It's on a wire hoop around the waist, and has metal boning in the bodice. Originally, it was pleated in 1/4 inch pleats all around the skirt, but after being folded the pleats are blurred. I soaked it in a hot bath to try to get rid of the worst of the creases. It's hard to know what else to do, I couldn't exactly iron it.
My sister, Michelle, was pleased to add it to her '50s wardrobe, and I suspect it will make an appearance at a dinner party soon.
This got me thinking about aprons. I rarely wear aprons. I am rarely wearing anything that ought to be protected when I am cooking, and I am certainly not playing hostess very often. Occasionally, I will wear a waiter's apron when cooking something messy.
In the '50s, hostess aprons were part of every stylish wife's wardrobe. I have this little item in the store:
I suspect it is an 1980s vintage revival number, but very sweet. I almost sold it to a lady who was waitressing at a friend's wedding, but unfortunately, I couldn't ship it to the US in time for the wedding.
Recently, I have come across this other apron - It is lovely, featuring cutwork embroidery, and in extremely good condition, and I suspect that this, too, is a 1980s vintage revival number. I would hate to splat spaghetti sauce all over it.
My mother tells me that she made countless aprons for her "glory box". I guess they were easily and quickly made, and served a practical purpose. I wish I had seen my mother's glory box.
This little number, probably from the 1960s, was the kind to feature in a glory box. It's handmade by the housewife, and features an organdy trim with rickrack. It's clearly intended to be a practical, everyday kind of apron, but the maker still took care to make it carefully and to trim it to make it pretty. I am just as likely to tuck a tea towel into my neck.
In my collection I have many sewing patterns for aprons and here is my favourite, from around 1912:
Once again, how I wish I could send away for the pattern!
