Deborah Reinhardt has fond memories of her mother and grandmother cooking in aprons dusted with flour or other signs of that day's meal. And then there were the special occasions.
鈥淕randma, especially, wore the fancier ones with ruffles and silky fabric for serving dinner,鈥� says Reinhardt, who lives in St. Louis and runs a food blog called
She regretted that she hadn鈥檛 saved any of those family heirlooms, but then her daughter gave her a special gift one Mother鈥檚 Day: a frilly apron. 鈥淲henever I use it, memories of Mom and Bubba come alive. It鈥檚 almost like putting on a superhero鈥檚 cape; I feel like I can tackle anything in the kitchen,鈥� Reinhardt says.
Aprons carry all kinds of associations. Professional cooks and contestants on wear large, utilitarian ones: might have the goofy 鈥淏BQ Dad鈥� variety.
They go especially well with Thanksgiving, evoking memories and .
There鈥檚 something empowering about cooking with an apron on; it says you are Creating a Meal. EllynAnne Geisel, a self-described 鈥渁pron archaeologist,鈥� likens these pieces of cloth to 鈥渄omestic armor.鈥�
鈥淎prons don鈥檛 hold us back 鈥� they take us back," she writes in 鈥淭he Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort."
And she notes that aprons are worn by a range of professionals, from cooks and bakers to fishmongers, welders and carpenters.
A look at some current apron styles:
As seen on 鈥楾he Bear,鈥� 鈥楾op Chef鈥� and other shows
Katie Brown, a writer at Food & Wine, spotted something consistent among her favorite cooking shows 鈥淭he Bear,鈥� 鈥淚s It Cake?鈥� and 鈥淭op Chef.鈥�
鈥淭he chefs on my TV not only make cooking look easy, but they look great while doing it," Brown says.
Many of those chefs wear an apron from , a brand started by a pro chef. Their 鈥淓ssential鈥� version is made of sturdy cotton twill, and features adjustable neck and waist straps and lots of big and small pockets. ("The Bear" star , a nod to the in Napa Valley, California, which became known for its chefs' blue aprons.)
It鈥檚 the pockets that have won over Brown鈥檚 colleague, associate editorial director Chandra Ram.
鈥淔or me, pockets make the apron. I want to be able to stash a Sharpie and a few pieces of paper towel," says Ram. "And I like the straps to be long enough that I can tie them in front so I can hang a dish towel to use to grab a hot pan or clean up a spill. I bought kids鈥� versions for my nieces and nephews for when we bake together.鈥�
Other pro-style brands include Under NY Sky, Chef Works, Bragard and Cargo Crew.
Apron variations around the world
nods to Japanese restaurants with the maekake, which resembles the cotton banners often seen at their entrances. Maekeke is the term for traditional Japanese workwear dating to the 16th century.
Milk Street鈥檚 version, made of indigo cotton, features an Arctic tern and the Japanese lettering for their address in Boston, 177 Milk Street.
Fans of Finnish design house 鈥檚 prints might add an apron to their wardrobe. Choose from bold, black-and-white or colorful graphics and florals, each with a front pocket and adjustable neck strap. Many patterns have coordinating pot holders and oven mitts.
Apron designs at include one with colorful illustrations of sardine cans, a buzzy food trend. And a Mediterranean blue and white tile-patterned apron will make you feel like you鈥檙e in a tasca, or little restaurant, in Porto.
Cooks the world over can toast their furry friends with one of aprons featuring romping dogs and cats.
For real retro, try a riff on a pinafore or flour sack
Aprons became common in the early 1900s, when America鈥檚 first chain restaurant, Harvey House, was created by Fred Harvey. The 鈥淗arvey Girls鈥� 鈥� the wait staff鈥檚 moniker 鈥� wore floor-length white aprons. Judy Garland wore one in the 1946 鈥淗arvey Girls鈥� film and they became popular in American households.
And flour companies in the 1920s came out with aprons made from repurposed feed or flour sacks.
has some fun ones repurposed from old sacks and made by artisans in Ghana. The aprons feature a cheery patchwork on one side, and are reversible. Makers are part of the Fair Trade Federation, which supports local craftswomen.
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New York-based writer Kim Cook covers design and decor topics regularly for The AP. Follow her on Instagram at @kimcookhome.
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Kim Cook, The Associated Press
