# Kid Gloves? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 26, 2000, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-gloves/34626 "2000-09-26T17:04:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2000, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-gloves/34626/1 "2000-09-26T17:04:42Z")
I’ve always meant to ask…what are kid gloves? I understand the meaning, but to what does this refer? ---
**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2000, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-gloves/34626/2 "2000-09-26T17:12:34Z")
I always assumed the phrase referred to gloves constructed of leather from kid goats. I further assumed that such leather would be particularly soft and supple, so anything handled with kid gloves would be treated very tenderly and gently. If I’ve been wrong all these years, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. I’d rather go on living in my fool’s paradise. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2000, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-gloves/34626/3 "2000-09-26T17:13:19Z")
Kid gloves are made of kid skin from young goats. It is a very fine quality very soft leather. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2000, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-gloves/34626/4 "2000-09-26T17:13:38Z")
Answered among the thread [SDMB : Virgin Leather](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=34652) Milk fed goats are kids, thus it is leather made from baby goats. ---
**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2000, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-gloves/34626/5 "2000-09-26T17:14:52Z")
Having taken a moment to look in the dictionary I find my speculations validated: **kid glove** : a dress glove made of kid leather. **kid leather** : a soft pliable leather made from kidskin. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2000, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-gloves/34626/6 "2000-09-26T22:57:04Z")
Heatens, all of you. **Kid Gloves** is of course a [Rush](http://micigama.com/rush/gup/kidg.htm) song. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2000, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-gloves/34626/7 "2000-09-26T23:03:21Z")
The phrase “handling with kid gloves” has, oddly, taken on a second, opposite meaning. Originally, it meant handling something, or someone, very gently, as with soft gloves. More recently, folks who never felt real kid gloves are using it to mean using the gloves to protect yourself from what you’re handling. For example, putting on gloves to give the cat a pill without getting shredded. The new usage seems stupid to me, but it’s out there, and it may crowd out the original meaning. ---
**Author:** ![AzRaek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/azraek/32/16739_2.png) [@AzRaek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzRaek)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2000, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-gloves/34626/8 "2000-09-26T23:05:17Z")
Damm ya got here before I did Coldfire. “it’s tough to be so cool.”