The cozy zip-up cardigan with just enough personality.
On the paisley knit cardigan with a high collar, a full-length zipper and a relaxed fit — warm enough for a crisp morning, pretty enough for lunch with friends, and easy with your favorite jeans.
I am 59 years old, and somewhere along the way getting dressed stopped being a pleasure. The comfortable things in my closet were shapeless and dull; the pretty things pinched, clung, or showed more arm than I wanted to show. So most mornings I settled for “fine.”
I didn't realize how much that wore on me until a friend from my book club turned up to lunch looking relaxed and elegant at the same time. When I asked where her dress was from, she smiled and told me to read the Wrenley family's letter before I bought anything.
The Wrenley Family runs a small boutique, family-owned since 1996. 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 pattern with personality
Look closely at the knit: bold paisley swirls in crisp white and black across a soft heather gray, with little dots and stars scattered in between. It's the kind of pattern that makes a simple pair of jeans feel like an outfit — distinctive, but never loud.
2A high collar that keeps you cozy
Zip it all the way up and the high collar folds softly around your neck, keeping the chill off on a crisp morning on the porch. Unzip it halfway or wear it open over a white tee when the afternoon warms up — the full-length zipper lets you decide.
3Pockets for your hands — and your phone
On the front sit two roomy pockets, just right for slipping your hands into on a cool day or keeping your phone close. Paired with white jeans, it's an easy, put-together look in seconds.
4A relaxed fit, made for layering
The Marissa has a comfortable, relaxed shape with ribbed cuffs and a ribbed hem, so it sits neatly over a tee or a blouse without ever feeling tight. It's the layer you'll grab on your way out the door, again and again.
5Five colors to choose from
Prefer something warmer than gray? The Marissa also comes in brown, navy blue, black and blue — each with its own take on the pattern. Pick the shade that suits you best, or one for every mood.
6Comfortable from morning to evening
From your morning coffee to lunch with friends to a quiet afternoon at home, the Marissa stays comfortable all day. It comes in sizes XS to L with a relaxed fit — made to fit the woman, not to make the woman fit the cardigan.
The Marissa, against the cardigans you've been buying
| Typical cardigan | The Marissa | |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | Plain and forgettable | A distinctive paisley knit |
| Closure | Buttons that gap or pull | A full-length zipper |
| Collar | Cold at the neck | A cozy high collar |
| Pockets | None, or purely decorative | Two roomy front pockets |
| Fit | Tight across the arms | Relaxed and easy to layer |
- Plain and forgettable
- Buttons that gap or pull
- Cold at the neck
- None, or purely decorative
- Tight across the arms
- A distinctive paisley knit
- A full-length zipper
- A cozy high collar
- Two roomy front pockets
- Relaxed and easy to layer
Why it's half price right now
This year the Wrenley Family celebrates its 30th anniversary — family-owned since 1996. To thank the women who have shopped with them over the years, they are holding an anniversary sale: the Marissa is normally priced at $139.90, and for the anniversary it is $69.95 — half the regular price, in all five colors.
And if you'd like more than one, the store's bundle offer applies too: buy 2 for an extra 10% off, 3 for 15% or 4 for 20%.
Every order is packed by hand, folded in tissue paper with a little card from the family, shipped with tracking, and comes with a 30-day return window — so you can try it on at home and decide for yourself.
The Marissa Cardigan
- A timeless paisley pattern
- A full-length zipper — wear it open or zipped up
- A cozy high collar
- A relaxed fit for easy layering
- Gray, brown, navy blue, black or blue
- Sizes XS–L · 30-day returns
The Marissa · $69.95 (was $139.90)
Bundle offer: buy 2 for an extra 10% off, buy 3 for 15%, buy 4 for 20%.
I do not usually write things like this. But I spent too many years settling for clothes that were merely fine — and this one cardigan quietly gave me back the pleasure of getting dressed. If that sounds like you, I hope you find your size before it's gone.
— Julie Henderson
Shop the Marissa — $69.95 →This is a personal account from a Wrenley Family customer. Julie was not paid to write it. · The Wrenley Family · Sizes XS–L · Tracked delivery · 30-day returns.