Opera gloves: what’s the history of the fashion items that originated in the 16th century?

9 May 2025, 15:14

Gloves have a long history, with evidence they existed between 1343 and 1323 B.C. But when did the common and practical hand warmer shift to the fashionable accessory it’s known as today?

The history of opera gloves is almost as long and intricate as the garments themselves.

While the humble hand glove dates back to ancient Egyptian times, with a pair of embroidered linen gloves discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamun, the inspiration for the over-the-elbow opera glove was first sparked in the 16th century during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Much admired for her fashionably pale hands and long, slender fingers, the Queen was considered a trendsetter of her day. She sparked an expansion of the glove industry after wearing 18-inch-long jewelled and embroidered gauntlets, a style choice that understandably, quickly took off with courtiers.

The feminine glove then went on an evolutionary journey. Some 200 years later, the heavily embellished accessory had gone out of fashion in favour of plain, high-quality gloves.

As sleeve lengths changed depending on the fashion of the time, gloves were adapted accordingly, to ensure a lady’s entire arm was covered. At a time when tanned skin and blemishes were avoided at all costs to keep up appearances of wealth and leisure, gloves were non-negotiable.

The increased demand for gloves, arising from a societal fixation with pale skin, saw an expansion of the glove-making industry in Britain. However, gloves from France and Italy were still the more fashionable choice, and in anticipation of sales of over 30 million pairs a year, a stamp duty on glove imports was imposed in 1785.

“Anyone selling gloves without this tax will be liable for a fine of £20,” The Stamp Office stated.

This glove craze continued well into the 19th century, and it was at this time that the opera glove, as it is now recognised, became so much more than an accessory.

Fashion, as it still is in many societies today, was used in Victorian England as a statement of wealth. Expensive gloves worn by wealthy women not only told others they could afford such a luxury, but also indicated they had no use for laborious work with their hands.

Gloves, albeit cheaper pairs, were worn by working women to hide their rough and sun-exposed skin but it was the lavish opera glove that couldn’t be replicated.

In an age of extravagance, when outfits needed to be changed depending on the time of day, etiquette demanded women keep forearms covered, especially when attending social affairs. Gloves made of silk, suede, or leather, and often embellished, became commonplace evening attire for the Victorian and Edwardian social elite.

The most popular style of opera glove was the Mousquetaire – a long, over-the-elbow glove, usually between 19 and 23 inches in length, made with silk or kidskin leather and with buttons on the wrist, allowing women to free their hands without completely removing the glove for occasions like eating.

The First and Second World Wars saw a decline in such luxuries, but so did a change in attitudes. Flappers forewent the long opera glove, adorning their hands with sheer lace gloves instead.

And as the 1920s went on, Gauntlet gloves – gloves with a bold cuff – came back into fashion, replacing the modest high-cut opera gloves of the older generation, signalling a shift away from the traditional values of a pre-war era.

Gloves became an accessory saved for special occasions only, and are now no longer a formal requirement. But they are still used today as the bold fashion statement they’ve slowly come to be.

From runway to red carpet, opera gloves have made a comeback, styled by the likes of many such as the Princess of Wales and Olivia Rodrigo, a nod to the golden era in a uniquely contemporary way.