History of women's gloves. History of gloves

Gloves are not only a necessary element of clothing in winter time, but also a decoration that can emphasize the elegance of their owner, as well as tell the occupation and hobbies of their owner. Even the famous Balzac wrote about them, looking at social rules and mores through the prism of hand gloves in his work. This wardrobe element has conquered the world, becoming an indispensable accessory for women and men. The variety of types is amazing: lace, silk, leather, metal and many others.

The history of the appearance of gloves begins with the tomb of Tutankhamun. The ancient Egyptians associated them with nobility and greatest power. Also, in addition to indicating status, gloves protected the skin of the hands from various influences, which, in general, is their main function. Initially, gloves were in the form of pouches tied at the wrists. And only after some time did they take on the shape of the mittens we are used to, in which there was a separate place for thumb. Once upon a time, these gloves were practically never taken off: they worked, ate, and fought in them. Although some believed that only “sissies” constantly wear this accessory.

The history of chivalry has particularly influenced the use of gloves in life. Thus thrown at a person, they thus served as a way of challenging him to a duel or simply as an insult to his dignity. If a knight received his beloved’s glove as a gift, he would not part with it and carried it as a talisman in a special bag, which was attached to his belt.

At the end of XII early XIII centuries, the profession of a glove maker appeared. She was very respected and honorable. Even took part in this work the great Leonardo da Vinci, who invented swimming gloves. However, this idea didn’t take root. Since, according to the rules of etiquette, it was necessary to often remove gloves, during ceremonies or when shaking hands, they were already worn on the belt. Next, the attention of the glove makers shifted to the production of this wardrobe item for the fair sex. And since then, it is women who become the main buyers of these products, decorating their hands with them.

During the Renaissance and Baroque eras there was an incredible variety of all kinds of luxurious women's gloves. Various embroideries, ribbons, precious stones, lace, and expensive satin and velvet fabrics were used. Thanks to Empress Elizabeth I, long women's gloves became fashionable in the 16th century. It was customary to wear them with lush dresses having short sleeves.

Making gloves became an increasingly complex process, and even special production secrets were kept secret. In the 17th century, knitted gloves came into fashion. This was due to the advent of the knitting machine. The popularity of men's gloves was renewed by the famous Napoleon Bonaparte, who had a whole collection of this accessory in his wardrobe, consisting of more than 240 pairs.

In the 19th century, almost every man had gloves. This has become a mandatory element " gentleman's set" Only now they were shorter and without unnecessary decorations. The demand for this accessory has increased greatly, so new technical devices were required for the mass production of gloves. So in 1807, James Winter from England invented a machine for sewing them.

In Russia, fashion for this element of the wardrobe appeared much later. Moreover, gloves were traditionally made from thin lambskin and later gained popularity abroad.

Today the fashion for gloves is experiencing new stage in its history, because modern designers offer a variety of styles and materials, and also determine the need for their availability in a certain style or location. There is so much great amount models that even for people who just want to keep their hands warm, there is a suitable design masterpiece.

TekhnoTekstil LLC produces cotton with PVC, which is used in various fields human activity. But it might be interesting to know where the gloves came from.

The first gloves looked quite exotic: small hand bags that were tied at the wrist. Such gloves first appeared several thousand years (!!!) BC, in Ancient Egypt. Later, a special protrusion for the thumb was made in the bags. It is believed that it was in these gloves that Egyptian women ate and worked so as not to get their hands dirty. One of the most ancient gloves was found by archaeologists during excavations of the tomb of Tutankhamun. In the pharaoh's glove, unlike its predecessors, all fingers were separated.

The ancient Greeks did not approve of people wearing gloves, considering them sissies. Basically, the Greeks wore gloves only for work. There is a scene in Homer where Odysseus finds his father wearing gloves while weeding.

But in Ancient Rome Almost everyone wore gloves. The Romans protected their hands not only from cold and dirt, but also from hot food. It was much more convenient to take pieces of scalding food with thick gloves than with bare hands, and they did not have cutlery.

In the Middle Ages, gloves began to be in great demand. Rich and noble townspeople wore gloves with all fingers, and the gloves of warriors were made of iron plates or leather gloves hunters strongly resembled mittens. The most beautiful and expensive were the gloves of kings and high clergy, embroidered with silver, gold and precious stones.

