A letter from the founder
Somewhere along the way, a woman is handed a grey sweatshirt and told that is comfort. I never accepted that.
On the six things that made me choose these art-inspired hoodies, how they compare to the sweatshirts you have been buying, and why they are $109.95 during our Revival Sale.
I am Ms. Abbott, and I opened this little boutique in Stowe thirty-seven years ago with one idea: that a woman should not have to choose between comfortable and beautiful.
There is a second thing that happens, though, and nobody names it out loud. Somewhere in her fifties, the only comfortable thing anybody offers a woman is grey.
Not because she stopped liking color. Because everything sold to her as easy came in grey, in black, or in that particular oatmeal that is supposed to be safe. So she took the sensible one. And then the next one. Until one morning she opened the drawer and everything in it had quietly agreed not to be looked at.
I never accepted that a woman had to choose.
These are my answer — more of them than I could sensibly narrow down, because the whole point is that you pick your own. There were six things I would not do without.
Artwork on the front, not a logo
Most hoodies put a company’s name across your chest and call that a design. Every one of these is printed with an original artwork instead — color that runs across the front and over the sleeves, the way a painting does. It is the difference between wearing an advertisement and wearing something somebody actually made.
“The colors are even prettier in person. I’ve already had two women ask me where I got it.”
— Linda M., Decorah, IowaSoft on the inside, where it matters
A thin hoodie is cold and a heavy one is a chore. These are brushed on the inside, so the warmth comes from the surface against your skin rather than from sheer weight. That is what makes one wearable from breakfast until the fire goes out, instead of something you put on and take straight back off.
“So soft on the inside and much warmer than I expected. I had the hardest time choosing a color — they’re all beautiful.”
— Carol M., Galena, IllinoisA relaxed cut that does not swallow you
A hoodie wants to become a box. These are cut with room through the body and a shoulder that still sits where a shoulder should, so you can push the sleeves up and sit down in one without disappearing into it. Relaxed is not the same as shapeless. That distinction is the whole reason I chose these over the racks of everything else.
“The fit is just right — roomy enough for a sweater underneath without looking bulky. I’m usually between sizes and mine fits beautifully.”
— Barbara T., Marietta, OhioMade for the weather that has no name
There is a stretch of the year here in Vermont — six weeks in fall, six more in spring — where a coat is too much and a cardigan is not enough. That gap is where most wardrobes have nothing at all. These were chosen for exactly that: warm enough at seven in the morning, and not so warm that you have to take it off the moment you come indoors.
“Perfect for those in-between days when it’s cold in the morning and warmer by afternoon. I wear mine constantly.”
— Diane W., Franklin, Tennessee“Every time I wear it, someone asks me where I found it. The colors are cheerful without being too loud, and it makes even jeans and a plain top feel special.”
— Margaret D., Walla Walla, WashingtonBold, but never costume
A print can tip very quickly into something you would only wear to a festival. What keeps these on the right side of it is the shape. A plain, familiar, almost workwear silhouette underneath a piece of real color is what makes the whole thing wearable on a Tuesday. Striking on the front, sensible everywhere else.
“I throw it on with jeans and a simple top and somehow look completely put together. With all the colors in it, it goes with almost everything I own.”
— Janet K., Holland, MichiganFourteen artworks, S to 4XL, one price
I could not choose for you, so I did not try. There are fourteen of them — bold abstracts, painted florals, soft washes of color and a few I can only describe as happy. Every one runs S through 4XL and every one is the same price, so the only decision left to you is which artwork you want to look at in the mirror.
“I followed the size guide and the fit was spot on. I went one size up because I like wearing a chunky sweater underneath, and I’m glad I did.”
— Deborah S., Cedarburg, WisconsinThese, against the hoodies you’ve been buying
| Most $110 hoodies | Ms. Abbott’s art-inspired hoodies | |
|---|---|---|
| A logo across the chest | An original artwork, front and sleeves | |
| Color | Grey, black or oatmeal | Color that carries the whole outfit |
| Feel | Thin jersey that goes stiff | Brushed soft on the inside |
| Shape | Boxy, or clinging | Relaxed, with a shoulder that sits |
| Sizing | Runs to L, if you are lucky | S through 4XL, every artwork |
I refuse to sell a woman comfort that asks her to be invisible. That is the whole reason I brought these into the shop.
Why they are $109.95 right now
These came into the shop at $369.95 and sold at that price. But after thirty-seven years, keeping a little boutique like ours open has become harder than it has ever been, and I would far rather these go home with you than sit in boxes in the back. So every one of them is going out at under a third of what it was, as part of our Revival Sale.
If thirty-seven years of running this shop has taught me anything, it is that the woman who buys her first bold thing in a decade comes back within the month for the second. That is the quiet bet Charlie and I are placing in writing to you at $109.95.
★★★★★ 4.7 out of 5 — from 2119+ reviews
$369.95$109.95
Revival Sale — Save 70%
- An original artwork, not a logo
- Brushed soft on the inside
- A relaxed cut with a shoulder that sits
- Made for the in-between weeks of fall and spring
- Fourteen artworks — sizes S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL
- Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee
Every artwork · $109.95 while sizes last
Of everything in the shop this fall, these are the ones I most enjoy watching a woman decide on. She walks past them. She comes back. She holds one up against herself and looks a little surprised.
If your drawer has quietly gone grey, go and look at the fourteen. I hope you find the one that makes you stop.
— Ms. Abbott · Abbott & Charlie, Stowe, Vermont
See the collection — $109.95 each →This is a personal letter from the founder of Abbott & Charlie. Customer reviews are quoted as written. · US family boutique since 1989 · Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee.