Tea at Trianon: Glove Etiquette

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Monday, April 21, 2014

Glove Etiquette

From Maura Graber:

Back in January, I blogged about a query I received from Bernadette Petrotta (more of a lament than a query) on etiquette and gloved hands with drinks in them, on the popular period drama, Downton Abbey. She was lamenting the fact that they were so incorrect with their glove manners on such an otherwise great show. I had told her that I gave the show a pass on that particular faux pas, as they get so many other things historically accurate, and I then quoted Judith Martin, who once wrote, "The only place where it seems to be traditional for ladies to eat or drink with gloved hands is in costume dramas. In real life, it was always considered crude, not to mention yucky, but in every period film, television show, play and opera, it is evidently intended to add a touch of what passes for 'class.'"

I immediately called Bernadette, who had asked me the original question about Downton Abbey and the glove etiquette. She and I had previously discussed her love of the fashions on Downton Abbey and she had been looking to purchase some. I sent a response to Genevieve, and asked if she sold her gloves online, and if she shipped to the U.S. Her answers were "Yes" and "Yes." So if you are inclined to take a look at the beautiful gloves she has available for purchase, you will find them at Cornelia James.com

She offers day gloves, evening gloves, lace gloves, leather gloves, and more. I may even order a pair, as I have a birthday coming up, though I really only wear gloves for driving. I am the only person I know anymore, who actually has gloves in the glove compartment of my car. I keep three pairs of gloves in there and people are always a bit surprised. But even in sunny, Southern California, my hands can, and do, get cold driving at night. (Read more.)

julygirl said...: Just today I was digging through some old stuff and found gloves that are all types and lengths that date back about 50 years or more!! We wore at-the-wrist length gloves to church and other regular daytime dress up occasions, above--the-wrist length gloves for evenings, and elbow length gloves for very formal occasions.; April 21, 2014 at 3:22:00 PM EDT
Little Red said...: I know they take their gloves off in the dinner scenes. But I'll pay attention in the pre-dinner cocktail drinks scene though.; December 28, 2015 at 12:19:00 AM EST