What are good boxing gloves for a beginner?

YAY! I love it too and for precisely the reasons you state!

Honestly, I am not that into general gear snobbery, so I would say that you should get a pair that fits you well and that you can afford.

That said, when I was training 4-6 hours a week, I wanted a pair that would take the abuse. I use ladies size small bag gloves (the kind with the little finger holes and the wrist brace) from the brand Harbinger. They have held up VERY well.

I have a pair of Rev Gear 14 oz gloves that I really like. I can hit harder with them, but I tend to prefer to use bag gloves for better ventilation.

I like to use wraps when using my 14 oz gloves because my hands get too sweaty without them, but people also just use gloves all on their own. You can use wraps all on their own if you wish.

So: tl;dr, it's a lot of personal preference in my experience, but out of my wraps, gloves, and bag gloves, I use my Harbinger bag gloves the most above all else. (They are like these: http://harbingerfitness.com/product/322/)

Getting them at a local sports store is fine. Everlast is probably the most popular. Do you need hand wraps? Well it does reduce the sweat build up in the gloves (keeping them drier and less prone to getting stinky) and if you hit hard, helps with wrist support.

If you're willing to spend some good money on gloves though I suggest RIVAL. I have a pair of the Pro Hook and Loop ones and love 'em. Of course I instruct, so having a good pair of gloves that will virtually last forever is a must.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I`ve been boxing with a trainer for several years and was lucky enough that a pro recommended these guys - http://gsboxing.com - their gloves are the same price five or take as Everlast but they last MUCH longer - Cheaper gloves tend to have less padding over the hand and use a plastic plate inside the glove as as substitute - I would beat through and break the plate on ever last gloves in about 6 months of use - My first pair of GS gloves lasted well over a year before they got a little thin - I decided I needed to go up to a heavier glove for the second pair and these have been going strong for year and show no signs go getting thin

I had a pair of 16 oz Everlast that lasted a good long time through plenty of hard sparring. I'd say that wraps are even more important than the gloves. The human hand is a lousy club, and properly wrapping your hands keeps all the little tiny bones a bit safer. Get the longest ones you can find and have someone show you how to do it, because it's a little tricky. Chin down, hands up!

Getting them at a local sports store is fine. Everlast is probably the most popular. Do you need hand wraps? Well it does reduce the sweat build up in the gloves (keeping them drier and less prone to getting stinky) and if you hit hard, helps with wrist support.

If you're willing to spend some good money on gloves though I suggest RIVAL. I have a pair of the Pro Hook and Loop ones and love 'em. Of course I instruct, so having a good pair of gloves that will virtually last forever is a must.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I would give this advice. I don't use gloves most of the time though because I find them to be cumbersome. I do use wraps to support my wrist and prevent rashes on my knuckles from hitting the bag.

I use one-pound weighted gloves for shadow boxing.

ETA: If you really want to get into boxing, invest in a jump rope, too.