Over the years, gloves have gone through more than a few fashion phases. At one point in time it was as common for a lady to wear and collect gloves in much the same way a modern woman does with shoes. A lady of the past had a glove for every occasion and every outfit.
These days you are more likely to wear gloves to keep your hands warm rather than for fashion reasons. But while the glory days for the glove as a fashion accessory have passed, it has not completely lost its status as an elegant and lady like statement within an outfit ensemble.
We still wear gloves for “special” occasions, such as formal dances, weddings and a particularly formal dinner. Due to the fact that the average woman in today’s world will probably wear formal gloves only a few times, many women are daunted by the idea of finding out their proper glove size.
But it is easier than you might think. (note: following instructions assume that you are using US standard measurements.)
1. Lay a seamstress’s tape measure or a piece of string across the palm of your hand, just under where the fingers meet the palm.
2. Make a fist with your dominate hand. Your dominate hand will most likely be the larger of your hands as the muscles will be slightly more developed due to the fact that you use it more.
3. Wrap the measuring tape or string back around your hand, between the knuckles (where your rings sit). Do not include your thumb in this.
4. Mark where the string or measuring tape meets the other end.
5. Subtract a half inch from your measurement. You have to this because glove size is determined on a French ruler, rather than an American ruler. So, if your hand measures 7 inches, your glove size is 6 1/2 . If it measure 7 1/2, your glove size is 7.
And that’s all there is to it. Because you will most likely only be buying a pair of formal gloves on occasion, you will want to re-measure your hand each time you need to buy a pair of gloves. There are many things that can affect your glove size, such as age, weight and work environment and you want to ensure the best fit every time.
Formal gloves will finish off any elegant outfit. Finding out your proper glove size is a seemingly minor detail that will have a major impact on the way your gloves look on you.