'She cannot go without gloves. The Moffats are society! Gloves are more important than anything else, you cannot dance without them.'
Little Women, Louisa May Alcott.
Back in the days when I used to dress in head to toe vintage, complete with original 1940s bustiers and petticoats, I thought gloves were the height of cool. It would seem that little 13 year old me was a little ahead of the fashion curve.
Dries Van Noten
Chanel
Louis Vuitton
Marni
Lanvin
[style.com]
I'm not quite sure why gloves are making such a comeback, asides from their obvious practical positives, especially in the glacial northern environments. Perhaps in this austere economic (and, judging by the FW shows, fashion) climate people are turning to the past to give them hope and reassurance that this, too, shall pass. Gloves were one of the staples of any respectable lady from the 1800s through to the end of the 1950s. Like all other areas of fashion, they underwent multiple and renewing changes, going from full arm length to just hitting the wrist, changing materials from leather to lace to lycra to everything else in between and back again.
But regardless of these changes they have always maintained an air of mystery and allure to them. They are both a luxury item and a necessity, that most rare of beasts. You need them to keep your hands warm, but you can't escape the thought that shoving your hands into your pockets might just do the trick sparing all the cost and show-off-y effort that is required in pulling them on and off. There is a real art form to it, tugging softly and chicly at each finger and wriggling the whole thing off your hand, finally allowing a glimpse of the main within.
You touch the glove, not the skin. It's like a shield, or a barrier between the respectable lady's flesh and those who would wish to grasp it. Very cool. Very sexy.
Country
Yves Saint Laurent jacket, Marni gloves, Burberry dress, proenza schouler bag, hunter wellies, american eagle socks.
Ah the country. It's positively delightful, in your opinion. You love going there with the boy to visit his family who live in this rambling spread, with creeping wisteria and crumbling chimneys. You even thought you saw a Gainsborough in the morning room, but it couldn't be true. People don't really own Gainsboroughs, do they? Anyway, the Boy's family insist on daily walks across their vast fields, which make dressing a little difficult. Burberry is sure to go down well, what with its country england roots, although you suspect the Burberry they might appreciate more would be the trench coat kind, not this gorgeous shirt dress in moss green. You add some hunters in a divine blue colour that mix so well with the pale pink of your marni gloves. Although when they insist on dragging you through muddy puddles towards the cattle enclosure you have to protest. This is Yves Saint Laurent after all.
Work
burberry trench, dries van noten dress, ysl muse 2 bag, marni gloves, nicholas kirkwood shoes.
Cool. Sophisticated. Siren. you repeat to yourself on the way to work, the click of your stiletto heels echoing off the pavement. today is an important day, today the American counterparts of your magazine are visiting, their notoriously fierce editor, her infamously thin assistants, and a whole host of their staff (including, you think, your american counterpart). The pressure is too much to handle! You mix a navy shirt dress with a striking Burberry trench in gradiating metallics as well as high high HIGH heels and a patent bag. But something is missing. As you run out the door hoping you look half decent you spy your marni gloves in a dusty pink leather flopped carelessly on the table. You pick them up, stroke the material, and know you've found the missing link. Knock 'em dead!
Casual
moschino coat, dries van noten top, acne skirt, acne beanie, marni gloves, repetto ballet flats.
For some reason today you feel youthful... effervescent. innocent, dare you say it. You instantly reach for a flirty, full skirt that cinches in your waist and flounces out magnificently from there. You pair it with stripes and a pastel coat that makes you long for ice lollies and boiled sweets. In a nod to this odd exuberance you push up the sleeves of your coat, letting the gloves shine. You're wearing ice cream sherbet colours and you feel like it too. Thank god for sunshine and blue skies and merry go rounds!
Party
marni gloves, proenza schouler bag, sportsgirl bustier, valentino skirt, cos batwing cardigan, miu miu ribbed socks, pierre hardy for gap ankle boots.
mmmmm parties. You always complain and moan about them, how much effort it is to get ready and do your hair and put your make up on and get an outfit together, how you hate coming home reeking of cigarettes and champagne... but secretly (or, actually, not so secretly) you love it. You love the mystery and dark allure of night time, how everything seems a little bit sexier, even long elbow length gloves in a pale, musk pink. You love that feeling of striding into a room with pumping music, grabbing a cocktail or spirit mixer from a passing waiter and grooving silently to the music in high, but comfortable (your are dancing after all) heels. An nothing says night time like leather and silk, clashed so famously together in the bustier and valentino silk skirt. And yes, it might be winter, so you slip a cardigan onto your shoulders, but it's hot enough here without it.
Dinner with friends
Vanessa Bruno coat, alexander wang tee, dries van noten skirt, marni cardigan, marni gloves, givenchy shoes.
You are clashtastic in this ensemble, and you love it, the fringy-feathered texture of the coat goes against the bright gold jacquard skirt, which in turn seems odd against the whispy, light as air cotton tee shirt and the dark purple cashmere cardigan. You don't care, you want to turn heads with your friends, who are always impeccably dressed and stunningly groomed. You wonder if all this texture and colour mish-mash is enough, and then you realise the one thing that will give your outfit an edge, a pair of elbow length gloves. As you slid your fingers languorously into the buttery leather you think you know what heaven feels like.
X
You have read this article dreams /
fashion /
future /
me /
shopping /
style
with the title you know you glove it. You can bookmark this page URL https://startthefire-cafagesta.blogspot.com/2009/04/you-know-you-glove-it.html. Thanks!
