Now, it’s possible Disney was revising his past when he said that. He was an antisemite who refused to hire women for years, and the kindest thing you can say about Song of the South is that it has some great songs and a remarkably clueless approach to the portrayal of black folks.
But if you look at the first appearances of Mickey, you can see that his hands are less distinct than in the later ones with the white gloves. You can see how Mickey’s design evolved at Mickey Mouse Through the Years.
3. I haven’t found Mickey’s first appearance in spats. He only seems to wear spats when he has an occasion to dress up—just as people sometimes do today for formal affairs.