Thursday, October 13, 2011

An Article About Gloves And Its Various Purposes Throughout History

By Lorenzo Mitchell


Today, different types as well as styles of hand gloves depending on their purposes are available in the market. This item which has been a part of human's culture since prehistoric times is generally defined as a hand covering that have separate sections for each of the fingers and the thumb that extends part way up of the hand. The commonly seen include leather gloves and the mittens which are used for household chores.

Gloves as abovementioned were used since prehistoric times. These were used by cavemen to protect their hands from acquiring wounds and hand injuries when they are doing rough and uncomfortable tasks. Early forms of gloves were designed like crude mittens which have fingers and a gauntlet that covers the forearm. During the 12th century, these hand coverings were called "glove" which comes from the English word "glof". They do really have rich history, however, the inventor of this item was never known.

Other than being used by cavemen, gloves were also used by royalties and dignitaries especially in England. Leather gloves, pieces of jewelry, and embroidered fabric were worn by people after the Norman Conquest as a distinction of social status. Other than this, they were also used once by English people to challenge personal battle. Over the centuries, gloves became widely popular primarily by people with high social status. Upper-classmen during the 14th century where often seen using them, and during the 16th century, Catherine de Medicis who is the queen consort of Henry II of France recognized these as fashion items. Nowadays, depending on purpose of use, gloves come in different styles as well as type.

Today, there are various styles and types in which gloves are available. There are generally six categories, in which hand gloves can be purchased: winter, industrial, sports, stylish, white, and general. First the winter gloves are of course used during the winter season to protect the hand from too much cold which also the primary reasons of the cavemen for using these during prehistoric times. The industrial gloves which are primarily used in industrial sites also comes in different styles like hand coverings that are heat resistant, demolition style, cryogenic, metal guard, as well as utility styles. For sports, we have them being used in baseball, cycling, fencing, hockey and others. Sports gloves, as the name implies, are used in sports activities.

Other than those abovementioned another category of gloves which are used as fashion items are the stylish gloves. These are very famous among celebrities like Michael Jackson, who was known for his signature Swarovski studded glove. Another fan of these stylish gloves is Queen Elizabeth I who even had a display of her collection in the Ashmoleum Museum. Also included under this category are the those used on Operas during Napoleonic/Regency Era. The white gloves, on the other hand, are often seen used by staffs in restaurants as well as hotels to show class and unity. The last category is the general hand covering that is used for various purposes like household chores.

Hand gloves, as abovementioned, has been a part of many culture in the world. They were adored by other people for their different purpose. And today, their importance in the society is somehow still seen.




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