Hats and leather gloves

What decides it

Size: hats are sized by head circumference; measure just above the ears. Glove fit: leather gloves should be snug; they stretch slightly with wear. Lining: cashmere and silk linings add warmth without bulk.

The pieces we would buy

Start with the Borsalino Panama Quito: hand-woven toquilla straw panama. The Dents Cashmere-Lined Gloves is the better buy if you want great gloves for less. Usual prices run from $120 to $2,500. See the full buy-or-skip list or the head-to-head Borsalino Panama Quito vs Dents Cashmere-Lined Gloves.

Buying in the US and Europe

Italian glove makers (Sermoneta, Merola) and British Dents give luxury-house quality for much less than fashion brands. Buying in Europe: European prices include VAT, and many Italian and French makers of sunglasses, gloves and leather goods sell for less at home than in the US. Check the warranty and repair service before buying across borders.

Quick answers

Lined or unlined gloves? Cashmere-lined for cold winters; silk-lined or unlined for driving and mild weather. Is a Borsalino worth it? Yes, for a hand-finished felt or Panama hat that keeps its shape for years.

Luxury prices move in a different rhythm from everyday shopping. The great houses (Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Rolex) raise prices once or twice a year, often in January and in spring, and almost never discount their icons. Seasonal pieces, colors and many shoes, coats and knitwear drop 30–50% in the end-of-season sales in January and from late June. Watches from brands such as Omega, TAG Heuer, Longines and Breitling, and most fragrance, see the best prices around Prime Day and Black Friday. Judge any deal against the usual price we show.

Buy from the fashion house, an authorized retailer or a reseller that authenticates and guarantees every piece, and keep the receipt, the dust bag, the box and any warranty card: they matter for repairs and for resale. Swiss watches carry a 2- to 5-year international warranty when bought from an authorized dealer, and buyers in the EU and UK also have a legal guarantee of at least two years on new goods.

How we make the call: we read the house’s own product details and care guides, compare materials and construction, follow owners’ long-term experience and track the usual retail and resale prices. A piece gets “Buy” only if we would tell a friend to spend that money on it. No fashion house can pay for a verdict.