, 1907-09-26
JUST ABOUT APRONS
ARTICLE OF APPAREL LONG
POPULAR WITH WOMEN.
Fashion Has Found Opportunity to
Dictate Here as Well as in
Matter of Dress.

Aprons are by no means modern In
ventions; their pedigree is extremely
long and very interesting. There have
been fashions in aprons as well as IN
gowns for at least 600 years. for In
Illuminated manuscripts Of the four
teenth century are obtained pictures
showing long, narrow aprons, gathered
at the top. These were more for util-
ity thar for ornament, but beginning
with the reign of Queen Elizabeth the
apron became and remained an I'M
portant accessory to the toilet until
late in the last century.
1t was Queen Anne, or, rather, u
ing her reign that lace aprons were
followed by satin creations marvel
ously embroidered in colors and bord'
cred with gold or silver fringe or lace
The grande dame never wore a bib
anen her only children and the
lower classes did this. The elaborate
aprons were very expensive and were
often of Oriental workmanship.
They came into wear even for dress
occasions, these satin and gold lace
affairs, and 1t was not until the shirt
wasted empire styles came into vogue
that the dainty little ornaments, for
such they had become, were gradually
dispersed with.
In France very large aprons almost
entirely hiding the scanty skirt were
worn during the Napoleon era, but in
other places the apron only appeared
for home wear. In the time of u
Observation-Disclosures it was made OF
shiny satin, usually black, but some
times of gray hues, embroidered with
hideous clusters of flowers and pipings
or ruchings of lace.
To-day the apron has descended to
Its proper level, as suited only for
home wear, but 1t is of two distinct
classes, the working apron and the
sewing apron. The latter are charm
Ing little affairs of lace. lawn. muslin.
nainsook run with ribbon and trimmed
with rufles so dainty are they that
1t is a pity they are not worn more
thaS they are. In the sixties and
seventies these pretty aprons, with
smart little caps to correspond, were
worn in the morning by almost every
woman. 1t was a pretty fashion, and
there were rumors of its revival this
year -rumors which never material
lied. Perhaps in the search for fashion
of the past we will at length con-
descend to take this n UP.
1t certainly has its advantages. The
little caps may hide a hastily arranged
morning couture, but it also keeps 1t
trim and neat when attending to
household duties. The advantages of
the apron are obvious.
By the way, charming little sewing
aprons may be made from scraps left
over from the summer frocks. The
writer has two made Of white barred
dimity. with small wreaths Of forget
me-nots over it. Some lace left over
from the bodice of the frock WAS used
as inserting and as edging for the
bottom. which was finished with mar
row tucks between the insertions. In
this case the aprons were square and
frillcd slightly in the belt. the strings
being also of the material inset with
strips of the lace.
These aprons might ha re had blue
ribbon strings or beading run with
ribbon, but the maker used only the
materials at hand, and the result justi-
fed the trial, for they not only were
pretty but Numbered excellently.