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Vintage Apron Exhibit
Beginning with Adam and Eve, aprons have been used throughout history. Aprons distinguished a person's role in life, from the blacksmith to the quintessential homemaker. In the United States, the apron heyday was during the late 1940’s through the 1950’s when society could use the term "housewife" without fear of reprisal. Being a housewife was a calling, a honored vocation and women wore the apron with pride as a symbol of their profession. But with the feminist movement, easy-care fabrics and better washing machines, the apron's popularity faded. In spite of these changes, functional aprons are still worn by many - from restaurants employees to fishermen.
Today, aprons are finding their way out of closets and drawers and showing up at fashion shows, programs, museums and in private collections. Aprons conjure up fond memories of generations of women working in the kitchen making a favorite dish for their families. Aprons are also objects of beauty, showing off the artistic sewing talents of the housewife. Even now, many sewing pattern companies such as Butterick, Simplicity, and McCall’s have apron patterns available including reproduction patterns from by-gone years. So if you really liked that 1950’s apron your mother or grandmother wore, you can make one for yourself, possibly eliciting fond memories as you perform your daily household tasks.
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