Gloves

History and Present

No outfit is complete without accessories. Trinity of hats, scarves and gloves is a common ensemble that is used as modern fashion accessory by both men and women. It was a necessity to protect hands from gusty winds and keep them warm during cold-weather winters. The historic evolution and democratization development of gloves had an exotic trip with detours aplenty throughout the centuries. Gloves in fashion were an exclusive enterprise, a pursuit of the wealthy. Therefore, the use of materials, the length, and fabrication evolved from made at home into real industry. Eventually, an array of hand wear of different styles and colors became available for masses. In the intervening time, Europe countries were the ones that planted the seeds that would define fashion culture, chic and elegance for decades to come. Today, whatever its seasonal vagaries, gloves and mittens as fashion accessories have been a reflection of society as an industry, often stirring provocative debate. Is it art or craft? Who would wear elbow-long opera gloves? Is couture dead? Is department store obsolete? The answers are in the gloves themselves, in their history and present.