The One Dress I Button On and Walk Right Out the Door

On the denim maxi that covers what I'd rather not show, goes with everything I already own, and — yes — has real pockets. The dress I now reach for without thinking.

I am 63 years old, and getting dressed had quietly become something I dreaded. Everything that covered my arms was either too stiff or too hot; everything comfortable left me looking like I'd given up. Most mornings I pulled on the same dark slacks and called it done.

It wore on me more than I let on. I had started to feel a little invisible in my own clothes.

Then a woman in my church group here in Mount Pleasant kept turning up looking comfortable and quietly put-together at the same time. I finally asked her. She laughed and told me to read the Clarke family's letter first, so I am going to let their words carry it, because they say it better than I could.

1Long Sleeves That Cover the Arms — and Still Breathe

We made the Aubrey with full-length sleeves that come right down and cover the tops of the arms — the exact part most of us would rather keep to ourselves — in a soft, lightweight denim that moves easily in the heat. Covered without reaching for a cardigan, comfortable from morning through to evening.

2Deep, Real Pockets — Both Sides

We put two deep side pockets into the Aubrey — big enough for your phone, your glasses, a little tin of mints. They sit flush with the seam so the line of the dress stays clean, but they are genuinely there, genuinely useful. Leave the bag at home for a walk around your own block.

3A Classic Color That Goes With Everything You Own

The Aubrey comes in a soft, even light-wash blue — the kind of denim that pairs quietly with a white sneaker or a tan sandal, a linen jacket or nothing at all. It is cheerful without shouting. Three women in the same week asked me where I got mine.

4Buttons All the Way Down — No Zipper to Fight With

It buttons all the way down the front with neat bronze buttons — so it goes on and off in a moment, no wrestling it over your head, no reaching up your back for a zip. We did not add an elastic waist or a belt loop. You simply do up the buttons and walk out.

5A Hem That Covers the Knees — All the Way to the Ankle

We cut the Aubrey to fall to the ankle, with a small side slit so it moves freely when you walk. Long enough that you never once think about it — whether you're crossing a parking lot, climbing into a car, or sitting down at a restaurant table. It simply stays where it should.

6Right for the Market and for Supper Out

The Aubrey moves between a Saturday morning farmers' market and a quiet supper out without changing a thing. The denim is relaxed enough for a full day on your feet; the collar and the button front make it feel considered when you sit down somewhere nice. One dress, the whole day.

The Aubrey, Against the Dresses You've Been Buying

	The usual dress	The Aubrey
Arms	Bare, or a stifling cardigan	Full sleeves that cover and breathe
Pockets	None, or too shallow to use	Deep on both sides, holds your phone
Closure	Zip up the back, stiff and fiddly	Buttons all the way down, easy
Length	Too short, or something to think about	Ankle-length, never think about it
Occasion	One setting, then it sits in the closet	Market to supper, one dress all day

Why they're clearing it now

They priced the Aubrey at $135.00 when it launched, and it sold at that price all season. But for America's 250th, the Clarke family wanted to give something back — so every dress is going out at well below half of what it was.

I ordered mine that evening. It arrived a few days later in a neat kraft-paper parcel with a short note from the family tucked inside. It has been the first thing I reach for in the morning ever since.

I do not usually write things like this. But I spent too many mornings pulling on the same dull slacks because nothing else felt right — and this one dress quietly changed that. It covers what I want covered, goes everywhere I need to go, and asks nothing of me. If that sounds familiar, I hope you find your size before it clears.

— Sandra Thompson · Mount Pleasant, SC

See the Aubrey | Denim Button Down Dress — $59.95 →

This is a personal account from a Clarke Family customer. Sandra was not paid to write it. · The Clarke Family · Family Fashion · 24/7 Customer Service · Free UPS shipping · Easy 30-Day Returns.