I have a favorite gray sweater that I’ve been wearing for years. You know one of those pieces of clothing that is comfortable and comforting? That’s this sweater. It’s nothing special, just a cable knit pullover made of merino wool but easy to wear and funny enough the tag says Made in England (rare these days).
Well, I’ve worn this sweater so much and repaired it so often, it was time to make it an “at home only” choice and hunt for a replacement. Easier said than done and I’ll skip to the victory part of the story. I finally found close to what I was looking for at Talbots.
Blue not gray and no cable knit, but this sweater in cashmere is a winner all the same. I love the dark blue shade, which pops any outfit and works in fall, winter, and spring. It’s just the right weight making it perfect for layering. I’m reaching for this sweater again and again.
A word about Talbots. In 1947 Rudolf Talbot inherited his father’s clothing store in the Hingham, MA, a Boston suburb. He and his wife, Nancy, renamed the shop Talbots and offered classic women’s clothing. In 1952 Talbots sent out their first catalogue, which resulted in an uptick in business and it’s something the company continues to do today. There were five stores by the time the couple sold their business to General Mills 1973. Under a new direction, Talbots opened shops around the country usually in malls. Nancy continued to work in the company until she retired in the early 80s. Since then, Talbots has been sold many times and along the way it gained a reputation for being less classic and more dowdy. I remember seeing Talbots stores in malls and walking right by thinking they were a little too preppy.
Then last fall I popped into a local Talbots because I spotted in their window corduroy pants. I’m a big fan of corduroy anything and I haven’t seen cords in a long time. So I went in and I wasn’t impressed with the customer service, but I was kind of excited about the clothing! There was an array of basic styles – the cords, sweaters, vests, jackets, skirts, and dresses and a lot of color. I liked the high quality and good sales. Although there were some florals that were not my taste (and reminded me of that too preppy style), overall I was happy to see simple sophisticated options. I bought a pair of green cords that day and when it was time to replace my sweater, I headed back.
I tend to wear classics that I jazz up with layering and accessories. I’m new to Talbots and I appreciate what they have to offer. I wouldn’t go with one of their complete looks, but I will be picking up a piece here and there to work into my wardrobe.
A warning: I did some online research on Talbots and it seems that ordering anything from their website is a disaster. I read review after review saying pretty much the same thing – that the merchandise didn’t arrive and telephone customer service was useless. I would advise potential customers to shop in person at one of their many locations.
(This is not a paid endorsement.)
OverDressed for Life 