EXPLAINED: Why Do Cartoon Characters Wear Gloves?

Gloves are a mysteriously popular accessory among cartoon characters, especially among Disney animations. At least compared with the relative popularity of every-day gloves in real life, cartoon gloves are strangely common.

Think about it. Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Goofy, Roger Rabbit, Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket... they all wear gloves.

Have you ever stopped to wonder why?

According to the video, there are actually a couple of reasons!

  • White gloves stood out well against black cartoon character bodies when everything was black-and-white.
  • It saves time for the animators, because puffy round shapes are easier to animate than sharp or delicate angles.
  • Giving a character gloves adds a cartoonish, unrealistic effect to a character, setting it apart from more truly human characters - while still allowing animators to give the characters human-like gestures.
  • It's an homage to vaudeville styles, which used gloves and lots of mischief.
  • It's tradition at this point




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