The cult of gloves, when they turned from a useful item into a fashionable addition to clothing, arose in the late Middle Ages. And, first of all, the glove became a symbol of power. Bishops received it upon entering the rank. The knights swore allegiance with her and received another “promotion.” And representatives of the urban class were given a glove as a sign that they were given special privileges (for example, permission to trade, collect taxes and mint coins was given by presenting a royal glove). Even the judges started working only after putting on gloves.

And, of course, absolutely special role gloves played a role in the lives of medieval knights. A glove thrown in the face meant a terrible insult, followed by a duel. A glove received from a lady was a sign of special favor. Having received such a gift, the knight did not part with it even at night. Usually such a glove was worn in a special pouch around the neck or behind the belt.

This is a small part of what we wanted to tell you about the history of gloves. In the next article we will try to please you with new interesting stories.

TekhnoTekstil LLC produces cotton and polyurethane work gloves with and without PVC. Our managers are always ready to answer all your questions, and we always have a large assortment of gloves in stock.

Portrait of Charles de Solier, Lord of Morette.1534-35

In the wardrobe of our contemporaries it is unlikely that more than three pairs of gloves will be found. But still in early XIX century in England, the rules of good manners ordered men to change gloves six times a day!..

The word "gloves" is Russian, comes from the Old Russian "pepper sleeves", that is, mittens with all fingers ("fingers"). Gloves have been known as decoration and protection of hands since ancient times.

The first gloves looked quite exotic: small hand bags that were tied at the wrist. Such gloves first appeared several millennia BC in Ancient Egypt, scientists say. Later, a special protrusion for the thumb was made in the bags. It is believed that it was in these gloves that Egyptian women ate and worked so as not to get their hands dirty. One of the most ancient gloves was found by archaeologists during excavations of the tomb of Tutankhamun. In the pharaoh's glove, unlike its predecessors, all fingers were separated.

But one legend says that one day, while playing on the seashore with a shiny shell, the goddess Venus suddenly cut her finger. Immediately the young goddesses came down to her and tied her with narrow ribbons of linen not just the finger, but the entire hand. They did this so skillfully that the bandage was not even noticeable.

François Clouet: “Karl IX.”,
Wien, Kunsthistorisches Museum

The ancient Greeks did not approve of people wearing gloves, considering them sissies. The weather in the Balkans, as now, was warm, so there was no need to additionally protect your hands. Basically, the Greeks wore gloves only for work.

The well-known hero Odesseus, returning from his long wanderings, met his father in the garden, while he was weeding, according to Homer, wearing gloves.

But in ancient Rome, almost everyone wore gloves. The Romans protected their hands not only from cold and dirt, but also from hot food. It was much more convenient to take pieces of scalding food with thick gloves than with bare hands, and they did not have cutlery.

Chocarne-Moreau Paul Charles

Initially, gloves were not a luxury item, but rather a necessity. They were made from a variety of inexpensive materials and were used by shepherds, peasants and soldiers throughout the ages. With the advent of social classes, gloves began to symbolize the status of their owner.

For example, pharaohs wore gloves as a symbol of their high status, while women wore them to preserve the beauty of their hands (they rubbed their hands with honey and aromatic oils and put thin silk gloves on top).

Initially, gloves were made in the form of bags, without holes for the fingers; later they began to be sewn with one finger, like modern mittens. Egyptian women used such mittens to protect their hands while working and eating.

The custom of eating with gloves, so as not to get burned and not to get your hands dirty, was preserved in the Middle Ages - they invented special thimbles made of very thin, good leather, which were pulled only over the fingers.

Lucas Cranach Sr. Portrait of Joachim of Brandenburg (1520)

In the Middle Ages, gloves began to be in great demand. It's funny that some of them strongly resembled mittens, such as the gloves of warriors made of iron plates or the leather gloves of hunters. However, rich and noble townspeople wore gloves with all fingers. The most beautiful and expensive were the gloves of kings and high clergy, embroidered with silver, gold and precious stones.

