Aprons as comfortable clothing

Posted by maryparker on January 19th, 2013

Some women do feel comfortable when wearing aprons. For them, this piece of clothing is what the notion of “comfort” is meaning. Although it might seem a little like an anachronism, the comfort that an apron may bring is unmistakable. Women wearing aprons are rare on TV and even in real life. The somehow idyllic images of our grandmothers in the kitchen, or of women in old movies, are less and less encountered these days. What once did look very feminine, expressing the idea of home, seems to disappear for ever, with the exception of some nostalgic people who persist in continuing the old traditions.

Cooking while wearing street clothes or even home-from-work clothes is a habit that our grandmothers and mothers did not have. Because aprons gave them a special feeling of being the chef of the house, in any sense possible. And think that, ironically, it was nothing of feminine in the first aprons, as they were made for and used only by men. Blacksmiths, gardeners, cobblers, furniture makers, metal forgers, jewellers, clock makers, tailors, or weapon makers we see in old pictures, all wear aprons. Not to mention the Masonic society that used them as part of their rituals.

Officially, women began to wear aprons in Victorian England, at the beginning of the 20th century. Matrons wore them to keep their clothes clean. Aprons were carefully embroidered and stitched. Around the 1920’s, women did not want to be associated with aprons and the front home anymore. Aprons continued to fulfil their utilitarian purpose, as they were initially meant, and were worn by the staff serving people of the upper classes.

This way, the apron became a symbol of feminism or lack of it, according to the era. The half-aprons became very popular, although being in vogue did not balance their major inconvenient, insufficient protection of the upper body against flying grease and food stains. They were however considered more stylish and were preferred for this aspect.

The 20th century brought a loss of popularity of aprons. In rural areas, they were made of white linen, common cotton, or even flour and feed sacks. After the Second World War, together with the idealized life of the American family, the apron became again a sort of uniform for the happy housewives. With time, they were taken on or off, according to the political and social climate, sensibilities of class or feminism seeming to dictate if aprons should be fashion or uniform.

Nowadays, the only people who still wear aprons are whether chefs or those who, no matter their age, continue to care about values of another times and generations. Some love them and even collect them. For some people, maybe a few, they are little treasures.

Wearing an apron may bring a bit of comfort to any woman dedicated to housekeeping. There is a wide range of aprons in various models and colors that could satisfy any taste.