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Gloves: sizing, etiquette and all other stuff

pigeon toe

One Too Many
Messages
1,328
Location
los angeles, ca
I'm in love with hats and gloves, I feel they really complete the look. Unfortunately, i only have three hats, only one of which suits me (the other two were thrift store finds that I've been meaning to sell). I also have two pairs of gloves, but neither really go with any outfits I have. I don't feel there's anything costumey about hats and gloves as long as they go with the outfit and aren't worn just for the sake of wearing.

Baby steps! I'm focusing on getting more shoes before I start moving on to other accessories.
 

Lady Day

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
9,087
Location
Crummy town, USA
Too much hair for hats, so I wear scarves or some sort of head covering everywhere I go.

Gloves, thanks to Magneto ;) I wear them with every coat.

LD
 
G

GoldLeaf

Guest
I have a terrible time finding gloves, I have very long fingers. My husband is 6'2" and my fingers are as long as his. All my winter gloves are men's, but I don't think they would look very good with a dress lol If anyone knows of a line of gloves that have very long fingers, I would be so happy! Short gloves are unbearably uncomfortable.

As for hats, I don't own any yet. I am a bit overwhelmed by how to wear them. I think they are adorble, and hope to find one that I like soon :)
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
33,558
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
My rule of thumb is that I always wear gloves and a hat when I'm wearing a coat -- which around here covers about six months out of the year. I generally dont wear the more ornate types of hats for everyday though -- my favorite these days is a tidy little black 40s-era beret, worn with matching gloves. I've got some fancier headgear, but I save that for special occasions.
 

Ruby Slippers

One of the Regulars
Messages
149
Location
New York
I own several pairs of gloves for different occasions, but have only one vintage hat (which I bought on a whim and doesn't actually match anything in my wardrobe!). I'm desperate for more hats but I'm not sure I've got the right face or head shape for them to be flattering.

I want more hats, though!
 

Miss Sis

One Too Many
Messages
1,888
Location
Hampshire, England Via the Antipodes.
NicolettaRose said:
As for hats, I was talking to my parents asking what thier parents wore in the 1940's and 1950's. My dad said that my grandmother always wore gloves, but did not always wear a hat, he did say though that my grandfather always wore a hat, but he remembers his mother only wore hats to church, weddings, christenings, bar mitzvahs, funerals or parties, My mother said the same thing about my maternal grandmother, that hats were only worn on speciel occassions and my grandfather always wore a fedora where ever he went.

It was often a matter of choice. My boyfriend's grandmother never liked wearing hats, so she didn't! Even if someone swears that every person in London wore hats in the 40s, I know that isn't true. Many contempory photos bear this out. Lots of men didn't either, especially younger chaps.

However, his other Grandmother always wore them. She has mentioned gloves to match all her hats.

I think the further back you go the more hats and gloves were worn. Just wear what you like and what goes!
 

Etienne

A-List Customer
Messages
473
Location
Northern California
I LOVE hats and gloves!!! I have about 15 hats and about 20 or so pairs of gloves. For me it is a bit easier to wear them, perhaps, due to my age. Folks don't look at me too strangely--maybe they think I'm REALLY old!! I wore a darlling wrap dress to church yesterday--sort of a stretchy jersey fabric with a very small black, white and red floral print and a slight flounce on the lower edge that was a teeny bit higher in front and then dipped a little in back. Perfect length for my 5' 8" frame--just past the knee. I wore black peep-toe platform heels (again, just slightly platform, not too outlandish), a black vintage wool purse, longish black gloves that almost met up with the 3/4 length sleeves of the dress, and a darling black, wide brim hat with black face net. My husband must have complimented me 10 times before we ever even got there.

About 10 or 12 women and about 10 men came up and said very nice things about the hat and gloves especially. Even one of the young pastors made a point of saying how much he loves the 40's and loves to see women in hats. It made my day! Several said they hope it starts a new trend because it's such a pretty look. Some folks wear jeans, some wear golf shirts and slacks, some women wear dresses, some skirts and t-shirts, so there is quite a variety. And one woman (that would be ME) wore a hat and gloves! I felt wonderful and very 1943-ish!
 