Historians suggest that the cult of gloves first arose in late Middle Ages, when they turned from a useful thing into a fashionable addition to clothing. And first of all, the glove became a symbol of power. Bishops received it upon entering the rank, knights swore allegiance with it and received their next “promotion,” and representatives of the urban class were given a glove as a sign that they were given special privileges.

Equestrian Portrait of Prince Balthasar Charles.Diego Velázquez

For example, permission to trade, collect taxes and mint coins was granted by presenting the royal glove. Even the judges started working only after putting on gloves.

And, of course, gloves played a very special role in the life of medieval knights. A glove thrown in the face meant a terrible insult, followed by a duel. The glove received from the lady was a sign of her special favor. Having received such a gift, the knight did not part with it even at night. Usually such a glove was worn in a special pouch around the neck or behind the belt.

Moreover, during marriage ceremonies, the Lombards, for example, as a sign of fidelity to their bride, presented her with a glove and a sword.

Harrison Fisher

TO XII century In Europe, a special profession appeared - glove maker, which was incredibly honorable. It’s just how much skill it takes to sew a glove exactly according to the shape of your hand, and even decorate it with embroidery or precious stones! Not everyone could afford such a work of art anymore. And gloves finally became a luxury item: the more exquisite the glove, the richer and more influential its owner.

The advent of the Renaissance did not change anything. Gloves were and remain an extremely fashionable and expensive accessory. They were made from linen, silk and, of course, leather, and embroidered with gold, silver and pearls. And at the end of the 15th century, it was considered especially chic to sprinkle gloves with perfume.
Legend has it that the insidious Catherine de Medici took advantage of this by giving the wife of the King of Navarre gloves soaked in potent poison. The unfortunate woman died in terrible agony...

Victoria Kiryanova

Leonardo da Vinci himself did not stay away from fashion and came up with useful gloves designed for swimming and resembling flippers in appearance. In the 16th century, in many countries the rules of etiquette became seriously complicated, and men had to take off their tight gloves and put them on again several times a day. Representatives of the stronger sex were not allowed to wear gloves: shake hands, attend funerals, festivals and in church. It was also required to remove gloves in the presence of the king. And although, to meet the consumer's needs, gloves began to be made looser, some men stopped wearing them on their hands, but attached them to their belts.

Carolus-Durand, Charles - Portrait of N. M. Polovtsova

Fortunately, such restrictions did not apply to women's gloves, so glove makers focused their attention on them. Satin, lace, delicately crafted leather, buttons and monograms, gilded embroidery and appliqués... However, the real sensation in the world of gloves was the sharp change in their length. With the advent of dresses with short sleeves, piquantly exposing her arms, women's gloves sharply lengthened. The principle was simple: the shorter the sleeve, the higher the glove. Founder new fashion everyone calls the English Queen Elizabeth I, who back in 1566, at an official ceremony in Oxford, appeared in gloves reaching almost to the elbow. However, only to end of the XVIII centuries, long gloves managed to gain popularity among demanding fashionistas.

Harrison Fisher

In the meantime men's gloves weren't worried better times. The reason for this was the fashion that appeared during the Baroque and Rococo times for long lace cuffs that almost covered the wrist. Wearing both gloves and cuffs at the same time was stupid. I had to leave one thing, and without thinking twice, the men abandoned the gloves. Typically, the equipment of the French musketeers still retained a glove, but only one... for the hand with which the sword was held.

Mytens Jan

Men's interest in gloves was revived by Napoleon Bonaparte. A great admirer of this addition to the costume, the great French commander believed that gloves give a man a courageous and warlike appearance. According to contemporaries, by 1806 his collection included more than 240 pairs of gloves. Napoleon wore them almost around the clock and encouraged like-minded people to do the same. Everyone liked the quirk of the nation's favorite, and soon men's gloves came back into fashion. Napoleon's wife, Josephine, did not share her husband's passion for gloves, but still wore them. Most often, she went out wearing very long gloves, and no one even guessed that the emperor’s wife simply wanted to hide her ugly hands.

