Apron Strings

It isn’t so often you come across a collection of Aprons. Certainly not one as fine and varied as this one. 
An exhibition of them was being held over the Easter break at Waveton Village Hall. So, on Good Friday, not quite sure what to expect, my sister and I drove out to have a look.


The corrugated-iron hall pinged quietly in the Spring sun’s heat. It was a perfect vintage setting for displaying the uniform of the mid 1900’s Domestic Goddesses - the waist-tying apron. The first impression was of a packed to the eaves, colourful, bazaar. Aprons were hung from lines, on the walls, on racks, and on models. Posters and magazines showed pictures of women wearing aprons; a whole section concentrated on children’s aprons and toys connected to housework.
It was a trip down memory lane for us, and many of the other lady visitors of a certain age, as we exclaimed over ones similar to those our grandmothers, mothers and ourselves wore.

It wasn’t until we sat down to a cup of tea and homemade cake that we took stock of what we were looking at in terms of society and culture. The first thing of course, is that the waist apron does not do the job that it is purported to – it does not actually keep you clean. Most kitchen tasks and particularly cooking, involve splash-back onto bosom and stomach.  The floral print wrap around pinnies of the 1930’s, overalls and coveralls of today are for women getting down to cleaning floors, holding calves between their knees to feed, nursing, decorating, gardening – getting dirty.

So, what were the half -pinnies for? The magazine images gave clear clues – they were about role and measurement of success for women. The apron was donned to indicate the skill of a woman in keeping house, ironing, washing and cooking etc. but also in its inability to cover, that a woman should do this all with the appearance of no effort, sweat or dirt. The apron would be taken off with a flourish as the food left the kitchen and miraculously there would be a hostess, every hair in place, to serve and make small talk at the table. Two different multi-tasking personas in one, represented overtly in costume - lower half, apron covered, upper half, normal clothing.

When I was younger, did I buy into this culture of dual perfection without really being aware of the impossibility to achieve it, whilst also managing children and part-time work? Yes, definitely – and like so many other women failed miserably, in my own eyes and in the expectations of my ex- husband.
I left the exhibition feeling slightly queasy, but very glad to think that now I wear a full length pinafore when I want to keep clean, and expect visitors, both male and female, to help around the house and kitchen.
 
I don’t own a waist apron.