A letter from a reader Miranda Summer Tee S
The cool linen top I bought in three colors and now wear on repeat.
On the breathable linen tee that skims instead of clinging, stays cool on the hottest day, and lifts a plain top with one chic little detail. Why a small South Carolina family made it this way, and why they're clearing it now.
I am 63 years old, and every summer the same thing happens to my everyday tops. The cotton ones go limp and cling the moment it gets warm and I get warm along with them. The dressier blouses are too much for a plain day at home or a quick errand. And the plain tees that are actually comfortable make me feel like I am wearing pajamas to the grocery store.
What I wanted was simple: one cool, comfortable top I could pull on any warm morning that did not cling, did not wilt in the heat, and looked just a little bit put-together rather than plain. Something easy, but not sloppy.
Then a woman in my church group here in Mount Pleasant wore the loveliest soft linen top to a summer lunch, cool and crisp while the rest of us wilted. 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 top is called the Miranda, 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.
1Cool, breathable linen
We made the Miranda from a light, breathable linen that lets the air move and keeps you cool when the day heats up — no clinging, no wilting. It only grows softer with every wash, and stays crisp and fresh-looking through a warm afternoon.
2A relaxed cut that skims
We cut it with a relaxed, slightly loose body and a gently curved hem, so it skims over the middle instead of clinging and sits comfortably over any waistband. Easy and forgiving, and never tight anywhere.
3One chic detail that lifts it
We ran a neat off-center row of little buttons down the front — just enough of a detail to lift it from a plain tee to something quietly chic. It is the small touch that makes people think you have made an effort, when really you just pulled it on.
4Ten colors to reach for
We made the Miranda in ten easy colors — soft rose, white, rust, mustard, blue, green, and more — so you can have one for every pair of pants you own. It is the kind of top you buy once and then come back for in two more shades.
5Easy to wear, easy to wash
We kept it wonderfully simple — short rolled sleeves, a comfortable round neck, and easy linen that you can wash and wear again and again. Pull it on with pants or a skirt, and you are dressed and comfortable in a single, cool minute.
6It fits the body you have
We make the Miranda from a size S all the way to 5XL and cut it with a relaxed, easy body. It is meant to fit the woman — not make the woman fit the top.
The Miranda, against the summer tops you've been buying
| The usual top | The Miranda | |
|---|---|---|
| In the heat | Clings and wilts | Cool, breathable linen |
| Shape | Clings, or boxy | Relaxed, and it skims |
| The look | Plain, like pajamas | Quietly chic button detail |
| Choice | One or two colors | Ten colors to collect |
| Wearing it | Fusses, or looks sloppy | Pull on, easy, put-together |
- Clings and wilts in the heat
- Clings, or boxy
- Plain, like pajamas
- One or two colors
- Fusses, or looks sloppy
- Cool, breathable linen
- Relaxed, and it skims
- Quietly chic button detail
- Ten colors to collect
- Pull on, easy, put-together
Why they're clearing it now
They priced the Miranda 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.
The Miranda Tee
- Cool, breathable linen that won't cling or wilt
- A relaxed cut that skims, with a curved hem
- A quietly chic off-center button detail
- Ten easy colors to collect
- Easy linen, machine washable · sizes S–5XL · free UPS · 30-day guarantee
The Miranda Tee · $54.95 while sizes last
Buy 2 get 10%, buy 3 get 15%, buy 4 get an extra 20% off. When it's gone, it's gone.
I do not usually write things like this. But every summer my tops had clung and wilted and left me feeling frumpy — and this one cool, easy linen top, with its little row of buttons, made getting dressed on a warm morning a pleasure again. If that sounds like you, I hope you find your size before it clears.
— Sandra Thompson · Mount Pleasant, SC
See the Miranda — $54.95 →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.