A guide to glove button length

The length of any glove is historically measured in "buttons", which dates back to a time when buttons on gloves were intentionally sewn to be precisely 1-inch apart. Button length refers to the distance measured from the base of the glove thumb to the topmost part of a glove.

~ 2-button: 8 - 9 inches in length, reaching just to the wrist without passing it.

~ my pearl shorty gloves

~ 4-button: 10 - 11 inches in length, covering the wrist and extending several inches up the forearm

~ my warm silk brocade gloves

~ 6-button: 12 - 13 inches in length, extending along the forearm and often including a gauntlet-style sleeve

~ my elbow high leather gauntlet gloves

~ 8-button: 14 - 15 inches in length, reaching just to the elbow without passing it.

~ my sensual glossy almost elbow high gloves

~ 12-button: 18 - 19 inches in length, reaching just past the elbow.

~ my sensual cashmere past elbow gloves

~ 16-button: 22 - 23 inches in length, typically ending towards the middle of the upper arm. this glove length represents the classic "opera length glove".