Folks, I’m not quite done talking about Fundraising, but I’ll finish that up some other time. I just don’t have the Saturday morning energy to write a long involved post.
Lately I’ve been thinking about aprons.
I am a messy person by nature. When I bake, flour winds up on me, on the counter, on the floor. When I wash dishes, the counter gets soaked. When I cook on the stove, it really needs a good wipe down after. It has taken me many years to realize that cooking in whatever I happen to be wearing is really a pretty bad idea, and that aprons really were invented for a reason.
And still I frequently forget to wear one. I have a black “chef” or “BBQ” style apron that I wear, but I don’t really like the way it fits, and I always vaguely feel like I am choking. Plus, it really isn’t attractive. Then I have a rather loud teal and green cabbage rose print vintage looking one with real rick rack around the edge that I had bought at the thrift store and have repaired about 3 times that is on its last legs. It is kitchy, feminine, and fun. I like that one, it makes me feel like June Cleaver. Plus for some reason when I wear it Yankee Bill seems more likely to come up behind me and caress various body parts and kiss on my neck. (added bonus!)
So I’ve decided I need a new apron. The ones in the shops around here (Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, Walmart etc) are all the BBQ/Chef type. Online I’ve found the styles of ones I like (mostly referred to as “hostess” aprons) and they run $35, plus shipping and handling. (Check out style 1 and style 2 at Target, these cute oilcloth ones at Pinupgirl, or these pretty ones by “Busyaprons“ and “Sassy Britches” on Etsy)
Yes, I can sew. Yes, I have a sewing machine. Yes, sewing an apron is actually pretty easy. But on the other hand–Yes, I have 2 nightgowns that I started sewing for Princess in April about 3/4 done and sitting on the sewing machine still. Does that tell you something? I am thinking at this point that since an apron is something that I would use every day that the cost per use is actually pretty low, and that saving the wear and tear on my clothing, plus looking pretty for myself and Yankee Bill is probably worth it to me. Its the time vs. money thing again. Philosophically which is worth more to me at this point? I think that if I decided to sew them that would just be one more stressor added onto my plate at this point.
Would this be my choice if our budget were very tight? No. Obviously not. A new apron at this point is a want, not a need. The unattractive black chef’s apron works and only cost me a dollar at Real Deals for a Dollar in Norwich. But as I’ve said before, we are financially well positioned. My desires to be frugal are to allow me to continue to stay home, to allow us to live our lifestyle in the way we want by not wasting money on unimportant things.
Of course, auxiliary to this entire discussion could be another post about how wearing an apron can be seen as a uniform of sorts, and how that effects how you feel about what you are doing during the day (ie cooking and cleaning). Hmmmm. Any thoughts on that as well????
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I admit to being a slob in the kitchen, no matter how hard I try, so aprons are a must for me. I guess I have about 10–some of which I have made myself. I should probably wear them when I’m eating, too–I easily go through 2 or 3 shirts a day, no matter how hard I try not to spill things!
As far as being a ‘uniform,’ well, I don’t know. I just like the variety of styles and fabrics and the way they can make you feel all mommy and girly when you’re wearing jeans and a sweatshirt!
I would have no idea how to make an apron, although I have sewn other things.
I believe you could make a case for an apron being a frugal move, protecting your clothes AND making you feel more productive. I took a peak at a couple of those pages and they are really CUTE!
I don’t know if you were around back when I was trying to get aprons started as a fashion statement. (Clearly it’s got to start with someone other than me!)
M2F-See, I was being kind in not referring to myself as a “slob”. If we aren’t kind to ourselves, who will be??? And that whole pretty and girly thing, well, i’m totally with you on that
and apparently Yankee Bill feels the same way about it.
Rebecca-I think with a pattern that an apron couldn’t be too hard, certainly there isn’t anything like insetting a sleeve or anything. But considering the fact that most of the stuff you are cooking really can stain (uh, oil, tomato sauce etc?) and then add into that the solvents we use to get a lot of those stains out really are pretty lousy for the environment (not to go all weird and green on folks or anything)-but I think overall aprons are frugal. And I did pick out all of those styles because they were cute-although unlike the pinup model I do intend to wear clothing under mine. . . .
I don’t remember your post on aprons, I’ll have to search for it and do a link. A lot of the sites selling aprons (there were tons more but some of them were outrageously expensive, hello-$96??? or just weird, an organza hostess apron? Anyway, they all claimed hostess aprons were coming back. Well of course they would, that is what they were selling.
On an aside. Half aprons don’t work for me. I tend to splatter and spill up top just as much as from the waist down. . . .