1801 Antoine-Jean Gros - Bonaparte on the Bridge at Arcole

Answering fashion trends XIX century, new men's gloves were completely devoid of decorations and became strict and ascetic. The main emphasis in them was on cut and quality of material. Rich dudes from time to time ordered gloves from several masters at the same time: one cut them, another sewed wrists, a third sewed fingers, and the leather was generally brought from abroad. More and more people wanted to buy gloves, the excitement grew, but gloves remained a piece goods.

The hard work of glovers was made easier in 1807 by the Englishman James Winter. His sewing machine leather goods quickly coped with all the orders, and the noble gentlemen were finally able to change gloves depending on the weather, clothing and mood.

Armstrong, Rolf

Women had their own joys. Extravagant fingerless gloves have come into fashion. Following the fishnet stockings, fishnet gloves appeared. And then incredibly soft and elastic kid gloves were brought from wild Russia, which were made from the skin of newborn kids and lambs.

CherryRipe1879 by John Everett Millais.

Until the mid-19th century, gloves were sewn by hand, and then a special machine was invented that pressed the edges of the product so that they held well and the joints were barely noticeable. It was very difficult to put on real gloves made of kid, so this operation was carried out only at home. The rules of etiquette of that time required that in public places the person always wore gloves.

Velazquez Diego Rodriguez "Lady with a Fan", 1638-39, London.

A couple of centuries ago, appearing in public without gloves was considered bad manners. They were different color, but the most exquisite ones were the white ones with gold buttons. Men in uniform were required to have suede gloves; kid gloves were worn with a civilian suit. The gloves of the stronger sex were always short, and the length of those worn by the fair half of humanity depended on the length of the sleeve. After the First World War, long women's gloves gradually lost their popularity and went out of fashion.

By the way, Russian Emperor Nicholas I, a great adherent of order, once saw an officer without gloves at a ball - unthinkable insolence! To the king's remark, the officer replied that he had lost his gloves. Then Nikolai gave him his.

The Woman with the Glove, 1869.Carolus (Charles Auguste Emile) Duran
Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France

The color of the gloves depended on the costume and the situation. Thus, only black gloves were worn for mourning. For visits, gloves to match the suit. White long gloves were worn only on special occasions (we are mainly talking about long kid gloves) - such as a wedding, communion, a ball, a big evening or a visit to the theater (white long gloves in the theater were mandatory for women occupying a box). Under other circumstances, the color of the gloves depended on the costume for women and on the situation (club, visit, hunting, walk, etc.) for men. Hunting gloves were most often made from yellow skin. Lighter gloves were worn at the beginning of the day, dark gloves in the evening, etc. In the first half of the century, the colors of both men's and women's gloves were very diverse. There were frequent notifications that in the morning gloves of the color “Maltese orange” were required for ladies and men. True, the newspaper “Rumor”, which published this message, did not specify the color that was hidden behind such an elegant name.

The Man with a Glove. c.1520
Tiziano Vecellio Titian
Louvre Museum Paris France

It is curious that in many cases gloves were worn indoors.
“At dinners by invitation, gloves are removed only when sitting down at the table, before the napkin is unrolled, and the gloves are hidden in the pocket, or if the pockets are inconvenient, the gloves are left on the knees, under the napkin; it is positively indecent to put the gloves near your utensil on the table. Putting gloves on again should be after dinner; putting them on earlier would mean reminding the hostess of the house that it is time to get up from the table.”
If at a party one of the guests was asked to play the piano, then the gloves should be taken off no earlier than “sitting at the instrument and put them on again after the end of the game.” Gloves were not removed while singing.
The same publication drew attention to the fact that “dancing without gloves or with only one glove in highest degree indecent. Both men and ladies should always dance with gloves.”

Christina Boyer, first wife of Lucien Bonaparte. Portrait by Jean-Baptiste Isabey. 1st quarter of the 19th century Napoleon Museum, Rome.

