Three-season gloves

WHO GLOVES YA, BABY? We didn’t need the swine flu outbreak to tell us that the CTA pole we clutched this morning, the bathroom door handle we’ll turn at lunch and the gym locker we’ll slam shut tonight are teeming with determined little viruses, bacteria and other microbes. Germs lurk everywhere; yet strapping a surgeon’s mask across our mug still seems severe. Instead, we’re pushing for women’s fashion gloves to make a comeback—from classic Mad Men–style 1960s numbers to sophisticated modern driving gloves. For instance, these vintage, kid-leather wrist gloves with beaded clasps (pictured top right; $12 at Clothes Optional, 2918 N Clark St, 773-296-6630) transcend the decades and go with just about everything. You might have to sift through heaps of musty sets to find a pair like them, but the price-to-quality ratio makes vintage shopping worth the hunt. We’ve found other selections at LeatherGlovesOnline.com and farfetch.com. Whatever your style, handcovers should keep the wee beasties at bay.

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