Mom just calls it her polo sweater. It is a soft knit pullover with a classic pointed collar and a three-button placket, and she kept one folded behind the register for days when she had to look sharp at short notice.

She liked the collar first. You get the neat look of a collared shirt under a sweater, all in one piece. Nothing to tuck in and nothing bunching up underneath.

Then the buttons. Left open, it looks relaxed. Buttoned up, it looks smart enough for a nice lunch or a day at the office.

And the feel. The knit is fine and soft with a cashmere-like touch, and the relaxed fit falls to the hip with a ribbed hem, so it sits nicely over jeans or wide-leg pants.

When the last shipment arrived, Mom opened the box on the front porch instead of waiting to carry it inside. She does that with the pieces she cares about.

Dark blue, grey and dark red, folded side by side. She lifted each one, turned the collar between her fingers and said what she always says about a good knit: "You can tell by the collar."

I have learned to trust that. The collar is the first thing people notice, so it has to sit right. On this one it lies neat and flat, whether you wear it open or buttoned.

That Saturday she wore the dark blue one into town with cream wide-leg pants and her brown loafers. No blouse underneath and no scarf, just the sweater with the top button open.

It was one of those bright October afternoons when the sun is warm and the shade is not. She did her errands, stopped at the bakery and never once caught herself fixing her collar in a shop window.

One sweater, one pair of pants, out the door. For someone who used to stand at the hallway mirror fixing a blouse collar, that was the part she talked about all the way home.

A few days later she met two of her oldest friends for dinner at the little restaurant near the shop. This time she wore the dark red.

Normally an evening out meant a blouse, a sweater over it and a necklace to make it look finished. This time it was just the sweater and her jeans, with the top button open.

What I noticed was that she never once tugged at her collar during dinner. She sat back, ordered the apple crisp and forgot about what she was wearing. That is my favorite thing a piece of clothing can do.

If you asked me which color to pick, I would tell you what I told Mom: start with one everyday color and one that makes you smile.

The Grey, Black and White go with everything you own. The Brown is warm and easy with fall boots. The Dark Blue and Green are rich without being loud. The Blue is fresh with white jeans, and the Red and Dark Red are made for the holidays.

Same collar, same buttons, same easy fit. One sweater you don't have to think about on busy mornings, in the color that suits you.

The polo sweater is part of Mom's Clearance Sale, and that whole collection is marked down while I take over the boutique.

I would rather see the pieces she chose herself go to women who will wear them than sit in a stockroom while the shop changes hands.

If you have been looking for one sweater that looks put together without a blouse underneath, this is the one I would start with.

She has worn hers more this fall than almost anything else in her closet. I can't tell you it will suit everyone. I can only tell you what I see when she walks out the door: she looks put together, comfortable and like herself.

The polo sweater is $59.95 right now, down from $199.95. These are Clearance Sale prices for this season, and colors and sizes come and go as the collection sells. If one of them is calling to you, I wouldn't wait too long to look.