda K., Beaufort SC
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WARM WITHOUT THE BULK

This is the one that surprised me.

 

It's warm enough for a cool morning and a restaurant with the air conditioning running too high, but it's thin enough to go under a coat without your arms bunching up inside the sleeves.

 

Most warm sweaters make you look wider than you are. This one doesn't add a size to you.

“Warm without feeling heavy or bulky. I can wear it under my coat comfortably, then keep it on when I’m indoors.”

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 a cardigan over them.

“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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IT COMES OUT OF THE WASH LOOKING THE SAME

Mine has been washed four times now. No pilling across the front. No sagging at the cuffs. No stretched-out neckline.

 

I follow the care label, cool wash and dry flat, and it has come back the same shape every time. That is not something I can say about the last three sweaters I bought.

“I’ve washed mine several times and it still looks lovely. The shape has held up beautifully and the knit still looks smooth.”

Patricia L., Columbia SC
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50 COLORS, AND NOT ONE OF THEM IS DULL

There's a difference between quiet and drab, and most brands our age get sold don't seem to know it.

 

These are warm, wearable colors that sit well against grey hair and older skin. The kind of shades where someone says "that color suits you" instead of "that's a nice sweater."

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

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

Typical fall sweater

The Willow Knit

Shape

Boxy, or clings through the middle

Skims the body, relaxed through the waist

Fabric

Itches at the neck and wrists

Soft enough for bare skin

Pockets

Warm but bulky, won't go under a coat

Warm, and thin enough to layer

Arms

Ride up to the elbow

Full length, stay at the wrist

Print

Pills and loses shape by February

Holds its shape wash after wash

Typical summer dress

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 Meadow Charm

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 Willow Knit at $185,00 when it launched, and it sold at that price all season.

 

Brooks & Bennett Newport is currently holding its Summer Clearance Sale, with savings of up to 80% off storewide.

 

That means the Willow Knit is now available at its clearance price—but only while remaining stock lasts. Once these seasonal styles are gone, they’re gone.

 

Right now it's $54,95.

The Meadow Charm Dress

4.7 / 5 from 1200+ reviews

$185.95

$54.95

Soft against bare skin, no itch at the neck or wrists

Skims the body instead of clinging

Warm enough for outdoors, light enough for a coat over it

Full-length sleeves that stay at the wrist

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

See if your size is still in stock →

The Willow Knit  · $54.95 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 and a lot of money on sweaters that ended up folded at the back of a shelf.

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

If you've been circling it the way I was, I hope this saves you the eleven days.

— Mary Ellison · Mount Pleasant, SC

See the Meadow Charm — $54.95 →

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

See the Meadow Charm — $54.95 while sizes last