Most kitchens have aprons that are used while cooking to keep clothing clean from splatters and smears. The history behind the apron, however, is one that not many people know.
The apron was first developed to protect the clothing because very few dresses were owned by housewives decades ago. Aprons were primarily used because it took less fabric to make an apron than a dress, and their smaller size made them easier to wash.
Aprons had other uses than protecting clothing. They could be used to remove hot pans from the stove or oven. Occasionally, aprons were used to dry the tears of sad children or to clean dirty little faces or ears. When company came, shy children often ran to hide behind the apron until feeling brave enough to emerge.
Outside the home, aprons were used to gather eggs from the chicken coop. Chips, along with kindling wood, could also be brought into the house in the apron. From the garden, vegetables and fruits were placed into the apron as they were picked, until being carried into the kitchen. In the colder months the apron could be wrapped around the arms, providing necessary warmth.
When unexpected company arrived, aprons were often used to hurriedly dust a house. At dinner time the wave of the apron was the signal to the farm and ranch workers that it was time to stop working and eat.
The apron that is modernly used for simple keeping clothes clean was an essential item that represented the love of a mother or grandmother to many children and grandchildren in years past. The history of the apron shows the love that these women had for their families.
