Abstract: An illumination system is described for a hand wear item, such as for example a glove, fingerless glove, mitten, or sleeve. The hand wear item may have a palm surface and a back surface. An illumination assembly disposed on the back surface may have an electrical power source, a switch, and a plurality of lighting elements. The lighting elements may be arranged in a linear array, generating light beams in a powered state. The switch may have an off state, and one or more active states providing electrical power to a selected number of the lighting elements.