How to Care for Leather Gloves: Cleaning, Drying and Storing

Good leather gloves can last ten winters or more, and the difference between a pair that does and one that cracks after two seasons is almost entirely care. Knowing how to care for leather gloves takes a few minutes a season — the most important part is simply what you do when they get wet.

This guide covers everyday care, cleaning, conditioning, drying after rain and storage, with a note on suede. More in our European Style guides.

Let wet gloves dry naturally, flat and away from heat, then condition them. Store them flat in a breathable bag. Heat and neglect crack leather far faster than wear does.

Everyday Care

Take gloves off by pulling gently at each fingertip in turn, rather than tugging at the cuff, which stretches the wrist. Smooth them flat when you take them off so they do not dry in a crumpled shape.

Keep them away from hand cream and perfume until your hands are dry — oils and alcohol mark leather.

Cleaning

For everyday dirt, wipe the gloves with a soft, slightly damp cloth, then let them dry naturally. For marks, a small amount of leather cleaner on a cloth works on most smooth leathers; test it on the inside of the cuff first.

Some leather gloves are labelled washable. Follow the label exactly if so; if not, do not wash them.

Do not put leather gloves in the washing machine unless the label says they are washable. Water and agitation can shrink, stiffen and discolour them permanently.

Conditioning

Leather is a skin, and it dries out over time. Conditioning once or twice a season — and after any time the gloves get wet — keeps it soft and stops it cracking. Use a small amount of leather conditioner on a soft cloth, work it in gently, and wipe off any excess.

Condition gloves at the start of winter and again when you put them away in spring. It takes five minutes and doubles how long they last.

Drying After Rain

Blot off surface water gently with a towel.
Reshape the gloves by hand, fingers straight.
Lay them flat on a towel, away from radiators, fires and direct sun.
Let them dry completely, which can take a day.
Once dry, flex the fingers gently and apply conditioner.

Never dry leather gloves on a radiator or with a hairdryer. The leather shrinks and hardens, and that damage cannot be reversed.

Suede Gloves

Suede needs different care. Use a suede brush to lift the nap and remove dirt, and a suede eraser for marks. Avoid liquid conditioner, which flattens and darkens suede; use a protective spray made for suede instead. Keep suede out of heavy rain where you can.

Storage

Clean and condition before storing for the summer
Store flat, not rolled or folded tightly
Use a breathable cotton bag, never plastic
Keep them somewhere cool and dry, out of sunlight
Keep pairs together so they are not stretched by other items

Fit Matters for Care Too

A glove that is too tight strains the seams every time you put it on; one too loose creases badly. Leather also stretches slightly to the hand with wear, so a good pair should feel snug when new. The glove size calculator works from a hand measurement, and how a glove should fit explains the snug-at-first rule.

For the styles and how they are sized, see glove types and sizing. Leather gloves are one of the winter accessories worth investing in, and worn most days for years their cost per wear is very low — the cost per wear calculator shows it. The same care principles apply to shoes: see how French women buy shoes. And for a trip, what to wear in Europe in winter.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I clean leather gloves?

Wipe them with a soft, slightly damp cloth, and use a small amount of leather cleaner on marks, testing inside the cuff first. Do not machine-wash them unless the label says so.

How do I dry wet leather gloves?

Blot off the water, reshape them, and lay them flat to dry naturally away from heat. Condition them once dry.

How often should I condition leather gloves?

Once or twice a season, and after any time they get wet.

How do I store leather gloves?

Clean and condition them, then store them flat in a breathable cotton bag somewhere cool and dry.

How do I care for suede gloves?

Brush them with a suede brush, use a suede eraser for marks, and protect them with a suede spray. Avoid liquid conditioner.

For background on the material, see leather and suede.

How French Women Buy Shoes: Fewer Pairs, Worn for Years

Ask what French women wear on their feet and the answer is ballet flats, loafers and ankle boots — accurate, and not very useful. What is distinctive about French women’s shoes is not the shoes themselves but how they are chosen and kept. Fewer pairs, bought slowly, in leather that improves with wear, and taken to a cobbler rather than thrown away. The result is a shoe collection that looks considered because every pair has been worn long enough to be comfortable.

