There’s something about beautiful fabrics that can lighten a mood. They set the tone for a room, a table, a wall, and even me.
For Christmas of my sweet 16, my mom sewed me a cute apron for my hope chest. I remember appreciating the gift, but wearing an apron, really? Isn’t that kind of old fashioned?
I have fond memories of my mom periodically wearing pretty aprons when I was a child, but it wasn’t until very recently that my love for aprons has been ignited. It’s the best balance of not just enjoying beautiful fabrics in your home decor, but actually getting to wear them.
In some unique ways, the styles, trends, memories and even mysteries behind various aprons peak my curiosity. As I’ve been thrifting, I’ve run across delicately embroidered vintage style aprons that create a sense of wonder as to the stories they hold. I think of the time spent with each stitch and reminisce about that woman’s life story at the time. What was she thinking as she painstakingly spent hours creating this? What were her dreams for her family?
Until a few months ago, my aprons were just stuck in my hutch, where no one was enjoying them. I decided to enjoy my collection and display them in the hall between my kitchen and recently painted laundry room. I had two black, wrought iron hooks that I had purchased for only $0.50 waiting patiently for just the right project. This was it. I spray painted them with some $1 Walmart spray paint, and then wiped away some of the paint to give them that aged look.
I wish I would have thought of this option sooner because not only do I actually enjoy my collection now as a work of art, but I am wearing my aprons more often. I rotate them in and out, since I have a few more stored in the hutch, and now I am beginning a new tradition with my girls, as they are quick to grab an apron when we cook.
There are so many adorable aprons, both vintage and new. Oddly enough, wearing these pretty aprons encourages me in my role as a Family Manager. Not in a unrealistic “June Cleaver” sort of way, but with a new sense of purpose.
I love to wear them when I bake, and it warms my heart to know that when my girls think of us together in the kitchen, there will be tangeable memories tied to different aprons. Hopefully, stories will be created while we wear these, and it will bring great joy to think of these aprons being handed down from generation to generation.
I envision my daughters pulling out a particular apron and reminiscing about that “time when we melted plastic on our casserole,” or ” that bedlam moment when mom forgot to add eggs,” or even our amazing Easter brunches with our Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle. My desire is that these won’t just be wall decorations, but a living example of shared family meal times, and bonding that occurs in the kitchen.
A reminder of a legacy that wasn’t just about food for the stomach, but food for the soul.
And yes, that reminder can have a sense of frugal fashion with this fun $2 thrift store find, or….
it can be a bit more about reality. Since when I wear my aprons, its often done over my PJ’s. (But even an apron over PJ’s can be cute. ;))
There are even whole site devoted to love of aprons. When I first met Deanna, The Apronista, she helped stir my collection of aprons, as she has found such a love for all things aprons.
Do you have any aprons tucked away? Are there stories behind them?
When my mom came over last week and saw my new apron hooks, she casually mentioned, “Oh, I have some you may have, from my grandmother?” WHAT? Ah – yes, I’d LOVE them. Talk about a generational apron. I can’t wait to hear the stories of my great grandma in the kitchen.
Break the old fashioned stereo type, pull them out, and start enjoying them.
If you’d like to start your collection, today is a fabulous day to do so. Flirty Aprons is having a site wide sale on their Women’s Aprons. I love having matching aprons for my daughters and me, and what great Mother’s Day gifts these would make.
At checkout, use Coupon Code:
MARILYN60 to receive 60% off Marilyn Style Aprons or 20M2011 to receive 20% off all aprons.
I love this post! I also love everything fabric and my daughters and I have recently started wearing aprons around. Hanging them as a display too is a really neat idea and I’m already thinking of a spot we could hang ours up.
Blessings!
I love aprons and I have mine hanging in my kitchen. I just need to get better about wearing them. And your apron with your pj’s looks cute, but I don’t think I have ever worn one with my pj’s, in fact I am not sure I have ever taken my picture in my pjs, but I am not a wear your pjs around the house type person. However you make it look cute. 🙂
I love aprons! My mom and I both kinda collect them! (I say “kinda” because I really don’t like to say I collect anything…. lol)
What a wonderful idea hanging the aprons on the wall like that. Not only is it a very cute idea, but in my case it would remind me to put one on and not mess up my clothes! Now I’m going to be on the lookout for some cute aprons (mine are all so “practical” ).
