The celebrity-approved glove-aissance is all the rage right now—and looks like it’s here to stay! From tiny bags and sunglasses to towering platform shoes and Afghan coats, creating a statement-making ensemble is all about accessorising these days. And the unexpected finishing touch that’s been seen on everyone and their mother on the red carpets, runways and our For You pages (FYPs) lately, are the slinky opera gloves inspired by the ‘old money-meets Bridgerton’ aesthetic.
No longer solely associated with just TV costumes and Disney princesses, these elbow-length Regency-era gloves add old-school glamour to basically any outfit, which is exactly why they won’t stop popping up on mainstream media feeds. And with the onset of winter, what better way is there to stay warm in style?
The trend may feel like it’s coming out of nowhere, but the resurgence of the opera glove was inevitable thanks to old-money aesthetics including tennis-and Plazacore to coquette and the Hamptons-grandma core vibe blowing up on Instagram and TikTok. Transporting us back to the era where long satin or lace gloves were a staple for high-society swans, the opera gloves trend fittingly contain notes of Netflix’s fantasy period drama Bridgerton and the Marylin Monroe biopic, Blonde too; which featured a series of these dainty hand warmers.
Celebrities and their stylists have also taken a page out of Kate Sharma’s lookbook; with instances such as Florence Pugh channelling a rebellious debutante in a sheer pair and a see-through dress back in June, and singer Lizzo adorning her showstopper of a gown with the gloves at the VMAs.
Supermodel Bella Hadid gave the fashion trend her stamp of approval by sporting a lace pair while clacking away on her laptop while shooting for a music video. And, Camila Mendes and Kris Jenner both exuded the dominatrix slash femme fatale energy in opera gloves styled with matching green mesh and black satin corsets, respectively.
Other examples of famous people strutting around in these opulent gloves include Jodie Smith’s sequined black gloves with golden frills, Olivia Wilde’s sultry red latex gloves and Kim Kardashian’s all black leather gloves, spotted at on the red carpet of the LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles a day ago.
Kourtney Kardashian even sported a sheer white rendition of these babies on her wedding day, as she said ‘I do’ to Travis Barker. Not only this, the opera glove trend is being hailed as a winner in pop culture as well, with Dua Lipa pairing them with her outfit in nearly all her live concerts, and Olivia Rodrigo following suit. And, predictably, we saw a lot of elbow gloves popping on our Instagram feeds during Halloween, given its costume-friendly nature.
While long gloves are distinctly feminine, complementing a flowy dress or softening a power suit, the accessory can even become punk rock and edgy if worn with corsetry, dark leather, and heavy boots. No matter how you style them, though, these gloves never fail to add an element of mystery and sex appeal to any outfit.
Dipping your toes (or fingers?) into the trend is not as daunting as it seems. If you’re not too sure about how you could style the pair, start with a monochrome colour palette and choose a tulle or satin pair that’ll match your favourite dress—and protect your hands from a chilly cocktail. Think of it as stockings, but for your arms and hands—pretty neat, if you ask us.
Add a little more visual texture and drama by wearing pearl-studded mesh or Julia Fox–worthy leather. If you really want to make a statement, patterned pairs are great for power clashing. And when the weather turns colder, cashmere or wool-knit gloves will become your go-to daytime accessories without sacrificing your style quotient. As a bonus, you’d still be able to text and use your phone to click pictures through the thin, mesh material.
While opera gloves would probably not pair well with every autumn outfit you put together, they can shine as statement accessories for fancier occasions, like dinners out, weddings or galas. If you’re excited to give your dreary winter wardrobe a glamorous makeover, get inspired and add these picks to your look book, stat!