These are tendencies rather than rules, and plenty of people in Paris buy shoes like everyone else. But the habits below are worth borrowing wherever you live, and none of them requires spending more overall. More in our European Style guides.

Buy fewer pairs, in leather, and keep them in repair. A small collection of well-kept shoes costs less over ten years than a large one replaced every season.

The Shoes French Women Wear Most

Leather Flats

The everyday shoe for a walking city. A sole thick enough for pavement matters far more than the shape of the toe, and a flat with a paper-thin sole is a flat that will hurt by the afternoon.

Loafers

Flats with more structure. They read smarter with tailoring and work just as well with denim, which is why so many European wardrobes have a pair.

Ankle Boots

The autumn and winter answer. A low, walkable heel and a shaft that ends where the trousers end. The rest of the core wardrobe is built to work around them.

Seven Habits Worth Borrowing

1. Buy in the Afternoon

Feet swell through the day. A shoe fitted in the morning is often tight by evening, so shop later rather than earlier.

2. Walk in Them Properly Before Buying

Not three steps on carpet. A full circuit of the shop, including any hard floor, and a moment standing still.

3. Choose Leather That Softens

Good leather moulds to the foot over the first few weeks. Synthetic uppers tend to crack at the flex point instead.

4. Fewer Pairs, Worn in Rotation

Letting a pair rest a day between wears lets the leather dry out fully, which keeps it in shape for much longer.

5. Resole Rather Than Replace

A good cobbler can replace soles and heels several times on a well-made shoe. The upper, once it has moulded to your foot, is the valuable part.

6. Use Shoe Trees

Cedar shoe trees absorb moisture and hold the shape between wears. They are one of the cheapest ways to add years to a pair.

7. Size by the Brand, Not by Habit

Shoe sizes vary between brands as much as clothing does. Check each brand’s own chart rather than assuming your usual number. The same applies to clothes — our clothing size converter works from measurements for that reason.

Stand for the fitting. Feet spread under weight, and a shoe that fits while you sit can be tight the moment you stand up.

Why Fewer Pairs Cost Less

A well-made pair worn several times a week and resoled twice can last many years. A cheaper pair worn the same way often lasts a season or two before the sole separates or the upper cracks. Over a decade, the first pair usually costs less per wear even at several times the price.

Include the cost of resoling in the calculator’s alterations field. A shoe that can be repaired usually comes out well ahead.

Shoes sit alongside coats and bags as the pieces most worth spending on — see which pieces are worth spending on.

Caring for Leather Shoes

After Each Wear

Wipe off dust and marks, let the shoes dry naturally away from heat, and put the shoe trees in.

Regularly

Condition the leather every few weeks of wear so it stays supple, and polish if the finish calls for it.

Weather

Apply a protective treatment before the first rainy season, and reapply as the leather starts to darken quickly in the wet.

Never dry wet leather shoes on or near a radiator. The leather hardens and cracks, and that damage cannot be repaired.

Shoes for Travel

If you are packing for a European trip, the same rules apply with more force: two genuinely walkable pairs beat three that look good. Our guides to what to pack for Italy in summer and what to wear in Europe in winter cover the right pairs for each season, and the luggage weight calculator shows how much of your allowance they take — usually more than the clothes.

Which shoes suit you also depends on your style. The personal style quiz gives you a dominant and a secondary style, and the capsule wardrobe builder tells you how many pairs your week actually needs. For the bigger picture, see how to dress like a European woman.

Frequently Asked Questions

What shoes do French women wear?

Mostly leather flats, loafers and low ankle boots — shoes that work in a walking city. The habit that matters more is buying fewer pairs and keeping them in repair.

When is the best time to buy shoes?

In the afternoon, when feet are at their largest. Shoes fitted in the morning can feel tight later in the day.

How long should good leather shoes last?

Many years with rotation, shoe trees and regular resoling. The upper of a well-made shoe usually outlasts several sets of soles.

Are shoe sizes the same across European brands?

No. Sizing varies between brands, so check each brand’s own size chart rather than assuming your usual number.

Is it worth resoling shoes?

Usually, for well-made leather shoes. Resoling costs far less than a new pair and keeps a shoe that has already moulded to your foot.

For more on caring for a pair, see how shoe trees work, and the construction method behind many resoleable shoes, the Goodyear welt.