In a recent Daily Telegraph article, Madonna was featured in a story about how women aged 50 plus are faring best in this recession, having landed the most jobs, and having set up the most businesses, according to a report by the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development. Great news for our typical Dents customer then, who will have more spare change to invest in Dents pieces!

This economic group, dubbed the “Madonna Generation”, is not only upping its game in its determination to get a job, but also branching out into less stereotyped female jobs such as those in technical fields, or managerial roles…. One small step for mankind, one giant leap for feminism!

Or could it just be that this generation of strong women is the most demanding in what they expect from themselves? Nowadays, more and more women of a mature age seen in the press have the figure and youthful complexion of women 10 years their junior. Look at the likes of Susan Sarandon, Helen Mirren (both of whom are over 60), and Michelle Pfeiffer. However, it’s not all just down to the way you look – often how you dress has as much, if not more, of an impact.

Madonna herself was shown in the Telegraph feature in a picture from her W.E. Premiere at the Odeon Kensington in January, wearing a stunning Dsquared dress with an equally beautiful Dolce & Gabbana cape – paired with a pair of red fingerless leather gloves! Just goes to show that what you wear can reflect the forward thinking person you are… I doubt we will see her Madjesty in a Marks & Spencer cardigan anytime soon. In fact, she is a lover of fingerless leather gloves, having worn a Chanel pair in a surprise appearance on stage in Miami in March.

To get your hands in a pair of similar gloves, take a look at our newest collection…

 

7-3040 available in Black/White and White/Black

 

7-3051 available in Black and White

7-3043 available in Berry, Lavender, Parchment, Pistachio, Rose, Toffee

And for the man in your life we also have these men’s gloves, 5-1009, available in Berry, Black, Damson, Forest, and Purple.

You’ll find those fabulous driving gloves, this spring’s hot seller, right here.

Enjoy the holidays!

We have been in contact with a new motoring magazine recently, called MOG Mag, which is associated with owners of the lovely old Morgan cars here in the UK, and this seems to have been just the start of a surge of interest in our new Collection of driving gloves for spring and summer 2012.

The great American site for women drivers, www.vroomgirls.com, recently took a shine to our new look gloves, featuring our two tone ladies driving glove.  Obviously with the best cars, you have to have the best accessories, but in fact these gloves are great for all sorts of everyday occasions.

The colourways are terrific as well….they come in a range of designs and colourways including almond with black and my favourite, cornflower with putty (see below). Just £48 and available at the Dents online shop.

I came across this on the popular French men’s fashion blog Dandies…

Translation: driving gloves will allow you to firmly grip the steering wheel without fear of slipping because of sweat!

 

Dents handsewn deerskin driving gloves, selected as one of the Wall Street Journal‘s top 50 Holiday Gifts.

 

Every year at about this time I get very excited about one special event in my diary…. It’s Ladies Day at the Races! It’s all about the finer things in life, from getting my hair styled in the morning, to the afternoon limo ride with bubbly, and maybe even placing a bet when we get there. Obviously the dress is everything, but looking perfectly styled is a fine art, and Dents is always my first call for accessories. This year it was almost a case of picking the bag before the dress, but in the end there were so many lovely styles that I had to go out and get a dress to narrow down the selection! Now I have a glamorous Karen Millen dress and a very chic pair of Kurt Geiger shoes, but how do I decide between the endless choices of accessories available here at Dents?! A picture of me as I may look at the races! At the moment I am swaying towards the Polka dot navy ensemble from Dents Spring / Summer 2011 brochure. The clutch is just gorgeous with a very vintage style clasp although I may swap the gloves for a pretty pair of leather bow gloves in Dove (the brogue detail is SOOO hot, plus they’re available on the Dents website now!) As usual what we are going to wear this year is a major point of discussion among my girly group of race-goers, all of whom desperately want to win the best dressed lady competition as if their lives depended on it. One Lady is wearing a beautiful satin Coast dress with this oversized hat with very demure diamanté detailing. It will be the saviour of her fair English complexion if the sun does come out, and she will also look like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s when she puts on her oversize sunglasses, which can be no bad thing! Another has gone for a lace Phase Eight dress, and will be teaming it with this frilly leather Dents grab bag, which is oh-so fabulous, and also has room for the obligatory umbrella and pashmina for when the weather does turn (which it always does!). I am just hoping that I will end the day with my killer heels still on my feet and some money left in my purse, but I guess it wouldn’t hurt to add a Best Dressed Lady trophy to the mix, would it?!  

