The Genesis of the Modern Opera Glove: Fashions of the Regency/Napoleonic Era
Long gloves first became a staple of women's fashion during the time of Napoleon, the English Regency and the reign of George IV (the former "Regent" of the Regency) (ca. 1795 to 1825). The short sleeves of Greco/Roman-inspired Directory and Empire dresses and gowns were well suited to complementation by long gloves, and their popularity received an additional boost with their frequent wear by the Empress Josephine. Gloves in that period were commonly constructed so as to fit the arm and hand in a looser fashion than gloves of the later Victorian and Edwardian periods, and longer gloves (elbow-length or longer) would often be worn "crumpled" below the elbow. When the longest gloves were stretched out above the elbow, they were often actually held in place by garters. In this gallery, a sampling of representative fashion plates displays long gloves as they were worn during this time.
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Most of the images in this gallery were excerpted from Jessamyn's Regency Costumer's Companion, The Regency Fashion Page, and The Costumer's Manifesto. These sites are all invaluable resources for the person interested in the fashions of the Regency and Napoleonic eras. Also, thanks to Stephen, webmaster of the Tight Skirts Page for discovering many fashion plates and drawings ranging from 1805 to 1835.
Email me at webmaster@operagloves.com or jadmirel@earthlink.netwith comments, questions and suggestions
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