Fashionable men and women seize the opportunity to show off their leather dress gloves when the weather turns cold. Indeed, gloves are a matter of etiquette: nobody likes shaking a frigid hand, and the classiest among us know that any opportunity to show off another accessory is to be seized. Here is a thorough look at the latest in glove fashion, glove design and what you need to know to make sure your hands do some talking this next winter.

Use and Occasion

For the gentleman, a dress glove is most likely to be worn with dinner clothes or a business suit and overcoat—it is designed to keep his hands warm as opposed to any purely aesthetic purposes. Nonetheless, the fact that we use our hands so much means that these particular articles of clothing are subject to wear and tear rather quickly. Having more than one pair, and purchasing the best made leather dress gloves can reduce and prevent this wear. Here are the signs of artisan-level quality in your leather dress gloves.

Check the Material

First, leather dress gloves should be made out of leather. This may sound obvious, but in recent years more and more synthetic materials have replaced hides as the leather of choice for cut rate gloves. In particular, lambskin leather (or for the most formal, kidskin leather) is traditional. Fratelli Orsini is one of Italy’s great glove makers; they produce some of the sturdiest gloves from the supplest materials. Indeed, as in many things fashionable, Italy is the place to look for the best leather dress gloves.

The Lining

The next thing to consider after the material is the lining. Purely leather dress gloves are great for being able to manipulate your fingers, but they do little to stop the cold. If you are to be in a snowy locale, you will want to invest in some sort of wool or fur lining. Cashmere has become a popular lining wool, its satiny smooth touch providing both warmth and comfort. Traditionally, furs have been the most popular—particularly rabbit fur, though nowadays many feel uncomfortable wearing fur (while still wearing leather dress gloves, no less). Other materials such as synthetic fibers are likely to just make your hands sweat more and will look tacky. Wools of various sorts look best, provide the most comfort and will get the most positive comments.

Use and Occasion

As you might expect, things get far more complicated for ladies. In all things fashion, men are the utilitarians, women the aesthetes. Men wear gloves for warmth with only a handful of exceptions. For the most part purely dress gloves for men are cotton—as in military or police dress uniforms—though there are white leather dress gloves on offer for men for these ceremonial situations. Women might be called on to wear gloves even in warm weather if the fashion calls for it, and many are predicting a comeback for opera length gloves this year.

The Cut

Charlotte Ronson, a UK born/New York based fashion designer turned heads this past winter at Fashion Week with her opera length leather dress gloves—black, sexy and striking, think Holly Golightly with a dash of punk rock. Cut as high as the elbows; make sure you get a pair that fits snugly and attractively if you choose to wear them. There are also wrist length gloves, shorter than the classic opera look, and often decorated with further accouterments. Finally, there are the traditional gloves, much like men’s, but constructed for women’s more delicate hands.

The Color

Women’s leather dress gloves are more likely to come in a wide array of colors, perfect for matching to your favorite outfits. With the rising popularity of gloves as an accessory, consider stocking up now and wearing them earlier in the year than you might have before. Black is, of course, the traditional color for women’s dress gloves, with white also used often in formal situations. But nowadays virtually every color is offered—find a pair that goes perfectly with your favorite coat or dress and add a touch of sophistication to even your most common party clothes. Another great idea is to find a pair that works perfectly with your purse and shoes—get all your leather in line. Finally, consider the material: the texture of your leather dress gloves can offer different tones and shades for different occasions and ensembles. Suede has its famous duller tone, more traditional leather or even patent leather gloves are also available for different effects.

Lining and Stitching

Women also have to make the same kinds of decisions regarding cold weather leather dress gloves as men, but get more leeway in the lining and trim department. Women’s leather gloves frequently feature fur trim extending from the opening, a flashy and decadent touch less commonly seen in men’s gloves. Stitching is important in all gloves—like sheets, suits or anything else cloth, they are only as good as their stitching in the end. Women’s gloves are more likely to highlight the stitching with bold color contrasts to the material used; men’s tend to keep things black or white, typically the same color as the material. A solidly and attractively constructed pair of leather dress gloves can last for years, particularly if you use several of pairs to match with your different outfits.

Fashion is not about any particular style or set of clothing: it is a mindset. It is a mindfulness of what one looks like when one goes out in public, a desire to be seen and to please those who do the seeing. Suits, coats, dresses, slacks, blouses—the core of one’s dress—can look pretty drab without the right accessorizing. Picking the perfect pair of leather dress gloves only adds to your look. When the weather turns cold, everyone wears gloves—the truly classy take this opportunity and show off some leather dress gloves that say as much about the wearer as they do about the weather.