There were special rules when visiting church. Entering Orthodox church, it was necessary to make the sign of the cross. At the same time, they certainly took off the glove from their right hand. This rule applied to men and women without exception. During the wedding ceremony, the right hand of the couple was left without a glove.
IN catholic church It was not necessary to remove the glove from the right hand, since Catholics made the sign of the cross only after dipping their fingertips into a vessel with consecrated water. In addition, you could serve holy water to your companion; usually the younger ones served it to the older ones. This meant that the other person did not need to put his hand into a vessel with water - it was enough to touch the hand of the person giving the water.
There were a number of professions, such as footman or waiter, whose costume required gloves. In this case, gloves could be made of thread, but leather gloves, suede, and especially kid gloves were absolutely excluded.
Gloves were distributed throughout the territory of settlement of the Russian people, as in European Russia, and in Siberia.

Osmerkin Alexander Alexandrovich. Woman taking off a glove. 1924.

The 20th century put everything in its place. The most fashionable gloves for women were goat gloves, for men - pig gloves, and dog skin was used for sports gloves. Glove decorations ceased to be especially popular, but concessions were made to picky customers and they were offered samples with embroidery, feathers and fake diamonds.

The 20th century saw the most dramatic changes in the glove industry, driven by... social change, especially in the last 30 years, which ultimately led to the virtual oblivion of this area.

Konstantin Razumov

Until the 1930s, gloves were considered a sign of elegance and a kind of symbol of a true “lady” who wore gloves all year round, along with a hat and stockings. In fact, tanned arms were considered a sign of being working class.

The last surge of interest in gloves ended around the middle of the century. The beautiful actresses of the past Sarah Bernhardt, Vivien Leigh, Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe wore breathtaking gloves, and their admirers and admirers, wanting to be like their idols, besieged haberdashery stores.

In fact, the peak occurred in 1968, when the accessory was recognized as a “bourgeois” sign and became a symbol of official relationships, hypocrisy, ostentation and wealth.

Francois Gerard. Artist Jean-Baptiste Isabey with his daughter. 1795. Paris, Louvre.

The modernity of gloves is purely rational and uninteresting. There are gloves for doctors, athletes, electricians and ordinary citizens who do not want to freeze.

Today, gloves are not a mandatory element of a modern wardrobe, but, nevertheless, it is also difficult to imagine our life without them in the cold season. Any person, regardless of gender, income, profession, social status, has at least one pair of gloves, be they leather, suede or some other.

Ekimov Vladimir Yurievich. Abandoned Gloves

By the way, if one of the guests forgot gloves in your house, then, when returning to pick them up, he should sit down for a minute. Then, according to folk signs, he should get up and only then put them on, otherwise he will never visit your house again. In addition, if you decide to give gloves to someone, keep in mind that they are an unwanted gift. Giving gloves means a quarrel. If the gloves have already been purchased and presented as a surprise, do not rush to get upset, just give the person some money in return.

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The first gloves looked quite exotic: small hand bags that were tied at the wrist.

Such gloves first appeared several millennia BC in Ancient Egypt, scientists say. Later, a special protrusion for the thumb was made in the bags.
It is believed that it was in these gloves that Egyptian women ate and worked so as not to get their hands dirty. One of the most ancient gloves was found by archaeologists during excavations of the tomb of Tutankhamun. In the pharaoh's glove, unlike its predecessors, all fingers were separated.

The ancient Greeks did not approve of people wearing gloves, considering them sissies. The weather in the Balkans, as now, was warm, so there was no need to additionally protect your hands.

Titian Vecellio da Cadore. Man with a Glove, 1520-1522

Basically, the Greeks wore gloves only for work. There is a scene in Homer where Odysseus finds his father wearing gloves while weeding. But in ancient Rome, almost everyone wore gloves. The Romans protected their hands not only from cold and dirt, but also from hot food. It was much more convenient to take pieces of scalding food with thick gloves than with bare hands, and they did not have cutlery.

Lucas Cranach the Elder. "Joachim II - the chosen prince." 1520 Iron gloves are an indispensable attribute of a knight's costume.
Hans Holbein the Younger. "Charles de Saullier, Sieur de Morette, French Ambassador in London." 1534 During the Renaissance, noble people were depicted wearing gloves in ceremonial portraits. This custom survived until the 19th century.

In the Middle Ages, gloves began to be in great demand. It's funny that some of them strongly resembled mittens, such as the gloves of warriors made of iron plates or the leather gloves of hunters. However, rich and noble townspeople wore gloves with all fingers. The most beautiful and expensive were the gloves of kings and high clergy, embroidered with silver, gold and precious stones.

