The History of  Aprons

An apron is an outer protective garment that covers primarily the front part of the body, to protect clothes from wear and tear. The apron is commonly part of a uniform of several work categories, including waitresses, nurses, and domestic workers. It is also worn as a decorative garment by women.

The original term "Apron" referred to a free-hanging panel attached at the front of the skirt- worn as early as the thirteenth century.

Apron is from and old French word "napperon", simply meaning cloth.  Later this was adopted by servants and a small bib top was added to protect clothing while working.

There are many different apron forms depending on the purpose of the apron. A basic distinction is between waist aprons which cover the body from the waist down and a bib apron which also covers the upper part of the body.

The principal use of grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, as she had few dresses.  It was easier to wash the aprons, then the dresses.  She also could use them as potholders for removing pots and pans from the oven, and for drying children's tears.  The aprons were also used for carrying eggs from the chicken coops.

Chips and kindling wood were also brought into the kitchen in that apron, and all sorts of vegetables from the garden.  In the fall, apples were brought in that had fallen from the trees.

At dinner time, grandma waved her apron from the porch and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields for dinner. Grandma found many uses for those aprons, including keeping her arms warm when it was cold and fanning herself when it was hot from bending over the old wood stove.  Grandma's old aprons served many purposes.

Aprons are still being worn and enjoyed, by today's busy homemakers, and are considered equally appropriate for both women and men.