Fingerless knitting

ARGH! I'm having a problem with N's fingerless gloves. I admit that I'm obsessing (M!), but when an anti-knitter finally renounces the dark side, and admits that he'd like a knitted something, there's a lot of pressure. Specifically pressure to make the said something not too girly. If its too girly, I will undoubtedly be cast back to the era of eye-rolling and assy comments whenever I pull out my knitting (which is quite often....I can't take it at that frequency!) And so, it must be just right.
He admitted that he wanted fingerless gloves. The ones I had designed were way too girly. Not that he said so, but even M declared them to be "victorian". She told me not to be offended. Haha...victorian? How could I be offended by that? I love it! Anyway....victorian fingerless gloves on a large African man. It just doesn't fit.
So I've cast on twice, very soon to be three times, and tried out various stitches that I felt would be more manly, but still have the give and comfort of ribbing. They all suck. And I'm just at a loss right now. I'd make them with straight ribbing, but it seems to dull. I want them to be special, but not girly! ARGH! So, I'm trying to finish L's sock today instead. Maybe it will inspire me....convince me that I'm not a dunder-head knitter and I'll come up with a brilliant stitch that fulfills all my dreams.
Sigh......