Historians suggest that the cult of gloves first arose in the late Middle Ages, when they evolved from a useful item into a fashionable addition to clothing.

And first of all, the glove became a symbol of power. Bishops received it upon entering the rank, knights swore allegiance with it and received their next “promotion,” and representatives of the urban class were given a glove as a sign that they were given special privileges.

1873 - 1930. White glove. Lambert, George

For example, permission to trade, collect taxes and mint coins was granted by presenting the royal glove. Even the judges started working only after putting on gloves.

And, of course, gloves played a very special role in the life of medieval knights. A glove thrown in the face meant a terrible insult, followed by a duel.

Edgar Degas (1878).

The glove received from the lady was a sign of her special favor. Having received such a gift, the knight did not part with it even at night. Usually such a glove was worn in a special pouch around the neck or behind the belt.

By the 12th century, a special profession appeared in Europe - glove-making, which was incredibly honorable.

It’s just how much skill it takes to sew a glove exactly according to the shape of your hand, and even decorate it with embroidery or precious stones! Not everyone could afford such a work of art anymore.

And gloves finally became a luxury item: the more exquisite the glove, the richer and more influential its owner.

The advent of the Renaissance did not change anything. Gloves were and remain an extremely fashionable and expensive accessory. They were made from linen, silk and, of course, leather, and embroidered with gold, silver and pearls. And at the end of the 15th century, it was considered especially chic to sprinkle gloves with perfume.

Legend has it that the insidious Catherine de Medici took advantage of this by giving the wife of the King of Navarre gloves soaked in potent poison. The unfortunate woman died in terrible agony...

Leonardo da Vinci himself did not stay away from fashion and came up with useful gloves designed for swimming and resembling flippers in appearance. In the 16th century, in many countries the rules of etiquette became seriously complicated, and men had to take off their tight gloves and put them on again several times a day.

Representatives of the stronger sex were not allowed to wear gloves: shake hands, attend funerals, festivals and in church.

It was also required to remove gloves in the presence of the king. And although, to meet the consumer's needs, gloves began to be made looser, some men stopped wearing them on their hands, but attached them to their belts.

Nikola-Sebastian Froste. Portrait of A.V. Suvorov with a field marshal's baton

Fortunately, such restrictions did not apply to women's gloves, so glove makers focused their attention on them. Satin, lace, delicately crafted leather, buttons and monograms, gilded embroidery and appliqués...

However, the real sensation in the world of gloves was the sudden change in their length. With the appearance in the ladies' wardrobe of dresses with short sleeves, which piquantly exposed their arms, women's gloves sharply lengthened.

Edouard Manet. Spring Zhanna. 1881

The principle was simple: the shorter the sleeve, the higher the glove. Everyone calls the founder of the new fashion the English Queen Elizabeth I, who back in 1566, at an official ceremony in Oxford, appeared in gloves that reached almost to the elbow.

However, only by the end of the 18th century did long gloves manage to gain popularity among demanding fashionistas.

Meanwhile, men's gloves were going through hard times. The reason for this was the fashion that appeared during the Baroque and Rococo times for long lace cuffs that almost covered the wrist.

Wearing both gloves and cuffs at the same time was stupid. I had to leave one thing, and without thinking twice, the men abandoned the gloves. Typically, the equipment of the French musketeers still retained a glove, but only one... for the hand with which the sword was held.

Men's interest in gloves was revived by Napoleon Bonaparte. A great admirer of this addition to the costume, the great French commander believed that gloves give a man a courageous and warlike appearance. According to contemporaries, by 1806 his collection included more than 240 pairs of gloves.

François Gerard, Napoleon in Coronation Suit, 1804

Napoleon wore them almost around the clock and encouraged like-minded people to do the same. Everyone liked the quirk of the nation's favorite, and soon men's gloves came back into fashion.

Napoleon's wife, Josephine, did not share her husband's passion for gloves, but still wore them. Most often, she went out wearing very long gloves, and no one even guessed that the emperor’s wife simply wanted to hide her ugly hands.

