A Letter From Rose
Remember When a Cardigan Felt Like a Little Luxury?
Warm enough for a chilly restaurant, light enough that you never feel bundled up. The Joyce is the cardigan I wish I'd found years ago.
Close your eyes for a moment. You're meeting your friends for lunch at that lovely little restaurant by the water. Inside, the air conditioning is turned up high, as it always is here in Florida. But you're not shivering, and you're not too warm either. You're comfortable, you look polished, and halfway through lunch your friend reaches over, touches your sleeve and asks: "Where did you find this?"
So many of the women I know quietly gave up on that feeling. Wool sweaters itch and make them overheat, especially when a warm flush comes out of nowhere. The thin, cheap cardigans look tired after one wash. And the rest are cut short and tight, pulling across the stomach and the upper arms. So they end up carrying a shawl they never really like.
I don't think staying comfortable should mean giving up on looking lovely.
Two sisters, one little boutique
Olivia and I grew up near Lake Como, where our grandmother taught us to look at clothes the way you look at something you plan to keep for years: the fabric, the seams, the way it moves when you walk. We both became fashion designers in Italy, and nearly 45 years ago we followed our hearts to Florida and opened our boutique.
Since then, so many women have come through our door telling us the same thing: "Nothing is made for me anymore." Too young, too tight, or so plain you feel invisible. Finding the pieces that are made for the women we actually know, women in their sixties and seventies with full lives, became our life's work.
Every piece has to pass two tests
I want to be honest with you: I didn't design the Joyce. These days Olivia and I hand-pick the pieces for our boutique, and every one of them has to pass two tests.
Olivia's test is the fit, the fabric and the finish. Is it comfortable, is it made properly, will it still look good after a season of wear? My test is the woman wearing it. Does it flatter her, does it make her feel like herself, and where will she wear it? Most pieces fail one of the two and go straight back.
Olivia picked this one up, read the label and smiled: cotton and linen, not wool. Then she ran her thumb along the cable stitches down the front and said: "This is how our mother's cardigans were made." I wore it to lunch the very next day, in a freezing cold restaurant, and never once reached for my shawl. Here's why it passed both tests.
Cozy in a chilly restaurant, without overheating
The Joyce is knitted from 70% cotton and 30% linen, not heavy wool. That makes all the difference: it keeps the chill of the air conditioning off your shoulders, but it breathes, so you don't end up warm and bundled up halfway through your meal. A lovely alternative for every woman who gets warm easily.
★★★★★"At 62, I get warm very easily, especially indoors. I love having a cardigan that feels comfortable in a chilly restaurant without making me feel bundled up. The cotton-linen blend is such a nice alternative to those heavy wool sweaters."
Sandra P., Henderson, NV
A classic cable knit that looks far more expensive than it is
Look closely at the front: classic cable stitches run down both sides of the buttons, framed by a large diamond pattern and a small, textured stitch. It's the kind of knit our mother wore and kept for years. Paired with simple trousers and a necklace, it looks polished and timeless, never thin or cheap.
★★★★★"I was worried the cardigan might look thin or cheap in person, but the beautiful cable-knit pattern gives it such a lovely, classic appearance. It reminds me of the sweaters my mother used to treasure. So pretty with simple trousers and a necklace."
Camille H., Portsmouth, VA
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A relaxed shape that doesn't cling to your tummy
This is the part Olivia checked first. So many cardigans pull across the stomach and the upper arms the moment you button them. The Joyce has a relaxed fit that falls naturally to the hip, so it covers what you want covered without adding bulk or making you look bigger.
★★★★★"I'm 65 and prefer cardigans that don't pull across my stomach or upper arms. This one has a lovely relaxed shape that falls naturally over my hips. It gives me the coverage I want without making me look bigger. Very flattering!"
Jeanette K., Waco, TX
Two sweaters in one
Button it all the way up and wear it as a sweater with your jeans. Or leave it open over a dress when you go out for dinner. One cardigan that works with the clothes you already own, so getting dressed in the morning becomes that little bit easier.
★★★★★"I love that I can button this up and wear it as a sweater with my jeans, or leave it open over a dress when we go out for dinner. It makes getting dressed so much easier. I'm always looking for pieces that work with clothes I already own."
Marlene D., Concord, NH
A V-neck that frames your face and your favorite necklace
No more sweaters that sit tight around your throat. The deep V-neckline of the Joyce feels open and comfortable, and it's the perfect frame for your favorite gold necklace. Feminine and flattering, without being too low.
★★★★"I don't care for sweaters that sit too close around my neck anymore. The V-neck on this cardigan is so much more comfortable, and it looks beautiful with my favorite gold necklace. It feels feminine without being too low or revealing."
Rebecca F., Gainesville, FL
Made for you, in four colors from XS to 3XL
We carry the Joyce from XS all the way to 3XL, in soft pink, taupe, cream and a rich red. My advice: check the size chart before you order and think about what you'll wear underneath; there's room for a blouse. And if it isn't right, you have 30 days to send it back.
★★★★★"I'm 68 and usually hesitate to order knitwear online because I never know how it will fit. I followed the measurements and was very pleased with the relaxed fit. The pink is such a lovely soft shade, and there's enough room to wear a blouse underneath."
Agnes W., Yakima, WA
The Joyce, against the cardigans you usually find
Why it's only $54.95 right now
After nearly 45 years in America, Olivia and I have decided it's time to retire from the boutique and spend more time with our husbands, our children and our grandchildren here in Florida.
The Joyce is part of our final collection. When a size or color is gone, we won't be restocking it. So instead of carrying it into another season, we're saying goodbye to it with our Retirement Sale.
Joyce | Vintage Cable Knit Button Cardigan
$109.95$54.95Retirement Sale, Save 50%
- Breathable 70% cotton, 30% linen knit
- Classic cable and diamond texture
- Relaxed fit that falls to the hip
- Flattering V-neck with a full button front
Sizes XS to 3XL · Pink, taupe, cream or red · Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee
See if your size is still available →Buy 2, get an extra 10% off · Buy 3, get 15% · Buy 4 or more, get 20%. Applied automatically at checkout.
Our Retirement Sale is coming to an end.
Buy 2 get 10%, buy 3 get 15%, buy 4 or more get an extra 20% off. When your size is gone, it's gone.
I don't usually write letters like this. But after a lifetime in fashion, I know when a piece is worth telling you about. If you're always the one who's too cold one minute and too warm the next, I hope you find your size and color before it's gone.
Thank you for giving two Italian sisters a home, a community and a lifetime of memories here in Florida.
With love, Rose 🤍
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