Oh, the tiniest hand in the land have I

Traditionally, opera gloves should not be put on in public, but should be donned in the privacy of one's home before going out.

This tradition arose from necessity as the 19th century glove was always one size too small for the wearer and the trying task of getting a large hand into a small glove took skill.

Fashionably attired women often took hours to work their hand into a glove, aided by the use of powdered alum and a buttonhook. It was desirable for a lady's hand to appear half cupped, so that when she presented it to a gentleman there was a half moon shaped pink mound of flesh in the center of her palm. This debilitated ladies from shaking hands, or gasp! presenting a fist to be kissed. The immobilized hand outstretched like a wing was far more graceful.

Blame the fashion on Lord Byron, whose love of the fragility of a woman's gloved hand meant ladies went to extreme lengths, or rather small sizes to make their gloved hands appear small.

Audrey Hepburn wears a spectacular Cecil Beaton gown during the film  My Fair Lady with 16 button kid leather Opera gloves

According to Madame:

"When putting on her gloves, a lady always works in the hand from the wrist, then gradually smoothes the glove up her arm, rather than pulling from the top.

Gloves are worn during the cocktail hour, and at least the right glove is removed entirely while dining, then worn again for the remainder of the evening.

A lady does not remove her glove when shaking hands or when presenting her hand to be kissed.

It is also now very permissible to wear rings and/or 

a bracelet over one's glove

Traditionally, you should use a cigarette holder when smoking while wearing gloves, especially if they are opera length.

"Finally, the mousquetaire glove looks much nicer worn buttoned, and I enjoy assigning this difficult, but always pleasurable task to my escort."

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