A letter from Clara
The Cardigan I Never Buttoned
Hi, it's Clara.
For most of my life, I never buttoned a cardigan. I told people I liked the look of it open. The truth was simpler. The buttons pulled across my chest, little gaps showed the shirt underneath, and by lunchtime the sleeves were squeezing my arms.
I wear a 2XL. Twenty-five years ago, a pretty cardigan in my size meant one of two things. Either it stopped at XL, or it hung on the plus rack in beige, cut like a box, and cost more than the same cardigan two sizes down.
That's why June and I opened our boutique in 2001. We wanted the pretty things, in our sizes, at the same price as everyone else. We still choose every piece with women like us in mind.
This fall there's one cardigan I keep pointing women to. It's called Gillian. Here are six reasons June and I chose it, and why it's the cardigan I wish I'd had all those years.
1. Open in the morning, buttoned by afternoon
Gillian has round buttons all the way down the front. Wear it open over a long tee on a mild morning. When the wind picks up later, button it up and you're warm. For years the buttons were the part I avoided. Here they're the reason one cardigan works from breakfast to the walk home.
“I love that I can wear it open in the morning and button it up when it gets chilly. It looks just as nice either way, and I don't have to keep changing layers throughout the day.”
2. Room through the body and the sleeves
This is the one I care about most. Gillian has a relaxed fit, with room through the body and all the way down the sleeves. Reach for the top shelf, carry the groceries in, hug someone hello. A cardigan should never ask you to keep your arms by your sides.
“Finally, a cardigan that doesn't feel tight across my arms or pull around my middle. I can reach, move around the house, and get things done without constantly adjusting my clothes.”
3. A hood, because cozy can still be pretty
So much of what's made in our sizes is plain on purpose, as if we're supposed to blend in. Gillian has a soft hood with long drawstrings. It's a small, casual detail, and it makes the cardigan feel like a choice instead of a compromise. Pull it up on a chilly evening or let it rest at the back of your neck.
“The hood makes this cardigan feel extra cozy without looking bulky. I throw it on for a quick trip to the store or a cool evening on the porch. It's comfortable and still feels put together.”
4. Five colors, and not one of them is an apology
The plus rack I remember was beige, gray and navy, over and over again. Gillian comes in pink, light blue, gray, cream and black. Choose the pink because it makes you smile, or the black because it goes with everything. Either way you're choosing, not settling.
“I chose the pink, and I'm so glad I did. It's nice to find something comfortable that isn't just another plain, shapeless layer. I've already thought of a few outfits to wear it with.”
5. Cuffs and a hem with a neat finish
Wide ribbed cuffs and a ribbed hem give Gillian a clean finish that keeps its shape. Push the sleeves up while you cook and they look tidy, not stretched. It ends at the hip, so it goes just as easily with jeans as with trousers or leggings.
“I push the sleeves up when I'm cooking or doing things around the house, and they sit comfortably without getting in my way. I also love that the ribbed cuffs give it a tidy, finished look.”
6. Every size, one price
Gillian goes from S all the way to 5XL, and every size costs exactly the same. June and I made that rule on day one. A 4XL needs more fabric, sure, but charging you extra for it never sat right with us. The size chart is right on the product page, so you can check your fit before you order.
“It's refreshing to find a boutique that offers extended sizes without charging more for them. I can choose the size that works for me and focus on finding something I actually love wearing.”
What we were offered, and what we chose instead
Most cardigans in our sizes
- Stop at XL, or cost more above it
- Beige, gray and navy on the plus rack
- Snug through the arms by lunchtime
- Cuffs that stretch out after a few wears
- Nobody to ask about your size
Gillian
- S to 5XL, one price for every size
- Five colors, including pink and light blue
- Relaxed through the body and sleeves
- Wide ribbed cuffs and hem that keep their shape
- A size chart on the page, and Clara reads every message
You were never the problem. The clothes were.
Why Gillian is $59.95 right now
This year June and I are celebrating twenty-five years of the boutique. To say thank you, our Anniversary Sale takes up to 70% off, and Gillian is part of it: $59.95 instead of $194.95, in every color and every size.
Want a second color, or one for a friend? The more you add, the more you save. The extra discount comes off automatically at checkout.
- Buy 2, save an extra 10%
- Buy 3, save 15%
- Buy 4 or more, save 20%
Shipping is free across the United States, and every order is covered by our 30 day money back guarantee. If it isn't right, write to me within 30 days of receiving it. The anniversary prices only last as long as the sale.
I spent years wearing my cardigans open, and not because I wanted to. Gillian is the one I wish I'd had back then.
If you're unsure about your size or which color to pick, write to me at info@clarajuneboutique.com and tell me what you usually wear. I read every message myself.
With love,
Clara
About Clara
Clara opened Clara & June Boutique in 2001 with June, after one too many fitting rooms where the pretty things stopped at XL. Clara wears a 2XL and June wears a 3XL, and for twenty-five years they've chosen every piece with women like them in mind. Clara still answers the boutique's messages herself.
The Gillian Hooded Cardigan
- Full button front you can wear open or closed
- Relaxed through the body and sleeves, in sizes S to 5XL
- Free shipping and our 30 day money back guarantee
Stack and save: buy 2 and save an extra 10%, buy more and save up to 20%.
Find your color and size