Big time events like the Golden Globes call for me to channel my inner Joan Rivers. This year’s red carpet brought out trends I absolutely love (the plethora of emerald and jewel-toned dresses, for example), and trends I'm not quite on board with. The trend in question? Why none other than the elbow-length black gloves worn by Ali Wong, Kerry Washington, Janelle James, Pamela Anderson and Cristin Milioti. Don’t get me wrong, I do love a good retro callback to the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s, but…if you’re gonna go retro, then you have to be all in. A few of these stars nailed it, but several others missed the mark.
This Accessory Was Trending on the Golden Globes Red Carpet, But I Am (Mostly) Not On Board
This one is going to take some convincing
While I appreciated the uniqueness of Ali Wong’s dress, the elbow-length gloves made the entire outfit a little too much, in my opinion. The same is true with Kerry Washington’s take—the bold pink color of her dress provided way too much of a harsh contrast alongside the jet black color of her gloves. Janelle James nailed the vintage Audrey Hepburn gown and gloves combo (though the silver diamond bracelet on both wrists really wasn't needed).
Of the five celebrities who opted for the elbow-length look, Cristin Milioti is my fave for her simplistic styling—not too much, not too little.
That said, I feared I was being a bit harsh, so I checked in with PureWow Fashion Editor Abby Hepworth to hear her thoughts on the trend.
"Old Hollywood elbow-length gloves are very tricky to pull off on the red carpet,” she notes, adding, “I think if you go totally classic it can look really elegant—Janelle James aced it. But doing a dark black glove with a lighter color dress too often just ends up looking like an afterthought, it doesn't look cohesive. Pam Anderson also made it work!"
Agreed!