The pinnacle of regal elegance! HM The Queen wears bracelets outside of her evening gloves.
When evening gloves are worn to a formal event, there are specific etiquette guidelines you may wish to be privy to!
Can you eat with gloves on?
No, whether you’re standing or seated at a dining table, avoid eating with gloves on.
Can you drink with gloves on?
Yes, it is acceptable to drink with your gloves on.
May jewelry be worn on top of your gloves?
Yes, an evening bracelet may be worn over a glove, but not rings… I doubt a ring would even fit over a glove!
Where do you place your evening gloves when seated at a formal dinner?
Gracefully remove your gloves, fold them in half, and place them on your lap with your napkin over them. The gloves may be removed either before being seated or at the dinner table. Put them back on when dinner is over.
Do you wear evening gloves while dancing?
Yes, indeed!
Are cotton evening gloves acceptable to wear?
Yes, cotton evening gloves are traditionally worn by debutants in the South.
Should you wear your formal gloves when shaking hands or while standing in a receiving line?
Yes, you may shake hands with evening gloves on, except when shaking hands with the President, the First Lady, or a high ranking church or government official. Evening gloves are unlike outside gloves, where one would always remove them before shaking hands.
When presenting your hand to be kissed, should you take your glove off?
You may keep your glove on when your hand is kissed by a gentleman. This is such a charming, old-world European tradition which is still practiced today. I will never forget when my German son-in-law kissed my hand upon our first meeting… I thought to myself, he is a keeper!
Millennial Tip
To gracefully remove your gloves, gently push down the arm portion toward your wrist. Then, pull each finger until the glove slips off.
To put gloves on, work in the hand from the wrist, then gradually smooth the glove up the arm. Try not to pull from the top.
Another option, when dining, is to semi-remove your gloves if your evening gloves are mousquetaires, which have three buttons at the wrists. Undo the buttons, then pull your hand out from the opening, and tuck the remainder of the glove neatly up to the wrist inside. Mummy did this, but I think it is easier to simply remove the gloves all together when dining!
No one wears gloves more appropriately and often than HM The Queen! Ever since Queen Elizabeth II’s honeymoon, Cornelia James, who holds a Royal Warrant, has been making her gloves. Another source I have used to purchase custom gloves is Florentine Gloves. Unfortunately, the company I recommended in my last newsletter was acquired, and so I can no longer vouch for their product based on personal experience.