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Few items of traditional apparel have remained as classic, distinctive, beautiful, and relevant as opera and wedding gloves. Their use dates back to at least the late 16th Century, and though their popularity has waxed and waned since then, the enduring appeal of wedding and opera gloves is reflected in the wonderful variety of modern wedding glove designs. |
Wedding Glove Lengths Guide
Though both terms are appropriate, wedding gloves has generally replaced opera gloves in common usage--except of course when you're not attending a wedding. Design features common to opera gloves are still retained in many wedding gloves, particularly their length. There are four basic lengths used in modern wedding gloves (wedding gloves lengths are measured from the base of the thumb):
- Opera Length
Opera gloves are traditionally very long. Opera length wedding gloves can reach all the way to the shoulder, and usually measure between 16 inches and 24 inches.
- Elbow Length
Sometimes referred to as over-the-elbow gloves, wedding gloves of this length are often just long enough to stretch comfortably beyond the elbow. A length of eight to 12 inches for these wedding gloves is typical.
- Classic LengthClassic length wedding gloves extend nearly to the elbow and are most often four to six inches long.
- Short Length
Short wedding gloves are the most modern looking of all lengths. They typically fit no further than two or three inches beyond the base of the thumb.
Wedding Glove Designs Guide
One of the great disadvantages of a bride wearing traditional opera gloves is that the entire glove must be removed at the exchanging of the rings. In previous centuries, an opera glove known as a mousquetaire allowed the wearer to remove their hand through a wrist opening. Fingerless wedding gloves came into style in the 1950s, and modern wedding gloves now offer several different fingerless designs.
The traditional fingerless wedding glove design uses an elastic loop around the thumb or middle finger to hold the glove in place. Other wedding gloves simply provide a small opening through which the ring finger can be accessed.
Etiquette rules concerning wedding gloves have obviously loosened in the past 300 years, but a few guidelines should still be followed. Foremost among them is the shorter the sleeve, the longer the glove. Black opera gloves should only be worn with dark or brightly colored clothing, and colored opera gloves should be worn only with coordinating colors. As for weddings, white wedding gloves remain the rule.
