In the 19th century gloves were an indispensable accessory for women. They were worn for day and evening wear. Wealthy women owned many pairs suited to different occasions and carefully chosen to match particular outfits. Strict rules applied to the wearing of gloves. A woman would be considered undressed if she left the house ungloved and it was customary, for instance, to keep gloves on in church, at the theatre and at balls but to remove them before dining.

These buff-coloured kid gloves are typical of day gloves worn by women throughout the 19th century. A slim, elegant hand was considered a sign of good breeding and women's gloves became ever closer fitting. The gloves shown in this image appear incredibly narrow by today's standards and would have been stretched to fit the wearer, using a special glove-stretching tool. The cuff is bound with white leather and a single button provides a fastening at the wrist. The decorative pointing on the backs of the hands also make the hand appear more slender. The fashion for pale coloured leather was the subject of much discussion in etiquette manuals of the time. It was considered extremely bad form to wear discoloured or worn gloves, leading some to claim they 'can only be worn once'.This particular pair have never been worn and still have the protective tissue paper covering over the buttons.