A Letter From Eleanor · Co-founder of Merlow London
Merlow London · October 2026
Every Autumn, Women Tell Me They Live in the Same Two Tired Sweatshirts. These Are the Four Pieces I Chose to Highlight From Our Collection of Over 20 Styles.
On the six things I insisted on for our tops and sweatshirts, four of our most-loved pieces, and why the collection starts at £34.95 during our anniversary.
Ainsley, one of our most-loved pieces this autumn, over a pair of jeans.
I am Eleanor, and in 2011 my sister Sophie and I started Merlow London with one stubborn belief: no woman should ever have to choose between feeling comfortable and looking beautifully dressed.
There is one confession I hear more than any other once the weather turns: I have a whole wardrobe, and I still end up in the same two tired sweatshirts every single day.
And I understand why. The everyday tops made for women our age fall into two piles. The first is the comfortable sweatshirt that looks like it belongs at the gym, bobbled and shapeless after a few washes. The second is the pretty top that is too thin for a cold morning and too fussy for a normal day. I never accepted that a woman had to choose between cosy and put together.
Ainsley, Rosalind, Etta and Dorothy: four favourites from our wider collection.
These four pieces are the ones I want to show you in this letter. They are part of our wider collection of more than 20 tops and sweatshirts, with plenty of other styles and colours to explore. When Sophie and I were putting the collection together, I had a list, and I was not going to give up a single point of it. These are the six things I insisted on.
1Warm, without the weight.
This is why Ainsley became one of our favourites. A soft, cream sherpa lining runs through the body and all the way up into the hood, so she keeps you warm on a cold morning walk without any of the bulk of a puffer coat.
The sherpa lining, soft from the very first wear.
"The sherpa lining on my Ainsley feels so cosy. It keeps me lovely and warm on chilly morning walks without feeling heavy."
2Details you actually use.
A smooth full-length zip, a drawstring hood for when the wind picks up, and two deep pockets with neat brown trim, big enough for your phone, your keys or simply your cold hands.
Deep enough for a phone and keys.
"The zip and pockets on the Ainsley are so practical. I can pop my phone and keys in and head out without carrying a bag."
3Texture that looks like you made an effort.
A plain sweatshirt can look tired. A soft waffle knit never does. Rosalind has a gentle waffle texture and a three-button henley neckline, relaxed enough for a quiet morning and neat enough for lunch in town. She comes in orange, white, red and black.
Rosalind in orange, the one that brightens a grey morning.
"I love the waffle texture and little buttons on my Rosalind. It feels comfortable for everyday wear but still looks smart."
4A shape that skims, never clings.
Etta is the sweatshirt for every ordinary day: a textured crew-neck with a roomy front pocket and neat contrast trim at the neck and cuffs. Relaxed through the middle, so nothing pulls when you sit down with a coffee.
Etta, made for a slow coffee on a cool afternoon.
"My Etta sits so nicely over my middle without clinging. I wear it with jeans all the time and always feel put together."
5Colour, without being loud.
Dorothy is for the days you want a little more. Soft blocks of sage, cream and ochre stripes on a gentle waffle texture, with a henley neckline. Colourful enough to be noticed, calm enough to wear with everything.
Dorothy on an autumn walk by the river.
"The colours on the Dorothy are lovely together. It brightens up a simple pair of trousers without looking too bold."
6Sizes up to 5XL.
This was the point I would not move on. A comfortable, good-looking top should not stop at XL. Rosalind and Dorothy run all the way up to 5XL, Ainsley and Etta up to 3XL, every size at the same price.
"I was pleased to find the Rosalind in my size. The relaxed shape gives me room to move and still looks flattering."
Our tops and sweatshirts, against the ones you have been wearing
You can find a sweatshirt almost anywhere. I know, because I have tried a great many of them. Here is the difference, laid out plainly.
- Look like they belong at the gym
- Bobbled and shapeless after a few washes
- Or too thin for a cold morning
- Grey, black or navy
- Stops at XL
- Sherpa, waffle knit and soft texture
- Relaxed shapes that skim, never cling
- Warm enough for a cold morning walk
- From charcoal to orange and colour-block
- Sizes up to 5XL
I refuse to sell a top that asks a woman to choose between feeling cosy and looking like herself. That is the whole reason this collection exists.
Why our tops and sweatshirts start at £34.95 right now
This year, Merlow London turns 15. Sophie and I talked for a long time about how to celebrate, and we kept coming back to the same answer: with the women who made these fifteen years possible.
So for our 15th Anniversary Sale, Rosalind, Etta and Dorothy are £34.95 each, and Ainsley is £44.95. These are four examples from our wider collection of more than 20 styles. And when you choose more than one piece, you save even more, taken off automatically at checkout: 10% extra on 2 pieces, 15% on 3, 20% on 4 and 25% on 5 or more. So Ainsley with Rosalind comes to £71.91 for both, and all four featured bestsellers come to £119.84.
The anniversary prices are only here for a limited time. When the celebration ends, so do they.
If fifteen years of Merlow London have taught me anything, it is that a woman who finds one piece she reaches for every day soon comes back for a second. That is the quiet bet I am placing in writing you this letter.
Four favourites from our collection, folded, tagged and ready to go out to you.
I started with the Ainsley for chilly mornings and loved how cosy it felt. Then I ordered the Rosalind for everyday wear and the Dorothy because the colours caught my eye. They each have their own little details, and I find myself reaching for a different one depending on the day. I have already got my eye on the Etta.
I am genuinely proud of this collection. The four pieces I have shown you are just a starting point, and there are many more styles to discover. I hope one of them becomes the first thing you reach for in the morning. Delivery is free across the UK, and you have our 30-day money-back guarantee. If it does not make you feel wonderful, simply send it back.
With love,
Eleanor & Sophie 🤎
The Tops & Sweatshirts Collection
- Over 20 styles, including Ainsley, Rosalind, Etta and Dorothy
- Sherpa, waffle knit and soft textured fabrics
- Relaxed shapes that skim, sizes up to 5XL
- Free UK delivery & 30-day money-back guarantee
Choose more and save: 10% extra on 2 pieces, up to 25% on 5+.
See the whole collectionAbout the writer. Eleanor co-founded Merlow London with her sister Sophie in 2011. Fifteen years on, she still chooses every piece in the collection with one question in mind: would a woman feel both comfortable and beautifully dressed in it?
This is a personal letter from the founders of Merlow London. Anniversary prices are valid for a limited time and while stock lasts.
Explore our full tops & sweatshirts collection, from £34.95 →
15th Anniversary Sale