Evening mitts
Unknown Artist
1830–39
Medium
cotton, silk
Classification
Evening mitts
Culture
American
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of the National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of New York, 1978
Accession Number
2009.300.2187a, b
Art Historical Context
In the glittering social scenes of 1830s America, evening mitts like these were essential accessories for fashionable women attending balls and dinners. Crafted from delicate cotton and silk between 1830 and 1839 by an unknown American maker, these mitts extended from the hand to mid-forearm, offering a blend of elegance and practicality. They protected the voluminous puffed sleeves of the era's Romantic-style gowns from spills or snags while signaling refined taste. The use of silk—prized for its lustrous sheen and luxurious feel—elevated these mitts for evening wear, contrasting with everyd...