White Gloves

Pat in the back. Joan, Bill B, Maureen and Barbara. April, 1955

We are posed in front of a famous Cincinnati monument, a reproduction of a statue of Romulus and Remus being suckled by their mother wolf. We are obscuring the boys. It's probably Easter and we are still dressed for church.

A nice contast between being raised by wolves and being raised by Catholics.

Jane in 1953

Hats were required for women's church wear by some ancient law, perhaps the 11th commandment. Women wearing white gloves to church was also a requirement.

Peggy and Cele, Pat B. in white gloves 

May, 1945

You can tell when people are dressed for church.

Someone is always wearing white gloves.

Cele is seven months pregnant here and covering up the condition.

Things have changed.

Dorothy in 1945

White gloves always seemed pretty Mickey Mouse to me.

They were hot and awkward. I liked to chew on the finger tips however.

But they were fashionable in the 1950s

And more important they marked you as someone who knew what to wear---a class thing.

Or someone whose mother knew what she should wear.

Queen Elizabeth and her mother in the 1930s

Proof that it wasn't just Catholic girls who had to wear them.