Gloves of the 1860s were usually leather, occasionally cotton, silk or wool. They were wrist-length.
A lady (and a gentleman) wore white or ecru gloves to a ball, in order to make sure that the glove's dye didn't stain ladies' evening dresses. However, for normal daytime wear, all colors could be used.
A lady (and a gentleman) wore white or ecru gloves to a ball, in order to make sure that the glove's dye didn't stain ladies' evening dresses. However, for normal daytime wear, all colors could be used.
For short formal calls on a friend, a lady would generally keep her gloves on for the whole visit. However, if she was planning to stay for some time or participate in an activity such as sewing, she would remove them. A lady generally never ate food while wearing gloves.
Sources
Antique stores, Etsy and eBay often have vintage leather or cotton gloves that can pass for 1860s gloves.
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| At the Opera by William Powell Frith |
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| White cotton gloves Museum of Fine Arts, Boston |
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| Blue leather gloves Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Wool gloves Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Lavender leather gloves Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| White leather gloves Museum of Fine Arts, Boston |