The one piece that makes me look expensive the second I throw it on.

On the elegant poncho drape that skims everything, the cozy fur-trimmed hood, the two deep pockets, and the sleeves that cover the arms. Why a small South Carolina family made it this way, and why they're clearing it now.

By Margaret Ellison · Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Posted September 2026 · 6 min read

I am 63 years old, and my in-between coats had all let me down. The warm ones were bulky and shapeless, the smart ones were thin and tailored so tight I could barely move, and nothing I owned made me feel the least bit elegant when I stepped out the door. Getting dressed for a cool day had become a chore I dreaded.

What I wanted was one easy layer that looked genuinely elegant — something I could simply throw on over whatever I had underneath — that draped and skimmed over me instead of clinging, kept me cozy, and had pockets I could actually use. Effortless, and elegant, at once.

Then a friend of mine swept in wearing the most glamorous soft pink poncho with a little fur-trimmed hood, looking like she had spent a fortune. I asked her about it. She laughed and told me to read the Clarke family's letter first.

The Clarke family runs a small boutique here in South Carolina, family-run since 1986 — three generations, mother to daughter. The jacket is called the Annabelle, and their letter walks through the handful of things they refused to compromise on. I am going to let their words carry it, because they say it better than I could.

1An elegant statement, in seven colors

We made the Annabelle to look like a great deal more than it costs — a soft, draped poncho with a glamorous fur-trimmed hood, the kind of piece that looks expensive and turns heads. You throw it on over anything and instantly look considered. And it comes in seven colors, from a bold pink to a classic black or camel.

2An oversized drape that skims

We cut it as a soft, oversized drape that falls in easy folds and skims right over everything instead of clinging or pulling. There is no fussing with fit, no tight sleeves — just a flattering, forgiving shape you can move and breathe in.

3A cozy fur-trimmed hood

We finished it with a soft hood trimmed in faux fur — cozy and glamorous at once. It keeps the chill off when the wind picks up, and it frames the face so prettily that it does the work of a scarf and a bit of jewelry all by itself.

4Two deep pockets you'll actually use

We put two large patch pockets right on the front — real, deep ones for cold hands, your phone and your keys. The little things that turn a pretty layer into one you reach for every single day.

5Sleeves that cover the arms

We cut the cape sleeves to drape softly over the arms, all the way down to a ribbed cuff at the wrist. Your arms stay covered and cozy, with nothing gripping them — covered comfort, and a graceful line.

6It fits the body you have

We make the Annabelle from a size S to 3XL, and its soft oversized drape means it fits and flatters a whole range of shapes. It is meant to fit the woman — not make the woman fit the jacket.

The Annabelle, against the layers you've been settling for

Why they're clearing it now

They priced the Annabelle at $189.95 when it launched, and it sold at that price all season. But for America's 250th, the Clarke family wanted to give something back to the women who have kept their doors open since 1986 — so every one is going out at under seventy dollars.

I ordered mine that evening. It arrived a few days later in a kraft-paper parcel with a short handwritten note from the family. It has become the layer I throw on whenever I want to look pulled-together without a moment's thought.

I do not usually write things like this. But getting dressed for a cool day had become a chore, and nothing I owned made me feel elegant — and this one easy, glamorous layer changed both in an instant. If that sounds like you, I hope you find your size before it clears.

— Margaret Ellison · Mount Pleasant, SC

This is a personal account from a Clarke Family customer. Margaret was not paid to write it. · The Clarke Family · Family Fashion · South Carolina, since 1986 · Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee.