Morning everyone,
I thought it might be fun today to combine a little bit of history on aprons with a game and a giveaway. Now, I know aprons have been featured before on Petticoats and Pistols, but I’m going to take a different approach.
When we think aprons, most of us picture Mom or Grandma in the kitchen wearing a traditional bib or half apron. Maybe an image of Dad grilling in the back yard or kids making crafts come to mind. People in restaurants and bakeries often wear aprons, everyone from the head chef to the servers to the dishwashers. It’s part of the uniform and often promotes the establishment’s brand.
Interestingly, aprons have been around for at least the last seven hundred years, if not longer. Their primary function was to keep clothes clean as an apron is much easier to wash than an entire outfit. This can in handy during the pre automatic washer and dryer days. Over the centuries, aprons progressed, becoming a useful tool that included pockets and fasteners to making a fashion statement — those with money had aprons constructed of luxury material while those without used flour sacks or even a hand towel tied at the waist. And just in case you were wondering, the word apron came from the French medieval word “naperon”, which was a small tablecloth placed over a larger one to protect it from spills.
You probably know aprons aren’t used solely by people in the kitchen or those working in the food preparation/serving industry, though that’s likely our first thought. My late mother, who painted and made pottery, used to wear an artist’s apron (sometimes called a smock). I can still see her sitting at an easel, paint brushes sticking out of her apron pockets. Many of the blacksmiths we’ve used wore a farrier’s apron when they came to shoe our horses. And who hasn’t been to the grocery store and seen the butcher behind the counter wearing an apron or sometimes a white jacket?
Well, here’s where the fun and giveaway come in. Who else wears an apron and why? I can think of a bunch more, but I want you to submit your answers in the comments. And it’s fine if there are duplicate answers. There are no hard and fast rules to this game. The winner will get this awesome and adorable cowboy apron – to be used however you want – two backlist print books and some author goodies.
Come on, play along. I’ll randomly draw a winner from everyone who comments and announce the winner tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll break out my writer’s apron and get back to writing.
Okay, that last part was a joke. I don’t have a writer’s apron. But it’s kind of a cool idea. Maybe I could…….
Good Morning, everyone. There are so many comments, and I love all of them, that I’m not going to respond individually. Know that I’m reading all of them and writing down names. Thanks for playing along, and let’s keep the fun going!
Cathy McDavid has been penning Westerns for Harlequin since 2005. With over 55 titles in print and 1.6 million-plus books sold, Cathy is also a member of the prestigious Romance Writers of America’s Honor Roll. This “almost” Arizona native and mother of grown twins is married to her own real-life sweetheart. After leaving the corporate world seven years ago, she now spends her days penning stories about good looking cowboys riding the range, busting broncs, and sweeping gals off their feet — oops, no. Make that winning the hearts of feisty, independent women who give the cowboys a run for their money. It a tough job, but she’s willing to make the sacrifice.
My grandmother always wore an apron!
Cobblers also wore aprons. They needed to protect their clothes from the polish.
I love this blog. Aprons are used by so many.
My answer to your question is hairdressers.
I see more and more of them wearing them to help keep dye, hair chemicals, and keep their clothes dry during hair washing.
Happy 4th of July to you and all the Fillies.
My dad always wore a carpenter’s apron. It held his nails and hammer.
I have one of my grandma’s aprons hanging in my kitchen. Along with one of her bonnets that she wore to hang to hang her wash on the line.
Pinafores were forms of aprons; in years past girls wore them to protect their dresses (who else thought of Alice in Wonderland?).
Florists wear aprons, gardeners too. Aprons come in so handy, not only protecting our clothes but useful to hold our tools of our trades.
Welders wear aprons. My dad was a welder. They’re made of leather and protect against sparks.
Good morning! I actually wear one when I paint and sometimes in the garden. My fondest memories are of my grandmother wearing hers. Also, my mother wore her’s almost every Sunday in the 60’s and 70’s. My mother’s were pretty! She wore the waist ones mostly. But, they seemed to be too pretty to mess up to me! LOL
And I have a Pinterest board devoted to just Aprons! Ha!
https://pin.it/2K6fyNNyb
I’m not sure if this will work for everyone to see. But, thought I would try!
My husband had a leather apron he used welding.
A cook or chef wears an apron.
I wear an apron when I am baking. Actually,I wear my Hardback Cafe apron I got when Hastings shut down.
Little children wear aprons, only they are called bibs!
blacksmiths wear aprons to protect themselves from flying metal
My grandmothers always wore aprons when they were preparing meals. They wore them during the meal too. They had many aprons and this was the norm during the 1950’s. I love aprons. They are a beautiful and necessary accessory.
Gunsmiths wore a leather apron.
My grandmother wore an apron and I think blacksmiths wore leather aprons.
Besides cooking and art I can think of manicurist, makeup artist, and hairdressers. I also used to wear one in a science class. 🙂
Hairdressers put an apron on their clients while they’re at the salon. I once made an apron as a gift for my sister. She had mentioned wanting one so one day when I was at the quilt shop I found an apron panel. A friend of mine that is much better at sewing than I am helped me make it. Thank you for the chance to win a prize.
My grandmother always wore an apron when in the kitchen. I didn’t use to, but depends on what I am making and what I am wearing do I put on an apron.
My grandmother wore an apron everyday, and she had special aprons for Sunday. I can still picture her, bonnet on her head and wearing an apron that had a long pocket along the bottom. Sometimes it would be filled with cucumbers or tomatoes from her garden or there may have been eggs that she’d just gathered. You asked for a person wearing an apron today. Beauticians often wear smocks with pockets to hold some of their tools!
My grandmother always wore an apron, but I wear one seldom. The only ones I can think of have already been named.
My mother wore an apron whenever she was cooking and baking. Protecting your outfit was important and the apron was special since they were strong, pretty and an added benefit too. It was something to be proud of and looked so appealing as a home was in that era.
I used to wear an apron in class during experiments. I was a science teacher, now retired.
Sometime waiters and waitresses wear aprons to carry around straws, their notepad, and tips. Busboys wear them, too. Also, Home Depot employees wear aprons as part of their uniforms!
yes my farrier and hubs when he welds both weather leather aprons to keep them safe and clean
I wear an apron every day when I am cooking. I keep an apron hanging in my kitchen and grab it before a cook, it helps a lot. I also wore a jean apron when I worked in a factory to keep the grease off of my clothes.
All the ladies in my family wore/wear aprons. They can be both protective and decorative.
The first encounter with a family member wearing an apron is my Grandmother or my Dad’s mother. She always wore one which was sleeveless but covered the top of her dress as down and all the way around the skirt of her dress. Back then women only wore dresses. My mother wore the one which tied behind her back and was usually just worn on Sunday, after church, so she could get our chicken dinner underway. Since it was fried chicken, every Sunday, it does make a mess, so it was much needed. I used to sew aprons, the kind my father’s mother wore. I often gave them as gifts at Christmas. I still wear aprons today while cooking or eating as I have become very messy of late.
Wait staff and servers in restaurants. And ye old French maid, or household staff in days of yore.
When my mom was a teenager, it was common for teen friends to be chosen to be a server at a wedding reception. They wore fancy aprons–not practical ones. I have two of those which she wore in older cousins’ weddings.
I also have one of my paternal grandma’s aprons. It’s pink and well worn. She always wore the half apron, as did my maternal grandma.
Blacksmiths.
I always wear an apron when I am baking and FLOUR is involved. I work carefully but flour always seems to drift around the kitchen.
Enjoyed reading your blog.
Tickles me to see the big, bold men in Home Depot with their aprons on. See, they can be domesticated!
Good Morning, everyone. There are so many comments, and I love all of them, that I’m not going to respond individually. Know that I’m reading all of them and writing down names. Thanks for playing along, and let’s keep the fun going!
I was a Home Economics teacher for 35 1/2 years and wore an apron during Foods classes. Early in my career I taught the girls…it wasn’t until much later that boys were in class… how to make an apron so they could wear it in Foods class. I wear them occasionally in my retirement
Welders, chefs, waiters/waitresses, people who work at restaurants/fast food places/cafes, hairdressers, Gardner’s, florists, anyone who wants to working in a garden, painting, working with clay, home depot workers and other store workers too like Walmart, and I’m sure many more that aren’t coming to me in this moment.
My nurses and caregivers wore aprons (jackets) over their scrubs while taking care of me in the hospital.
My mom always wore one and so does my mother-in-law. I have some but hardly ever use them.
My dad was in the newspaper business all his life & I’ve heard him talk of printers’ aprons. They kept the ink off the printer’s clothes.
My Dad was a beef boner he wore a leather apron. It was thick enough to protect your body.
Maids wear aprons. I am a cafeteria manager and myself and my staff wear aprons everyday. I also like to wear an half apron with pockets when cleaning the house it makes it easy to carry cleaning supplies.
I wear one when I am doing a painting or staining project. For some reason, I never put one on to cook.
My daughter and I would wear an apron when we did arts and crafts together when she was little. I still wear aprons when I bake, especially around the holidays when I am baking a ton of cookies and other goodies to share. I have gardener friends who wear gardening aprons. So many uses by so many people.
Well, I know I wear one when I’m cooking!! I also know that butcher’s wore them to keep the blood off of themselves and their clothes, and blacksmiths wore a type of apron to protect themselves, too. They also call aprons the ones they put around you when you’re getting x-rays to protect you from the radiation.
I remember when my grandmother wore aprons and I did too at times
Your site went down for us right when I tried to post my comment. Hopefully I can remember it.
Those who work in child care and with preschoolers so they will have tissues and other items that would be necessary/handy. Teachers who work with students doing art and other projects often wear aprons. We have a leather apron in the forge for when my husband and son do blacksmithing. Vendors at flea markets, craft fairs, and farmers markets often wear aprons. I have been to reader – author events where the volunteers wore aprons.
Your cowboy apron is cute.
Good morning and welcome back. I saw my grandmother always wore an apron. Many times it coordinated or matched her clothes. When her and grandpa went into owning and maintaining a motel, she still wore aprons all the time. When she got sick, she picked out her clothes to wear in the casket and yup you guessed it. She picked out her prettiest apron also. I love to wear aprons in the kitchen. I am one of those messy cooks and it helps some to keep my clothes clean. LOL I grew up on a ranch, so saw mom wear an apron much of the time also. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net
I think of occupations like cobblers/shoe repair , blacksmiths, printing press, linotype setters wearing aprons…Back in the 70s, I wore a jacket as a respiratory tech in a small hospital (nurses were still wearing white dresses, hose, shoes and nursing school caps)…
Teachers need aprons with pockets for all of their supplies!