In a winter tizzy, ShopGirl finds glove at first sight

We live in Maine. It’s cold here. It snows, it ices, and it sleets. For months, we immerse our hands in this precipitation – scraping inches of ice off our windshields, throwing snowballs and giving people we love the occasional whitewash. You’d think it would be easy to find gloves here. But it’s not.

Last Friday, on the occasion of the season’s first snowfall, I dug out my favorite gloves – black (of course), soft and trimmed with what I hope is fake fur. As I pulled on the left one, a gaping hole at the top of the palm was a solemn reminder that all good things must come to an end. It was too big to ignore and much too big to fix.

The next day, I set out on a mission, starting at Marden’s. ShopGuy pointed me in the direction of a rack filled with soft leather gloves, which were way too small. They only cost $3.99, so I tried to tell myself they’d stretch, like shoes. But then I realized that I’d need to actually get my hand inside one for the stretching to begin, and that wasn’t happening.

There was a bin full of lined nylon gloves, some with faux leopard fur trim, some pink, some lavender. They would’ve worked if I were 12, but I’m not, so I left. Not before buying three pairs of DKNY tights, however, which could be the best hosiery ever made, and a pair of Gap boot-cut khakis for $5.99.

Next, it was off to Filene’s, where all winter accessories were 25 percent off, which was very exciting. The Echo soft and cuddly knits were great, but Filene’s didn’t have the color I wanted, through no fault of theirs. I think it’s discontinued. But that’s OK. Loved the Nine West knits, too, but I couldn’t find anything that I really wanted, so again, I left.

I was beginning to feel like Huey Lewis: looking for gloves in all the wrong places. I considered returning to Molly’s in Winterport, where a cute pair of autumn-striped knit gloves caught my eye, but cute accessories usually backfire on me. Case in point: For some reason, I picked up a pair of mittens for a dollar at Goodwill last week. They are green. They are striped. They are great. And they do not go with anything I own.

That’s what I needed – something that would go with everything I own. Clearly, black was the answer. So it was off to TJ Maxx ‘n More, where I found my first true gloves years ago.

The selection seemed to have dwindled since my last visit. I wanted a sleek little wool number. What I found were red Kenneth Cole mittens with wild fringe. Then I unearthed a single pair of Nine West gloves, knit in a thick, chunky pink wool and trimmed with the coolest braided yarn in shades of lavender and rose. I resisted the temptation. I picked up a pair of soft, brick-red gloves by Ralph Lauren (dark green and brown were also available), but I put them down when I saw the giant rack of leather gloves.

The Italian leathers were soft and stylish, but given my tendency to lose gloves, I wasn’t about to pay $30 for a pair. I really liked the Gates biker-chick gloves, trimmed with studs, but they didn’t have any that fit.

Then I saw them. They were tall, dark and handsome, leather on the outside, cashmere on the inside. Soft like butter. Warm like, um, melted butter. They matched the grain of my leather coat exactly, and they cost $19.95.

It was glove at first sight.

Reader question

Dear ShopGirl,

I always enjoy your column, and hope you can help me with a long-standing problem. I have a nasty skin sensitivity to synthetic fibers, and can tolerate only 100% cotton, silk, or rayon underwear. No pretty, frilly nylon or Lycra unmentionables for me; those fabrics cause great itchy welts. Playtex used to make an all-cotton bra but discontinued the line years ago. At one time Victoria’s Secret offered a cotton bra, but it was obviously designed for women who have nothing larger than mosquito bites on their chest, and I need a 38C bra.

Panties are also a serious problem. One maker advertises a cotton brief, but apparently the thread in the side seams is other than cotton; I have to wear the garments wrong side out. I would happily make my own lingerie, but the only patterns I can find require stretchy, synthetic fabric. I cannot be the only woman with this problem. Can you help?

Thank you very much.

– L.R.

Dear L.R.

This sounds like a serious and frustrating problem, but I found a few sources that carry all-cotton undergarments.

For bras, try www.decentexposures.com. The Seattle-based company goes by the slogan “100 percent cotton comfort, designed by women for women.” The site offers 100 percent cotton undergarments with covered elastics and cotton stitching. Mind you, these won’t be the sexiest bras you’ve ever laid eyes on, but they look like they get the job done, comfortably. And the site sells undies, too.

Victoria’s Secret has added fuller-figure sizes to its line of cotton bras, but these supportive silhouettes aren’t made of 100 percent cotton – they’re a Lycra blend.

As for panties, I have several suggestions. Rosen’s Department Store in Bucksport offers two styles of 100 percent cotton panties manufactured by Fashion by Teri: banded leg and elastic leg. They cost $1,98 each, but there is a catch – both have an elastic waistband. For information, call Rosen’s at 469-3306.

There is also a Canadian-based manufacturer of 100 percent organic cotton undergarments called Clean Undies. The elastic is covered. They cost about $9 a pair and are available at www.rawganic.com.

A third option is Garnet Hill, a catalog retailer that specializes in natural fibers. Garnet Hill does sell 100 percent cotton underwear by Hanro for about $30 a pair. For information, visit www.garnethill.com, or call (800) 870-3513.

I hope this helps!

ShopGirl would love to hear from you. Send questions, comments or suggestions by mail to: Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329, or by e-mail to: kandresen@bangordailynews.net.