Guest Author - Norma Shephard
More than a century before Imelda Marcos was vilified for her famous shoe collection, Mary Todd Lincoln was criticized for her own fashion obsession—gloves. Observers noted that in one four-month period she bought more than 400 pair of this fashion accessory on her frequent buying trips to New York. And if Michelle Obama’s shoe-matching apple-green inaugural gloves are an indication of future American fashion trends, gloves will be the new hot accessory.
Until the early twentieth century, gloves were such a fashion necessity that even corpses were laid out in them. Historically, gloves were celebrated by such notables as Queen Elizabeth I (1533–1603), who set a trend by wearing elbow-length gloves with her formal clothing, and Empress Josephine (1763–1814), who covered her arms with long gloves on every social occasion. During Queen Victoria’s reign, when modest dress styles for daywear featured long sleeves, ladies donned wrist-length gloves, even while indoors. And lengthy gloves which complimented evening wear were carefully selected to fit one size too small so that a ladies’ hand would appear delicately cupped when she extended it to be kissed.
By 1901, manicurists were cutting into the glovers’ business, leaving commentators to lament the disappearance of beautiful gloves. London’s “What’s What” reported “many creations cry aloud for appropriate gloves to complete them…and fashion appears inclined to discard them altogether.” It may have been the influenza epidemic that returned this fashion accessory to its former glory, as before the modern age of antibiotics, gloves were more than a fashion staple, they were a hygienic necessity.
Today’s textile collectors, specializing in gloves, are spoiled for choice. While opera gloves from all eras are an established collectible, those designed for daywear have long been overlooked and can be picked up for as little as $10 per pair. Couture examples, like Schiaparelli’s surrealist designs of the 1930s, or Christian Lacroix’s more recent trompe l’oeil pieces will cost considerably more, of course, but gloves are still an inexpensive entrée into the vintage fashion arena. In fact, as vintage clothing collecting can become a very expensive hobby, gloves are a great place to start. In addition to being easily stored and displayed, gloves reflect the fashion dictates of their times, and represent an evolution of 19th and 20th century textile trends and advances. Early examples from the prestigious Trefousse company are readily available, along with designer examples that bear labels like Armani, Chanel, and St. Laurent.
The Mobile Millinery Museum is home to several hundred pair of vintage fashion gloves which are used regularly to complement other costume collection items. I have produced the following four books based on the Mobile Millinery Museum archives.