Responding to fashion trends of the 19th century, new men's gloves were completely devoid of decoration and became strict and ascetic. The main emphasis in them was on cut and quality of material.

Rich dudes from time to time ordered gloves from several masters at the same time: one cut them, another sewed wrists, a third sewed fingers, and the leather was generally brought from abroad. More and more people wanted to buy gloves, the excitement grew, but gloves remained a piece goods.

Kramskoy I. Unknown. 1883

The hard work of glovers was made easier in 1807 by the Englishman James Winter. His machine for sewing leather goods quickly coped with all orders, and the noble gentlemen were finally able to change gloves depending on the weather, clothing and mood.

Ekimov V. Yu. Still life with abandoned gloves

Women had their own joys. Extravagant fingerless gloves have come into fashion. Following the fishnet stockings, fishnet gloves appeared.

And then incredibly soft and elastic kid gloves were brought from wild Russia, which were made from the skin of newborn kids and lambs.

By the way, Russian Emperor Nicholas I, a great adherent of order, once saw an officer without gloves at a ball - unthinkable insolence! To the king's remark, the officer replied that he had lost his gloves. Then Nikolai gave him his.

Portrait by Vladimir Sverchkov. Nicholas I

The 20th century put everything in its place. The most fashionable gloves for women were goat gloves, for men - pig gloves, and dog skin was used for sports gloves.

Glove decorations ceased to be especially popular, but concessions were made to picky customers and they were offered samples with embroidery, feathers and fake diamonds.

The last surge of interest in gloves ended around the middle of the century. The beautiful actresses of the past Sarah Bernhardt, Vivien Leigh, Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe wore breathtaking gloves, and their admirers and admirers, wanting to be like their idols, besieged haberdashery stores.

Audrey Hepburn

It may seem to many that modernity has lost the romance that shrouded the history of gloves for so many centuries. But this is only at first glance. Those who follow latest trends fashion, they won’t let you lie: not a single haute couture or pret-a-porter collection is complete without such an important accessory as gloves.

Many fashion designers often assign gloves a key role in the show - after all, this accessory allows you to competently and advantageously emphasize the uniqueness of the image they created. So for those who value gloves only for warmth, it’s high time to look at them in a new way.

From the rules of etiquette:

Gloves. A man takes off his handshake glove. A woman does not take off her right glove when shaking hands.

A man takes off his gloves when entering a private residence. A woman does not take off her gloves when entering a private home. The rules require that a woman not wear gloves at the dinner table in her home or in a restaurant.

She keeps the gloves on her lap, puts them in her wallet, or leaves them in any place convenient for her. Both men and women remove at least one glove when smoking indoors.

Language of gloves

Moral principles victorian era were not allowed to express their feelings freely. The lady could not openly approach her chosen one and let everyone know what was on her mind.

For secret communication, various romantic sign languages ​​were invented, which allowed partners to convey messages to each other and even set up a date. Many secret languages ​​were firmly tied to all kinds of social events and functioned as a special kind of game and a generally accepted form of flirting.

The most common were the language of flowers and the language of fans. There were others, the lovers’ imagination was inexhaustible.

There was also a language of gloves, quite natural at a time when gloves were an integral part of women's toilet. With the help of gloves, a lady could signal her lover, show her interest in someone, or ask him to stay away. The man only had to carefully observe what she was doing with her gloves.

Here are the most common meanings of this language:

Yes, the glove should have been dropped as if by accident.
No - just fiddle with the gloves with your hand.
Don’t leave—lightly, as if jokingly, hit him on the left shoulder.
I hate you - turn your gloves inside out.
I love you - drop both gloves at once.
Forgive me - put the glove of your right hand to your heart.

HARRISON FISCHER

Annoyance or displeasure was expressed by a strong blow to the hand with gloves.
We are being watched - wrapping gloves around our fingers.
I want to meet you - hold your gloves with your fingers down.

HARRISON FISCHER

I want to be with you, I want to talk - to gently stroke the gloves.
Be careful to hold your gloves loosely right hand.
I'm happy to be able to hold the gloves freely in my left hand.
I'm busy throwing my gloves up a little.
I love someone else - tap the chin with a glove

Lempicka Tamara. Girl in gloves.