Product Review: J.Crew Opera Gloves

Solid Leather Opera Gloves
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Item 98621
Regular: $130.00

"Thanks!" to Hexicon who guest blogged about J.Crew's Opera Gloves. The following is her review:

"I've always loved gloves. I love their elegance (they cover my "man hands") and their practicality (my hands get cold!) and all the little rules of etiquette that go along with them (a lady must never touch food with a gloved hand, thus the buttoned opening). I wore opera-length gloves to both :-) of my weddings. And who can forget the subtly steamy scene in Edith Wharton's "The Age of Innocence" in which Newland unbuttons Ellen's glove and kisses her wrist? In the 80s, my high school best friend and I scrounged thrift stores for hats and gloves so that we could look like Catherine Deneuve in "The Hunger," but in our pearls and pillboxes I'm afraid that we probably looked more like First Ladies in training.

My friend died recently, and when I saw these gloves the reminded me so much of her that I knew I had to have them. I also hoped that they might be put to practical use, as the bracelet-length sleeves on last year's Agnes coat leave my wrists a little cold. My review is mixed--I will keep them for sentimental reasons but they're not as easy to wear as I'd hoped they'd be.

The leather is lovely--meltingly soft and tender. The lack of lining is traditional--there's another scene in Edith Wharton in which the women are powdering their arms so that they can smooth on their opera gloves. (Likewise, the wrist-length gloves I found on my trip to Florence are unlined). But, because the J.Crew gloves are both long and unlined, they not easy to slip on and off.

Ordinarily, the fit on gloves should be very snug (hence the cliche). My hands are large for the size of my frame but my forearms are slender. The size small was snug on my hands but not in the arm. Of course, if they'd been any smaller they would be even more difficult to get on.

Because these were a less than rational purchase, I didn't do any comparison shopping before I bought, but I noticed that Nordstrom has lined and unlined long leather gloves for around $150.

I had hoped that I could wear these gloves on a daily basis this winter with my Agnes coat, but they're too complicated to be an everyday item. I will save them for special occasions--such as the opera :-)"

"Thanks!" again to Hexicon for her great review.

Have your thoughts on the glove changed since the "Love It Or Leave It: J.Crew Opera Gloves" post? Do you think you would purchase these gloves if they were to go on sale? And if you already have, please let us know what you think! :)