Thanks for a great read as always.. I’ve been thinking about aprons in the last year or so.. I’ve caused myself much work cleaning up blouses I’ve gotten something on while cooking. How I have no idea, but as I’ve stood there washing dishes, I’ve thought back to my sweetest grandma putting an apron on me with a plastic baggie or sheet of plastic between me & the apron when I was helping her wash dishes. I always made a mess. 😉 I’ve been thinking about buying an apron to cook in.. I dont make so many messes washing dishes anymore.. 😉 Im off to look at the link you provided! Thanks!
Heirloom aprons – that would be so neat! How blessed your daughters will be to be able to show their great great grandmother’s aprons to their own children! I’m sure my grandma must have had aprons, but I don’t have any idea who ended up with them (we have a large family!).
I don’t have any aprons yet, but ironically, my 10 year old daughter does! I have a pattern to make some this summer (after our move) – I *love* the idea of hanging them on the wall! I’m definitely remembering that idea!
Love this post, and the hanging aprons. I have three aprons that were made by my mother and grandmother, both now passed away. They’re of a sweet purple small floral print, and narrow rick-rack (the zig-zaggy stuff) goes all around the edges. We love to put these on and connect our present moment to the past and our loved ones.
When my grandmother passed away we found cloth that had been precut and placed in zipock bags to be sewn into aprons. I took them and made the aprons and gave them as Christmas presents from her and me the Christmas after she passed.
Jen, this is such a great post! I have been feeling the exact same way about vintage handkerchiefs. I came across some just the other day going through all my fabric and I want to find more. There is so much cottage charm and history to them. And I have that exact same set of hooks! I actually bought them when I lived in your neck of the woods. 🙂
This comment is from Erin S – fundamentalsandfripperies.blogspot.com. Somehow my spam filter wouldn’t let it past, naughty thing!
I love this post, Jenn!
Your aprons look so great hanging up on those hooks. I also love cute aprons, both new and vintage. There is something just so connecting to putting on an apron and getting to work doing good things for your family, just as women have done for generations. Plus, I love the chance to wear beautiful fabrics that I would probably never wear for “normal” clothes :).
My favorite apron of all time is a patchwork apron of my great-grandmother’s that my mom wears all the time. So amazingly cute! Thanks for the inspiration to come out of the closet with my apron collection :).
Love your aprons and your hooks! So sweet. My 2 aprons are very utilitarian not so fun and colorful as yours!
I’m coming up on my first wedding anniversary, and I’ve already begun my apron collection! I LOVE wearing one of my aprons when I cook, and sometimes even when I clean or am doing a messy craft. My first one was bought as a wedding by a friend and my husband recently bought me the cutest little vintage number for my birthday. I envision a day when I can have all of my girlfriends over to cook and the ycan each choose an apron 🙂 And then one day the babies will come… and the apron shall replace a cape when I become Supermom! 🙂
oh Dana – I love this. 🙂 That is such a fun idea to do with your girl friends. I do have some cooking days like that and NEVER thought to offer an apron. But, it might have been before I got “the bug.” 🙂
My grandma, who raised me, always had an apron on. In fact, she had one identical to the blue one with the white and black embroidary, same colors and everything. Boy did that bring back memories.
Thank you!! Just got two for around $20, shipped. 🙂
I have my Mom’s aprons and her granddaughters each got one of hers as well. I don’t wear them, but I do enjoy looking at them. I have one that I bought when I was first married. It reads “for this I spent 4 years in college?”
I wear aprons all the time – thought other people did, too! Ha! I have a whole drawer full from when I taught 4-H kids to cook (they always loved putting on aprons so I “collected” them from yard sales, etc. for them to use). But my very favorites are my grandmother’s. When she died, I asked for her kitchen stuff and ended up with odds and ends from her iron frying pans, utensils, and aprons. Every time I use something of hers, I think of her!!
You’re absolutely right about displaying collections, pulling them out of drawers where we can’t enjoy them. Must have been something in the air, earlier this week, I was contemplating what to do with my 6 aprons .
I’m going to check out the Flirty Apron website
i am Love this post, and the hanging aprons. I have three aprons that were made by my mother and grandmother, both now passed away. They’re of a sweet purple small floral print, and narrow rick-rack goes all around the edges. We love to put these on and connect our present moment to the past and our loved ones.,……………………..
I love to wear aprons when I cook, bake, do dishes … to keep my clothes clean! I do have several vintage ones, but they are the half ones and I need more coverage than that! I’d love to find a way to display them someday, though.