If you are a fan of Instyle you may have spotted our fabulous nautical stripe bag in this month’s issue (June 2011). It sits alongside Paul Smith sunnies and Kurt Geiger shoes to re-create the Moschino SS2011 catwalk look, but we here at Dents think that it is so much more versatile… As anyone who even vaguely keeps up with fashion will have noticed, stripes are BIG this season. Whether they are wide or thin, horizontal or vertical, or even multicoloured or nautical, they are the one thing that is an absolute must for the fashion forward right now. If you work the Fendi look, or dream of Dior, then you will have no problems fitting this piece into your wardrobe. The more tailored cowboy & indian inspired looks of Hermes & Gucci also have a place for this with its chic tan trim. However, if you are more of a toned-down-classic Stella McCartney/Calvin Klein type or a girly Goddess like D&G, then you will probably be wondering if there is a place in your wardrobe for more pattern or detail… If so, then never fear, your Dents fashion guide is here!!

Dents multi coloured driving gloves 7-9041

We recommend these beautiful striped leather driving gloves, as featured recently on Gok’s Fashion Fix (available at Selfridges soon and our online shop now)… …and this handy metallic striped leather clutch bag which could double as an extra large purse – if you, like me, have far too much to fit into a regular sized one. It could be that perfect piece you’ve been looking for. Keep it inside your Nautical Tote during the day and simply drop your phone and lippy inside and you are ready to go in the evening. All in all, I know what I will be wearing this season, and you’ll be able to spot me sometime soon in Bath wearing my favourite stripe of the moment… Prizes for anyone who can pick me out of the crowd?!! Nautical bag available at stores nationwide this season… Also available in this lovely satchel shape, online too…

Channel 4's Gok Wan co-presenter Brix Smith Start

I am still trying to get over our visit from Brix Smith Start. It was all very exciting…

Brix at Dents glove museum

I was particularly interested in what she was going to wear, and she didn’t disappoint. Fabulous outfit!

During the show Brix visited our museum and picked up a vintage pair of, quite frankly, very cool 60’s stripy driving gloves –  so it was a lovely surprise to be inundated with phone calls requesting them!

Dents multi coloured driving gloves 7-9041

They were so popular, we immediately went into production, and you can imagine my excitement when they arrived on my desk this morning. We are offering these gloves on our website, and you’ll also find them at Selfridges.

Hey, if it’s good enough for Brix then it’s good enough for me, I’ll definitely be wearing a pair.  Perhaps it’s time for a new car to match ; ) ……

Kelly -x-

Dents driving gloves circa 1907

Dents women's driving gloves circa 1910

 

Driving gloves have been tremendously popular this year, as we’ve mentioned before. Styles have changed somewhat from the first ones we made, as these pictures from our Glove Museum will attest – in those days, you needed a lot of protection from the elements!

This year we have a special promotion on driving gloves for men, and driving gloves for women too. They’re perfect for the chauffeur or chauffeuse in your life - why not take a look in our online shop?

This just in from Sally in PR…

Tuesday, February 22nd, Channel 4 at 8 pm – don’t miss it!

Brix Smith Start, Co-presenter, Gok ‘s Clothes Road Show

“Sometimes I feel that gloves are the forgotten accessory. People go on and on about shoes and bags without realising that gloves can actually make an outfit. You are never truly dressed without a pair of gloves. Just a pop of colour on the hand can bring a smile to you on a gloomy day, a sexy riding/driving glove can spice up any outfit, long evening gloves denote elegance and sophistication and the de rigour white gloves of the nineteen fifties evoke a ladylike glamour of years past. With the resurgence of shows like Madmen and collections like Louis Vuitton and Prada, gloves are back in a big way and nobody does them better than Dents.”

Brix