The etiquette of wearing Fashion gloves
Women of any social class owned many pairs of gloves during the Victorian period. While today we may think that wearing gloves for any occasion may feel like being a bit too dressed up, that was not back then. Instead, wearing gloves in public was seen as being as mandatory as wearing shoes, and different gloves were available for casual and formal settings. Here are some guidelines to follow if you decided to incorporate a pair of gloves into your dress code;
On a casual wear
Never go out without gloves; put them on before you leave the house. Short gloves in cotton or nylon are day-appropriate styles. Black kid leather gloves are appropriate for city sightseeing and theatre in metropolitan settings (and serial killers). Crotchet or string gloves are ideal for casual garden parties and country fairs, or at the beach.
On an evening wear
The appropriate length of glove relates to the length of your sleeves - the shorter your sleeves, the longer your gloves. White and off white, including ivory, beige and taupe, are traditional colours for opera gloves. These pale colours are appropriate for almost any occasion on which opera gloves are worn. Black Opera Gloves should not be worn with lightcoloured dresses but can be worn with black, dark or bright coloured clothing. Black gloves are also considered the most elegant with evening dress. Long coloured gloves should really only be worn with dresses of a coordinating colour scheme. Opera gloves should not be put on in public but in the privacy of your own home. If they must be removed in public please do so discreetly. At the dinner table
Those attending a dinner party are expected to wear gloves up until the start of being served. When seated, take off your gloves and place them on your lap. The rules for removing one’s gloves before eating applied also to drinking cocktails whilst seated and having tea.
In addition, gloves can be worn when driving or travelling on trains, planes or other public conveyances. This is actually excellent advice in our pandemic ridden times. Gloves should be worn for church and formal occasions including weddings, luncheons, dinners, garden parties, and receptions. A hostess should also wear gloves while she is receiving guests at these functions.