Where did all the aprons go?

I hadn't given aprons much thought until I started reading about them on some blogs. It made me stop and wonder why they aren't a part of our everyday life as they were in the past... Oh, I have a couple that I wear when I remember to put them on, but I have to admit that I have more food/greased stained clothing than I should. Where have all the aprons gone? (Suddenly the song "Where have all the Flowers Gone" popped into my mind with "aprons" replacing "flowers"!!!)

I suppose we can look to the feminist movement who wanted to make women look, act, and be more like men. Sadly, that meant the apron had to go. Then with the introduction of fast-food and pre-made cookies and pies, there was no need to protect clothing from flour spills and other "from scratch" items. A friend of mine recently forwarded the following to our email group. I don't know where it started, who wrote it, etc., but it was too good not to share. If you know of the author, please let me know. (9/8/08 I have seen this posted at Shipwrecked in South Carolina's blog, so perhaps he is the author.)


> Both of my grandmothers wore aprons a lot. I remember them doing some of these very things with them (right cuz's?). Good memories don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears .

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

Send this to those who would know, and love the story about Grandma's aprons. <


How sad that many have lost the service, protection, comfort, usefulness, and welcoming nature of a simple apron. I so enjoy finding blogs of those who still carry on the cheer of apron wearing. So.... apron wearers unite! I would love to know who you are and to visit your blogs. I am so inspired by all of you!