Thanks for the memories. Although my dearly-loved grandmother did not farm or garden, she always wore an apron in her kitchen, and that is how I remember her to this day.

Like her, I always wear an apron while cooking. In fact, I found one similar to my grandmother's in a secondhand shop. It's the kind you put on over your head, has the elongated armholes, and ties in the back. I'm trying to preserve it, so I only wear it for baking.

It really bothers me when I see women cooking on TV, frying food no less, and not wearing an apron.

That fits my gramma to a tee. She did all that with her apron. I remember her frying chicken on her old black iron stove that was fueled by corn cobs.
Thanks for the memories.
Leslie

My mom hardly ever wore an apron but one of my grandma's did and My mom's aunt Hazel (LOVED HER!!) always had one like Tobygirl's on. She's who I think of when I read this.

Just the other day I came across a little apron my grandma gave to me after I got married. I put it on while I was baking and my son walked in and laughed and said "What is THAT?"

I want one of those white aprons you see chef's wear tied around their waist. Those really look like they can take a beating.

My MIL wore aprons all the time. She'd whip it off and be dressed so nicely underneath.

The apron also had *pockets*, and many dresses did not. I think of my grandmother when I pull out a tissue to wipe up a drop of water on the floor or to polish a kitchen knob. (She would have produced a handkerchief.)

In England the apron was sometimes called a pinafore -- regardless of whether it was being worn by a man or a woman to protect garments from soil. In a hotel the Hall Porter would wear a pinny to polish shoes left outside a guest's door overnight. *I* remember wearing pinafores as a very small child, but hese were more decorative than useful.

These were real, working gear, not to be confused with the tiny parlor maid's apron, later a cocktail apron -- those tied around the waist and covered only a bit of skirt.

My Mom always wore aprons and used them for a lot of the things above. When we lived on the farm she wore the over the shoulder bib ones then later when we moved to the sub-burbs, just around the waist ones. Some were very fancy with sheer chiffon type material and lace and she wore those for parties.

I use to wear them when younger, but now I keep forgetting to put one on. Plus I am not that dressed up anymore, so who cares if you get stuff on a T-shirt or jeans. I have a pattern for one of those old fashion over the shoulder bib ones that I am going to make one of these days.

Anyone remember 'house coats'. My Mom use to wear one of those too then change into her dress later. She had on her slip and hose underneath. It was like a short cotton robe with snaps down the front. Nice enough to answer the door in if it was the mailman, but she didn't mind if it got dusty or dirty.

Clare

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This is me, my mother and grandmother. This grandmother wore an apron all the time..here she was visiting us at our house and had her apron on....

I wear an apron alot..often on the weekends..unless I leave in the car..my apron doesn't come off..until bed..LOL

I didn't grow up seeing my mom or grandmothers in aprons alot.

I have always worn an apron when cooking. I'm retired now and seldom wear anything fancier than a turtleneck, but I still wear an apron. Why wouldn't you? Better to have spots on the apron than the turtleneck. My aprons get covered in spots.

Sherry

My Grandma always had on an apron. If we ever needed a safety pin we could always go to her and she would unpin one from the front of her apron. She always kept several pinned on her apron for whenever one was needed.

I never wore an apron until a few years ago. I wear mine not only to cook the food, but to eat it, then the clean up. I also put it on to use my electric toothbrush (just in case). When you are messy and know you are, why risk getting my clothes messy! I got mine in Amish country. They're made so well, they'll never wear out.

Shirley

My grandmother always wore one just like Clare's! I wish I had one of hers. I wear one like the chef's wear. I got it at GFS. About $5-$10. Thanks for the memory!

Tami

This is so neat! I made many, many of those little cocktail ones as gifts, then began to collect 'working' ones a few years ago 'cause I love Aprons!

The one I wear while cooking hangs inside the pantry door, but really should put the others on e-Bay instead of keeping them tucked away in a drawer. I understand they're right pricey in antique shops these days.

My mom used an apron. It also doubled as an extra layer of shielding in case of a spill of liquid hot off the stove.

On Sunday, an apron was a necessity for a farm wife. The family would come home from church, maybe with dinner guests in tow. The wife would don an apron as soon as she enter the house to protect her "Sunday best clothing" because there was no time for changing clothes before preparing the noon meal. (Back then, farm folks called the Sunday noon meal 'dinner' and the evening meal 'supper'. Dinner was the main meal of the day.)

The apron may have come off during the meal, but it went right back on for clean-up and dish washing immediately following the meal.

The weekday aprons were plain and utilitarian, but the Sunday ones were decroated, some sporting gathered frills and ribbons.