A letter from a customer
Three people asked about my Remembrance sweatshirt before lunch. I did not see that coming.
What I found when I tried it, written by a customer, not the shop.
Every November I do what most of us do. I buy a poppy from the collection tin, I pin it to my coat, and then I spend the next fortnight patting my lapel to check it is still there. By Remembrance Sunday I have usually lost at least one.
So when my daughter sent me a link to a Remembrance sweatshirt, I was not looking for a replacement. I still buy my poppy from the tin and I still wear it. I was simply curious, because I had never seen anything that marked the time of year quite so quietly.
I ordered the ivory first. Here is what I actually found once it arrived.
The design is lovely, and it is not loud
A poppy and leaf design sweeps down one side and the whole sleeve, so there is real detail to look at, but it is quiet. On the chest there is a small poppy with a laurel wreath either side and the words Lest We Forget underneath. A little Union Jack sits on the sleeve. That is the lot. Nothing shouts and nothing is trying to be clever. It simply says what it says.
I wore it to the shops on an ordinary Tuesday, and three different people asked where it was from before I had finished my shopping.
It does the job my pin never could
My pin falls off. It always does. The design on this stays exactly where it is, because it is part of the sweatshirt, so I can stop checking. I still wear my pin as well, I would not be without it, but for the first time I am not spending the service worrying about my lapel.
Six colours, and the poppy shows on every one
I went for ivory first, but there are six to choose from: ivory, poppy red, sand, light grey, navy and black. The red poppy on the chest stands out beautifully on the darker ones, and the design is the same whichever you pick.
Ivory
Poppy Red
Sand
Light Grey
Navy
Black
It is comfortable enough that it actually gets worn
It is a relaxed fit with a hood and ribbed cuffs and hem, soft and cosy without feeling heavy. It goes over a blouse or a plain tee, with jeans, and it is cosy enough for a crisp November morning on the way to the service or a walk to the shops.
My husband, who notices almost nothing I wear, asked if it was new. That happens perhaps twice a year in this house, so I took it seriously.
The offer, and why I would not leave it late
It is 70% off at the moment. I am wary of a percentage on its own, because a discount only means something if the thing underneath is worth having, and this was. Remembrance Sunday is on 8 November, and I would rather order with time to spare than leave it to the last week, when everyone else is thinking about it too.
If it is not right, send it back
Free UK delivery, and 30 days to send it back if it is not what you hoped. I went looking for the catch, as I always do. The thing to read before you order is the size chart on the page: it is a relaxed, roomy fit, so if you are between sizes I would go up one.
The Remembrance Sweatshirt, against my usual November
Hallway
Kitchen
Out on the lane
The design, up close
My usual November
- A plain jumper and a pin that falls off
- Patting my lapel all through the service
- Nothing to mark the time of year but the pin
- Worn for one day, then put away
- Full price if I bought anything
The Remembrance Sweatshirt
- Poppy and leaf design down one side and sleeve
- Poppy and laurel wreath with Lest We Forget on the chest
- Union Jack on the sleeve
- Six colours, relaxed fit, easy to layer
- 70% off, UK sizes 8 to 22
Anne Whitaker
Women's Remembrance Day Regular Sweatshirt
70% OFF- Poppy and leaf design down one side and sleeve
- Poppy and laurel wreath with Lest We Forget on the chest
- Union Jack on the sleeve
- Six colours: ivory, poppy red, sand, light grey, navy and black
- Relaxed fit, UK sizes 8 to 22
- Free UK delivery and 30 day returns
About the writer. Anne Whitaker is a customer from West Yorkshire. This page is an advertisement for Abbey Lane ยท Free UK delivery ยท 30 day returns. Abbey Lane is not affiliated with the Royal British Legion or the Poppy Appeal.