Note: Do not smell, or make someone else smell your glove in public.
Like sunglasses and coats, a pair of sport style ski-gloves will look out of place in many (read: most) situations. So while it’s good to have a pair of gore-tex mitts for the slopes, reach for a less technical looking pair for when you’re in town. For sizing, not all gloves come in the standard S, M, L, XL. Plenty are sized by the circumference of the wearer’s hand. More specifically, around the part where your hand’s knuckles are. If you don’t have a tailor’s measuring tape, take a piece of printer paper and wrap the shorter end (8.5″) around that part of your hand. That should give you a ballpark idea.
Quilted Leather: Ralph Lauren Racing Gloves – $69.99 ($88)
Polo RL puts out a slightly different version of their quilted racing moto glove every year, and for good reason. They sorta hit all the points that need to be hit. They’re lined but not puffy, the quilted tops give them some texture, the wrist snap is a nice extra detail, and they work both with a topcoat and a suit, or a casual jacket and jeans. Not the cheapest gloves out there, but can dip into the high $50s when there’s an extra 25% off sale. Meanwhile, there’s a much cheaper option available over at Loehmann’s.
Suede: Scotch + Soda Suede Teddy Lined Gloves – $55.00 ($79)
Hard not to like suede when it comes to standing out quietly. A matte texture that just visually looks warm, suede leans more casual but can easily be worn with a suit and topcoat. Button snap at the wrist on these. Terrific shade of brown.
Mixed Leather: Joseph Abboud Black Leather w/ Suede Trim Gloves – $35.00 ($85)
Doesn’t work on blazers, but it does work on gloves. Almost entirely smooth black leather, with suede inserts at the edges. It’s the most basic of all gloves, with those triple lines on the top, but changed just a bit. Bluefly prices can fluctuate wildly, so these’ll probably move around in price.
Tweed/Wool Tops: Merona Herringbone Smart Touch Gloves – $21.99
Currently part of Target’s buy one get one half off sale. Sadly, it doesn’t work on buy one glove, get the other glove half off, since these things get sold in pairs. Faux leather here, with a wool blend top. Higher Quality version available over at Nordstrom for $69.50. Ouch.
Quilted Tops: Dartmoor Canvas Quilted/Leather Palm Gloves – $50.00
Nice looking texture to the canvas tops. Leather on the palms and undersides of the fingers. Color blocking for your hands, so keep the coat dead simple if you go with these. Also available in a brown/bordeaux. 50/50 wool cashmere lining. Via Gilt, which has a brutal return policy.
The non-traditional driver: Orvis Lambskin Driving Gloves – $69.00
Oft-mentioned here but a drum worth beating. Had these for the last year and they’re starting to pick up a real nice Patina. While they’re unlined, they’ll keep your hands warm unless it’s bitter out. Unlike a traditional driver which has a ton of ventilation (and thus, can get pretty chilly), these have enough perforating for airflow, but enough coverage to keep the wind off your skin. And, they do provide good grip for driving. Really well built too.
The Traditional Driver: Dents – $80.00
AKA the well dressed serial killer. Less glove… more money? All those holes have the same purpose of the holes on a rally style watchstrap. Keeps your hands from getting clammy as you’re skidding through the turns. Not very warm. Can look fantastic, or, a little too fashion-y. Less showy alternatives over at Nordstrom for $69.50.
The Warm Shearling: Aston Leather Top-Stitched Gloves – $67.96 w/ ALTURKEY3
Not bad for a pair of Made in the USA, Shearling, toasty gloves. That code gets you 20% off anything at Sierra Trading Post, but hang out for one of their often distributed through social media channels 30 – 35% off codes. That’ll drop em to $55 – $60.
The Dirt Cheap Option: Stafford Herringbone & Leather – $11.99 w/ CYBRXTND
Ah yes… leather palms and the bones of herring on the top. No? That’s not… ? Ah, I see. Well at least the palms are “leather”. Gotta love JCP marking these down to fifteen bucks, then taking an extra 20% off. Might be a little tough to find in store.
The “Single Digits or Below” Behemoths: Beaver Fur Choppers – $243
Got a pal who built a cabin with his brother and dad out in the middle of nowhere. Snow is plentiful from October – March. It snows so much that to plow the snow, they use an old tractor that’s had a front-end loader bucket welded to the front of it (complete with functioning hydraulics). The Dad of this family picked it (the bucket) up at a farm auction or something, looked at the tractor, and made it work. These three are basically the A-Team. This is the hand-wear choice for that family. Good enough for them, good enough for anyone. Made in Bemidji, MN by Fur Armor.
Your turn guys… what’s your go to pair of daily-wear gloves this time of year? Leave it all in the comments section. Stay warm.