True Glove
BOTTEGA VENETA AW22 DOING GLOVES RIGHT.
There are so many parts of the bridal uniform that go unexplained - items that apparently should just be considered by a bride with no need for clarification. The must-have bouquet of flowers, some sort of headwear, a garter? Then there are accessories that creep back into the collective conscience - a particularly good example? Gloves. Opera length or less dramatic, the glove has confidently re-entered the chat.
In the 19th century gloves signalled class, or rather how little work you did. Wearing gloves made of delicate kid leather let everyone know, no manual work was ever done - day or night. You were a lady and you were happy to let people know it. Socially gloves also highlighted decency - when attending a ball and dancing with a potential suitor, gloves created a barrier between the hands, assumingly lowering the sex-factor. The glove was considered sexy, covering the hands/arms, whilst also inviting touch, their suggestive nature could be why fashion and more specifically bridal has fallen for them again.
There was a time when the idea of wearing gloves for your wedding was met with recoil. Images of Madonna in the Like a Virgin video flooded the collective brain - and fingerless lace gloves aren’t for everybody and some might even argue, anybody. Luckily over the past few seasons contemporary designers have reframed how the formal glove is perceived, so if you’re looking to add drama and elegance to your wedding fit, don’t count out gloves, just make sure the fingers are firmly attached.
The Alternative’s Glove Guide:
When, why and how to wear
Opera Style
Quickly becoming every Hollywood fashion stylists red carpet trump card - the opera glove stretches from the fingertips to the armpit. Classic, uber glamorous and OTT, they are the perfect bridal finishing touch. Lean into something unexpected to complement a sharply tailored look. For example, these delicately sequinned opera gloves from Safiyaa paired with a strapless midi-length dress instantly inject fun into a city wedding look.
Short, Sweet & Embellished
Details are everything, especially when it comes to your bridal ensemble. Try something more demure and take inspiration from daytime style wrist length gloves. This lace pair from Valentino are straight off the catwalk. Borrow from Alessandro Michele’s aesthetic and team with a quirky lace Yuhan Wang jacket - the ideal cover-up for a chilly spring wedding.
Leather, Chunky, Oversized.
Not one for the faint of heart, the chunky leather glove is for the bride who likes to add edge to her aesthetics at every opportunity. If her dress leans into timelessness, she’s adding a chunky glove to toughen it up. Bottega’s woven white gloves teamed with this out there Danielle Frankel creation is a baddie bride’s dream.