Eleanor Marie

One of the Regulars
Messages
121
Location
Lincolnshire, UK
Well..

I have a leather wide brim Australian 'bushman' type hat which I wear, it doesn't go with my new look now though :eusa_doh: I look a Bu**er in most hats and have settled for wearing gloves. I have a couple of things on combs to put in my hair instead which I will wear at the appropriate time.
 

Etienne

A-List Customer
Messages
473
Location
Northern California
GoldLeaf,

GoldLeaf said:
I have a terrible time finding gloves, I have very long fingers. My husband is 6'2" and my fingers are as long as his. All my winter gloves are men's, but I don't think they would look very good with a dress lol If anyone knows of a line of gloves that have very long fingers, I would be so happy! Short gloves are unbearably uncomfortable.

As for hats, I don't own any yet. I am a bit overwhelmed by how to wear them. I think they are adorble, and hope to find one that I like soon :)

Gosh, until I really studied your avatar, I thought you had on a small dark hat set back near the crown of your head! (Just a shadow from your hair, I guess.) Anyway, that would be an adorable style on you with that cute haircut you have, and the pearls and sweater would be perfect with it! I actually have a black velvet one like that, with the two little V shaped pieces on the sides that sort of hug it to your head. DO look for one, as it would be fabulous on you!

As far as gloves go, just measure around the girth of your hand at the widest part of the knuckles and that is your glove size. (e.g. mine is 7.5 inches so that's a 71/2 glove size.) Stretchy ones in your size might be a good bet! And long fingers are beautiful!!!
 

Clara Noir

Familiar Face
Messages
92
Location
Old South Wales (UK)
The only 18 year old who knows her glove size...

I can't believe how many of my peers have no idea gloves come in different sizes! I get a vacant look if I mention it; I'm not convinced they even have a clue what inches are!

Ho hum. I have about 10-12 pairs of dressy gloves. Throw cold weather gloves into that and its about 20.
I love gloves! Mainly because I have abominable nails. But I get so many compliments in clubs etc when I'm wearing gloves, a dress and stockings, from both men and women; it's a change from jeans and vest tops like all the other girls are wearing, and everyone assumes I must be sophisticated and elegant.

Hats passionately hate me. Almost indiscriminately. I have a few mini top hats I've made, which look stunning with feathers and a veil, but real hats don't suit me at all. My face becomes a beachball. Metaphorically :p
 

Miss Sis

One Too Many
Messages
1,888
Location
Hampshire, England Via the Antipodes.
It's been said before that there is a hat to suit everyone, but if you don't feel happy wearing it then, well, don't!

I love vintage hats. I don't even know how many I have, but quite a few. I only wear them with my vintage though, except for my work Christmas party in 2005 when I wore a tilt hat with a modern dress. I got alot of compliments, which was nice.
 

Fleur De Guerre

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,056
Location
Walton on Thames, UK
I would love a hat or two, but I don't even know where to start! Gloves are difficult for me as I have big hands, so no vintage would really fit. I have a tiny little skullcap sort of hat with a comb sewn to it, marabou feathers and netting on it, but I have never worn it out!
 

Emmababy

One of the Regulars
Messages
297
Location
B'ham, England
i've always been too shy to wear hat and gloves out, it seems a bit too ostentatious for where i live. i can only just get away with red lipstick
 
Love and wear them both!

I love both hats and gloves and wear them whenever I get the chance. Every Sunday I get the opportunity to really enjoy putting outfits and accessories together, and I wear either a hat or flowers in my victory rolls. =)

There are a number of older ladies in my church who really appreciate the vintage things, and I even have a friend who has loaned me some of her grandmother's things (including some beautiful furs this winter!) because she knows how much I enjoy them and they all get a kick out me wearing them.

Here's a quick snap of me after church this past Sunday. The hat is a lovely 40's micro-straw with a woven crown that I picked up in an antique store in Arizona, and the gloves and bag are also vintage (gloves courtesy my friend).

It's not a very good picture of me, but c'est la vie...

Redgloves.jpg


[Please excuse the hair - I didn't have time to set it Saturday]
 

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