What Type of Gloves to Wear with a Formal Gown?

Formal gloves are worn for fashion, rather than function like winter or work gloves. They made their appearance in the 17th century and are usually made from silk, satin, cotton, soft leather or lace. In fact, many women wore gloves for fashion during all times of day, not limiting their use to just formal occasions. In contrast, today, gloves designed for fashion are less and less used. However, formal gloves are still worn by some women for weddings, the opera, balls and other formal events since they can add eloquence to any gown.

Length

The rule of thumb for glove length today is that the shorter the sleeve, the longer the glove. If your dress is sleeveless or strapless, opera length (22" or 23") gloves would look best. With a shoulder cap sleeve, wear opera gloves, or elect for a slightly shorter over-the-elbow glove that is about 19 inches long. If your gown has a sleeve that is short or elbow length, a quarter-length glove that pulls up to just below the elbow (about 15") is appropriate. Finally, if you are wearing a long-sleeve gown, wristlet or gauntlet gloves to the wrist are the ideal choice.

Style

There are no rules about glove styles. Try on different pairs with the gown to see what looks best. Your gloves should never outshine your dress. For a wedding dress, satin or lace gloves are a good choice. For a ball or the opera, leather or satin works best. For a wedding, white gloves should be worn with a white dress and ivory gloves with an ivory dress. For other occasions, you can wear white or ivory gloves with different-colored gowns, as well as other colors that compliment the gown.

My comments-- Please delete

Hi. Sorry. I tried three times to add my comments, but they keep getting cut off. So, I am going to add it here for you to delete. I hope this is okay. Thank you so much for hearing me out. Here are my comments from the begininng:

Unfortunately, I have issues with some of your recommendations. I was confused by your request for more references, so I took it to Richard Lally at the Help Desk. In Review 42585ERT, he wrote, "An article like this doesn't need a reference." So, I did not add any more.


Per your suggestion, I did spell out more clearly in the opening as to what formal gloves are, although I think the reader searching for such a title would already know I'm not talking about winter or work gloves.

Also, for the comment "use actionable words," the strategy guidelines state that the strategy article should emphasize "...a deeper understanding of a topic rather than minute individual tasks. The reader should walk away with a comprehensive understanding of the topic." It also says, "Unlike the "How to" format, which commands the reader to complete a task through a set of actionable step‐by‐step instructions, the "Strategy" format attempts to give a diverse overview of the actions necessary to achieve an end goal. " I believe I did this.

In general though, while I disagree with you on some points, I do thank you for your comments. I know you are only trying to make a better article.

Have a good day. Melissa

References

• Gloves, a Wedding Style-Setter