evening gloves for black tie and party season

the most famous pair of evening gloves in film was very nearly black. for marilyn monroe’s “diamonds are a girl’s best friend” number in gentlemen prefer blondes (1953), the costume designer william travilla made a strapless gown in shocking pink, and, as tom and lorenzo tell it¹, it was originally meant to be paired with black gloves before he switched to matching ones at the last minute. the gloves he chose were two-toned, mostly pink peau d’ange with a paler pink suede palm, according to the costume’s record². matched to the dress, they turned the arms into a continuation of the gown, one long column of colour from bust to fingertip.

that decision, match or contrast, is still the most interesting one you will make about evening gloves for black tie. the rules underneath it are simpler. long gloves belong with bare arms: opera or elbow length with a strapless or sleeveless dress. with a long sleeve, skip evening gloves entirely and wear short leather gloves only for the journey, removing them indoors. for christmas parties, which are seldom strict, short gloves with a detail look more at home than long ones.

what the etiquette books say

debrett’s, the british arbiter of such things, sets out the tradition in its guide to dress codes³. “long evening gloves are traditionally worn at balls and dinners when the dress code is ‘white tie’”, it says, “but are no longer compulsory at many events.” they work best with sleeveless dresses, and, in a line worth remembering, “with long sleeves it is better to dispense with gloves, rather than wear short ones.” gloves stay on en route, in a receiving line, when shaking hands and dancing, and come off “when eating (even a canapé) and at the dinner table”.

for black tie, debrett’s says nothing about gloves at all, which is its own answer. at black tie they are a choice rather than a duty, and that freedom is what makes them fun.

evening gloves for black tie, by dress

strapless, halter or thin straps. this is the classic setting. opera length, sixteen buttons or more, is the most formal; elbow length is softer and easier to move in. leave a little bare upper arm between the top of the glove and the neckline so the line looks drawn rather than wrapped.

one shoulder. a long glove on the bare arm only, or a pair, both work. the single glove is the more modern of the two, and the more graphic.

cap or short sleeve. elbow length, ending close to the sleeve so there is no accidental stripe of skin.

long sleeve. no evening gloves. short, fine leather gloves for the arrival, slipped into a coat pocket in the cloakroom, and nothing on the hands at the table.

dinner suit. short black leather gloves with the overcoat, removed indoors.

fabric follows formality. satin and silk are the most traditional, and they have the shine of the 1950s. fine leather looks more current, holds the arm more closely and wrinkles less at the wrist. avoid anything lined, chunky or sporty after dark; an evening glove should look as close to skin as possible.

match or contrast

travilla’s instinct holds. matched gloves lengthen and calm: black gloves with a black column, ivory with ivory, deep green with deep green. the eye travels the whole figure without stopping. contrast does the opposite, and does it well when the contrast is clean: black gloves with a white or pale gown look sharp and graphic, provided the jewellery stays minimal so the two blocks of colour have room.

the risky choice is the near-miss. navy gloves with a black dress, or a slightly different red, look like a mistake made in poor light. match exactly, or contrast decisively.

christmas parties, with a lighter hand

most december parties, in a friend’s flat, a restaurant, an office, are not truly formal, and long gloves can tip into fancy dress unless the invitation asks for glamour. the more modern move is to let gloves belong to the arrival. a velvet suit in bottle green with a silk camisole, black fringed leather gloves for the walk from the taxi, nothing else at the wrists. a red knit dress, opaque black tights, knee boots and black leather gloves. a sequinned skirt with a fine black jumper and plain black gloves, matte leather against shine.

fringe is particularly good at parties because it does what sequins do, catching light and adding movement, without the glitter. paumier’s black fringed leather gloves suit exactly this kind of season: dressy enough to arrive in, practical enough to wear every day of a cold december.

the dress codes, side by side

taking them off

gloves come off before food, always, and debrett’s means it: even a canapé. short gloves come off once you are indoors. long gloves stay on for greeting and for dancing. when they come off, they go in your lap or your evening bag, never on the table among the plates. if you are wearing rings, wear them under the glove or leave them at home; the glove is already the ornament.

if you would like one pair to carry you from a black-tie arrival to a christmas party and well into january, paumier’s black fringed gloves and the knotted fringe gloves in black, tan and cream are made for exactly that stretch. wrapped, they make an elegant present from someone who notices hands.