All About Aprons

A Brief History

Aprons have been around for a very long time. The original date of the first apron is unknown, but references to aprons can be found as far back as the Book of Genesis in the Bible. Generally, an apron is an article of clothing designed to tie around the waist and/or neck and protect the front of one's clothing from any sort of mess. While aprons are commonly associated with cooking, they are also often used by maids or housecleaners, machinists, wood workers, auto mechanics, and painters.

Historically, kitchen aprons were worn mainly by women. In wealthy families, a maid or housekeeper would wear an apron, and in middle or lower class families, the mother and wife would wear the apron. The kitchen apron rose to iconic status in the U.S. with the rise of television shows such as Leave it To Beaver in the 1950s. Such shows featured housewives, such as June Cleaver, always adorned with a neatly pressed kitchen apron. The implied message was that good wives and mothers always wore their aprons because they were always cooking and keeping house. As a result, aprons became a staple of the 1950s housewife's wardrobe.

Aprons fell out of fashion in the late 20th century as more women began to work outside the home, and more men began to participate in housework and cooking. Today, however, kitchen aprons are making a comeback. Today's aprons are for both women and men, and are fashionable as well as functional.

Apron styles

Modern day aprons come in a variety of styles and sizes. Some aprons tie around the waist, and cover the abdomen and upper legs. Other aprons tie around the waist and neck, and cover the whole front body, offering the most protection from cooking splatters and spills. Today's aprons also come in a variety of patterns and colors. Some aprons have clever sayings such as "Kiss the Cook" sewn or silk-screened across their fronts. You can also find retro-style aprons that imitate aprons from the early 1900s. If you are handy with a sewing machine, you can make your own apron from whatever fabric you like.

Apron front sinks

Apron front sinks, also referred to as apron sinks, or farmhouse sinks, are a unique style of kitchen sink. While most kitchen sinks are encased in cabinetry and cupboards, an apron front sink has a large, single bowl, and either stands alone, or, if situated in a row of cabinets, sits in a cut out portion of the cabinet, so that its front is visible. These sinks were very common in turn-of-the century farmhouses. If you have ever lived in a Victorian house, you may have had a porcelain apron front sink.

These sinks are most likely called apron front sinks because due to the lack of a counter or cabinet to act as a buffer, water could easily splash out onto one's clothing. This would make wearing an apron a necessity if using an apron front sink. These stylish sinks have been making a come-back recently, both in the restoration of Victorian homes, and in new homes.

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