The cozy teddy jacket I grab on my way out the door for every chilly errand.

On the soft teddy fleece jacket that skims instead of clinging, covers the arms, zips up against the wind, and has real zip pockets that actually hold your things. Why a small South Carolina family made it this way, and why they're clearing it now.

By Sandra Thompson · Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Posted September 2026 · 6 min read

I am 63 years old, and I have a whole closet of coats that are somehow never the right one. The good wool coat is too much for a quick errand. The rain shell is thin and cold. And the puffer makes me look like a marshmallow and crackles when I move. So on a plain chilly morning, running to the store or walking the dog, I never had a thing to just grab.

What I wanted was not a proper coat at all. Just one soft, cozy jacket I could throw on over whatever I already had on, that covered my arms, kept the wind off, and had a pocket or two that actually worked. Something easy.

Then a woman in my church group here in Mount Pleasant came in one cold morning in the softest teddy jacket, cozy and completely at ease, hands tucked in the pockets. I finally 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 Aurelia, 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.

1A relaxed cut that skims

We cut the Aurelia with a relaxed, slightly oversized body, so it layers easily over whatever you have on and skims your shape rather than gripping it. Cozy and easy, and flattering right where you want it — never tight, and never a bulky marshmallow.

2A sleeve that covers the arm

We gave it a full-length teddy sleeve with room all around, soft the whole way down and warm to the wrist. Your arms stay covered and cozy, with plenty of room to layer a sweater underneath.

3Real zip pockets that hold your things

We set real zip pockets into the front, the kind your hands settle into and that hold your phone, your keys and your glasses securely behind a zip. Warm hands, and nothing slipping out when you bend down — a small everyday joy.

4Soft teddy fleece, in eight colors

We made the Aurelia from a soft, plush teddy fleece that feels like a warm hug and holds its loft wash after wash — and yes, it is machine washable. It comes in eight colors, from soft neutrals to a deep burgundy, so there is one for every coat you wish you had.

5A full zip and a collar you can zip up

We finished it with a smooth full-length zip and a tall stand collar, so you can wear it open over a tee or zip it right up to the chin when the wind picks up. One cozy jacket, worn your way from morning to evening.

6It fits the body you have

We make the Aurelia from a size S all the way to 2XL and cut it with a relaxed, easy body. It is meant to fit the woman — not make the woman fit the jacket.

The Aurelia, against the coats you've been grabbing

Why they're clearing it now

They priced the Aurelia at $149.95 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 less than half of that.

I ordered mine that evening. It arrived a few days later in a kraft-paper parcel with a short handwritten note from the family. I have reached for it more than anything else in my closet since.

I do not usually write things like this. But I had a whole closet of coats and never the right one to just grab — and this soft, easy jacket became the one I reach for every single day. If that sounds like you, I hope you find your size before it clears.

— Sandra Thompson · Mount Pleasant, SC

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