A guide to gloves: Materials, colours, linings
A reader recently asked about advice on gloves – probably because it’s actually, finally cold enough in places like London to need them. Oddly, we haven’t really done an overview piece about gloves in the past either.
As I started writing, I quickly realised this would have to be at least two articles – there’s just too much to cover across style, quality, fit and brands.
So here’s the first, looking at building a small, versatile collection of quality gloves in terms of colours and materials. In the next piece we’ll look at the best brands and how much it’s worth spending.
What colours should I start with?
Think of gloves as akin to shoes or belts in your wardrobe. Start with similar colours, like dark brown and black, and choose between them largely based on what shoes or belts you wear most.
If you wear a lot of black shoes, chances are you’ll want a black pair, and the same goes for brown; unless you rarely wear black shoes, you’ll probably end up wanting one of each.
Do you mean the gloves should match my shoes?
No. Unlike belts or to a lesser extent watches, gloves don’t need to match your shoes. It’s more the fact that you’ll probably be wearing several accessories when it’s this cold – scarf, hat, bag – and so you’ll want the option of something very versatile.
So I can wear dark-brown gloves with black shoes?
Yes, absolutely. It’s just that if you have lots of other things going on, say a Black Watch scarf, a grey fedora, a tan bag, you’re going to want something easy as a default with gloves if you only have one pair.
Playing with combinations of these accessories can be fun – and beautiful. But when you’re starting out you’re more limited.
What materials should I start with?
For black, you’ll probably want leather. For brown, leather or suede. Leathers are tougher generally, but brown suede has the advantage of being versatile across smart and casual outfits – so rather like shoes again, black leather and brown suede might be a good place to start.
What types of leather are there?
Lots, but generally they separate into smooth leathers and textured ones. Smooth leathers are smarter and can be more feminine, so unless you dress in a suit every day and like the feel of a smooth nappa leather, I’d recommend a lightly textured leather like deerskin or peccary for its versatility.
Peccary is my particular favourite and often the most expensive. It’s a large south-American pig and the leather is quite distinctive because it has sets of three holes all over it – where the animal grows its hairs in sets of three. It’s beautifully soft but also strong.
What leathers are best for very casual gloves?
Peccary can go with fairly casual things, and is actually tougher than most other leathers. Capybara is a nice alternative to suede and I’ve had that in the past. But tougher gloves – for things like motorcycling for example – are often made in deerskin or in thicker leathers such as buckskin, cowhide or rough-out suede.
How about wool?
Wool is a great casual option but it can be a little delicate – fine for a year or two but getting a little ratty after that. I also wouldn’t recommend cashmere for the same reason. The ones I have from Drake’s in wool (above) are good because they’re quite thick – I used to have some from Real McCoy’s and they were too delicate, surprisingly.
Why are those fingerless?
Mostly for practical reasons – I wear these at the weekends a lot when I’m out with the kids, constantly zipping jackets or buttoning sweaters. I kind of like the look with more casual things as well.
Of course, they’re also good for using your mobile phone, but in general I sacrifice that practicality for style, and just take a glove off if I have to.
Some gloves have the stitching on the outside, some on the inside – what’s the difference?
Stitching on the inside creates a sleeker look, and in the same way as smooth leathers, sometimes a more feminine one. Most men’s gloves today have the seams turned outwards therefore.
Having the stitching on the inside can be less comfortable too, with a finer make required. Bespoke gloves will often have stitching on the inside as it’s finer and makes more sense with that construction.
And lining on the gloves, or unlined?
It’s mostly a question of how cold your hands get, and how cold the winters are. In the UK, I’m fine with unlined most of the time, and most of the gloves pictured here are unlined. The nice thing about unlined gloves is that they mould to your hands more and you really feel the leather as well. The dark-brown Lavabre Cadet peccary ones shown higher up are really beautiful against the skin.
I do have lined ones though – my suede ones from Trunk are lined with cashmere, which is nice. Suede also moulds a little less to the hand so it matters less in that way if they’re lined. I tend to use those more below 10 degrees (centigrade).
I also have the Anderson & Sheppard shearling ones below, and they’re my warmest gloves – the ones I wear when it’s zero degrees or below. They’re long too, which is nice on the wrist when it’s cold, or you can roll them down.
What is best to have at the wrist – a strap, snaps, or just a cut?
Well, it depends on your hands and on the weather. If you have small wrists or you really need to keep the cold out (eg on a bike) then a strap that tightens against the wrist is very useful. But a simple cut will always be easier to get on and off.
OK so beyond the basic black and brown already mentioned, what other colours would you recommend for a small glove collection?
My set shown here has a nice range I think. Most people will be best starting with a mid- or dark brown, then adding the other brown or a black depending on what leathers they wear. A mid-grey like these fingersless ones is good for a wool glove as well.
Next, maybe go for something that feels like a pop of colour, more interesting and exciting. The tan suede ones I have are really nice for example, and tan in an accessory is great with all sorts of other colours of clothing – rural ones like brown and green, but also urban ones like grey, navy and black. In the same manner as an English-tan briefcase, or my suede cap.
The yellow is probably the most exciting of the collection right?
Yes, and as a collection like this expands the choices depend more and more upon the character of the wearer, on their personal style. I know readers who would just never wear bright yellow, and others who would revel in it.
But these yellow ones are really nice as a fun addition to an outfit. I usually wear them with browns and greens, and particularly workwear materials and coats, but there’s something pleasingly acidic about the combination below as well – with a black cowichan I picked up recently in Paris.
Right, where should I buy these, and how do I tell the quality?
Let’s leave that for next time – this post is already pretty long. I’ll do a follow-up article covering our favourite makers, sizing, and what makes quality in a week or so.
Gloves and clothes shown (images from the top):
Black tumbled-leather gloves from Trunk (not currently available, £145)
with bespoke ulster coat from Sartoria Ciardi
Tan suede gloves with cashmere lining from Merola (€130)
with vintage Ralph Lauren duffle coat
Grey fingerless wool/angora gloves from Drake’s (£75)
with vintage houndstooth coat
Brown unlined peccary gloves from Lavabre Cadet (not currently available, around £490)
with PS navy Donegal coat
Brown shearling gloves from Anderson & Sheppard (£325)
with PS grey Donegal overcoat
Yellow peccary gloves with cashmere lining from Mazzoleni (€400)
with Nonnative cowichan sweater
Brown suede gloves with cashmere lining from Trunk (£145)
with PS English Tweed coat and Frank Clegg tote
