By Gretta Monahan
Maybe it’s because I hate the chill on my fingers when driving on winter mornings. Maybe it’s because they can instantly transform almost any outfit into a refined, retro nod to ladylike dressing. But gloves have been on my mind more than usual lately — and here’s why.
I can be in jeans and a cozy sweater or a suit — almost anything, really — during a workday or on the weekend, and as soon as I pull on a pair (even without a coat), I feel completely pulled together. A beautiful scarf makes them look even more complete by balancing out the look but really, it’s about the gloves.
Everyone from Coco Chanel to Audrey Hepburn always knew the power of the glove — often without a coat as well, but to complement an evening outfit. Incoming first lady Melania Trump did them right for day at the inauguration (long, in sky blue, to match her Ralph Lauren dress). And for those of us who aren’t in the national spotlight, they give us the easiest way possible to don something both chic and utterly practical, literally with the tug of a hand.
These days, though, the smartphone has thrown a wrench into glove wearing. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got yours either at your hip, in your hand, or in your handbag nearly 24-7. (I’m trying to work on taking breaks from mine, by the way, and it wouldn’t be bad for any of us to do.) But when we need it, we need it. And I don’t want to be futzing around with taking my gloves off in order to access the screen any more than I want to sacrifice style for my tech addiction by wearing boring gloves just because they’re the only designs that have magnets in the fingertips.
As recently as two years ago, those were the only options. But recently a whole new crop of Touch gloves has arrived. Check out versions like Rebecca Minkoff’s long, elbow-length knit design, with screen-friendly fingertips. (They come in plenty of colors, but a fave of mine is the Aubergine — it’s like a neutral that still pops.) Or how about Vera Wang’s long black leather gloves, also tech-friendly, and sleek as can be. Feel like wearing them for day, in a less formal way? Just scrunch them down, and they’re suddenly casual but still polished. Or Echo’s super-warm wool boucle and leather Tech design, complete with asymmetrical zippers on the back (which are perfect for unzipping to make room for your tech toys like an Apple Watch, too.) They’re equal parts dressy and cool, so consider them an upgrade to just about any outfit.
