The history of the humble apron
Krista Schade
02 December 2024, 3:00 AM
This article has been penned and contributed by Ian Wade.
“I don’t think our kids know what an apron is.
The principle use of Grandma’s apron was to protect her dress underneath, because she only had a few.
It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing those hot pans from the oven.
It also was wonderful for drying children’s tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning dirty faces.
From the chicken coop, that apron was used for carrying in the eggs, fussy chickens and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
When company arrived, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids, and when the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped it around our arms.
Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, when she was bent over the hot wood stove cooking meals for the family.
Kindling and wood were brought into the kitchen for that old stove, as well as from the garden, it carried in all sorts of vegetables and after cleaning the veggies, peeling the spuds, shelling the peas etc, that apron carried the scraps outside.
It was even used to bring in the fruit that had fallen from the trees.
When unexpected company came along or drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust off in a matter of minutes.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, yelled out and waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner, and the kids from wherever they were playing.
It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that “old-time apron” that served so many purposes.
Remember, when Grandma used to set her hot baked pies on the window sill to cool…..now we put them on the window sill to thaw out.
Today, we would go crazy trying to figure out how many germs were on that old apron, but no harm came to us at all.
I think the only thing that I ever caught off that old apron was LOVE, and plenty of it.”
From The Riverine Grazier, July 20, 1954
An apron on a woman about the home can be a symbol of crisp efficiency or a badge of drudgery.
Nothing gives a woman more confidence than the knowledge that she looks attractive in her apron or that she can remove it at a moment's notice to step out of the kitchen to greet friends or visitors at the front door, dressed for the occasion.
Aprons, says Miss Nancy Foskett, Women's Extension Officer of the Department of Agriculture, should com bine utility with wear-appeal.
They are worn in the first instance to protect. They need to be large enough to do this.
As aprons save frocks from soiling they need frequent laundering.
For this reason alone, choose fabrics and colours that will stand up to repeated washings.
Don't, however, work for your apron. See that they are easy to wash and iron, says Miss Foskett.
Starching, for instance, not only improves the appearance of an apron, but will keep it clean longer and make it easier to wash.
Stains and dirt don't soak in so much with the starched apron and will wash out easier.
Select a style that is attractive, easy to get in and out of, and remember, while frills may add glamour they will take time to iron.
Fast colours and flat trimmings will give attractiveness with utility.
Make sure your apron fits comfortably and securely.
Nothing is more irritating while you are working than a garment which keeps falling in front or slipping off the shoulders.
Cross-over straps on the back will pre vent this or you may prefer to use a back strap to hold the shoulder straps in position.
If the skirt is cut to wrap around, at least six inches past the side seam of the dress it will give a trimmer appearance, is more comfortable, and gives your clothes a better protection.
Pockets should be large enough to be useful and placed so they cannot catch on projections as you work.
For gardening or house cleaning an apron with two or three large pockets is frequently a great convenience.
Stitch a nine-inch strip across the full width of the skirt at a position where your hand can reach to the bottom of it.
Divide this off into two or three pockets for dusters, etc., or for labels, string and other things you may need while working in the garden.
A towel apron worn when bathing baby is ideal as it absorbs so much moisture.
Apron fun facts The word ‘apron’ it appears has come from two sources - the Indo-European word ‘mappa’ and the old French word ‘naperon’ both meaning napkin, cloth or towel.
Men were actually the first to wear aprons, not grandmas and nannas, and mainly for hygienic protection.
Different trades wore different coloured aprons, white - stonemasons, black - cobblers, blue - gardeners, green - butlers, black and white chequered - barbers and blue stripe - butchers.
Women pictured in aprons in the 1940s-50s were often portrayed as a domestic goddess - synonymous with home, family, hospitality and generosity.
Often these aprons had feminine detailing.
At about this same time, special masculine aprons appeared for the man of the house, the master of the grill.
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