Black gloves are a bit like black suits in that retail inertia pushes them on customers when there are better choices. Just as brown shoes are more interesting than black for day wear, so brown gloves are a step above black. Other colors, such as yellow chamois or gray suede, can also add texture and visual interest. Both are appropriate for most evening occasions as well as day wear.
Once a common gentleman's glove but now seen infrequently, yellow chamois shows dirt easily and because of that has a relatively short lifespan. On the plus side of the ledger, an unlined pair is a soft, sensual pleasure to wear with a dark Chesterfield, a silk or cashmere scarf and a Homburg hat.
Once a common gentleman's glove but now seen infrequently, yellow chamois shows dirt easily and because of that has a relatively short lifespan. On the plus side of the ledger, an unlined pair is a soft, sensual pleasure to wear with a dark Chesterfield, a silk or cashmere scarf and a Homburg hat.
I ordered my yellow chamois gloves from Chester Jeffries, a small English company based in Dorset. They offer a variety of made to order gloves (in half a dozen materials with a dozen different types of lining) on their web site, and accept less ordinary requests by email.
After establishing that Jeffries had the chamois I wanted, I sent them a tracing of my hands. About a month later they responded with a made to measure pair of their CDG-4 Classic Dress Glove, which is, according to the company, hand-cut and hand-sewn. I know of few comparable personalized delights for £53.00 (about $105) including postage.
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7 comments:
There are ways to wash chamois gloves which can be found in old "house-wife" texts.
There were also glove "trees" that were inserted for drying the chamois gloves.
When mine are dirty I'll try cleaning them but my concern is that they will lose much of their great feel during that process as happens to other suede items.
Here is a vintage text that is online that discusses how to clean chamois and doeskin gloves:
http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:9TBQAQm3A0kJ:vintagesewing.info/1950s/50-hmg/hmg-04.html+chamois+gloves+wash&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=5&client=firefox-a
I have some older chamois gloves which become rather softer after being cleaned--doesn't have quite that nap as it was "new".
Suits are day wear for women and black, though it can work fine for winters, is an ineffective daytime color choice for summer, spring and fall women.
Gray, navy, tan and cream are easier to accessorize effectively. Reserve black for little dresses.
Will -- sorry to revive an old thread but was curious which of Jefferies' leather options was the chamois that you purchased? I can't tell just looking at their leather descriptions and I wouldn't know exactly what to ask for...
Thanks
Matt
Matthew, I didn't order off the site so I don't know. Call or write them and ask.
Will -- thanks very much for the response. While the topic is live, do you mind my asking what you think of colors for men besides the yellow chamois? My fall and winter coats are gunmetal gray, charcoal, and black. Or is coat color not the relevant consideration?
(By the way, Chester Jefferies does still have the yellow chamois, just not listed on the site.)
Matt
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