Wearing An Apron

[FortuneRose]

After seeing several of you talking about your love for colored aprons, I decided to whip one together tonight.  I am now finished with it but I'm curious how you wear yours (assuming you wear one).  Do you prefer to have it tied on under your bodice as the skirts are, or over the bodice as a finishing piece?  I haven't decided how I'll wear it.  I've seen both ways but can't decide.  My bodice comes to a bit of a point in the front and if I put it over it will cover that up (not that it is a huge deal).

[gem]

Funny you should mention this! I was just today looking at Anea's website, at all of the aprons in her Italian Working Class gallery:
http://aneafiles.webs.com/renaissancegallery/italianworkingclass.html

Lots of variety of colors & embellishment, as well as outfits they're worn with. You'll see some over gowns, some tucked under bodice points, etc.

What color is yours? I'm still trying to decide what color goes with a bright coral dress and yellow sleeves. (Wonder if I have enough of the ginger brown I lined it with?)

[isabelladangelo]

Hello!  I'm glad so many people are getting into colored aprons!  I need to make another and maybe add some embroidery.

According to the latest garb related research- they actually didn't tuck the aprons under the points.  The apron itself is shaped to a point.  This is best illustrated in this portrait from 1600:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Elizabeth_Vernon_big.jpg

Notice how you can see the lines of the apron strings over the stays waistline.  Given most of the time, we are seeing dresses and not separates, it makes more sense that the apron would be pointed to show off the bodice than it being tucked under.  Also, if it was tucked under, you'd expect to see some sort of wrinkling or puckering where it's being placed beneath the bodice (also, you'd expect to see the top of the apron at the bottom opening of the bodice...all we ever see is the chemise showing through).   It doesn't seem to exist in any paintings or portraits. 

So, if you are following the historical example, wear it over.   

[FortuneRose]

Thank you, ladies!

I think I am going to go with over.  I put on everything and got a second opinion from my husband, who also agreed over looked more "natural".  Gem, the apron I whipped together is a pale blue.  More of a pale dusty blue than a powder blue.  I am wearing it with a deep navy bodice, a mustard skirt (more like dijon mustard-slight brown tinge), and a mustard chemise.

[isabelladangelo]

Picture, please!

[captmarga]

Hello!  I'm glad so many people are getting into colored aprons!  I need to make another and maybe add some embroidery.

According to the latest garb related research- they actually didn't tuck the aprons under the points.  The apron itself is shaped to a point.  This is best illustrated in this portrait from 1600:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Elizabeth_Vernon_big.jpg

Notice how you can see the lines of the apron strings over the stays waistline.  Given most of the time, we are seeing dresses and not separates, it makes more sense that the apron would be pointed to show off the bodice than it being tucked under.  Also, if it was tucked under, you'd expect to see some sort of wrinkling or puckering where it's being placed beneath the bodice (also, you'd expect to see the top of the apron at the bottom opening of the bodice...all we ever see is the chemise showing through).   It doesn't seem to exist in any paintings or portraits. 

So, if you are following the historical example, wear it over.   

I'm very confused.  This photo doesn't show an apron to me, it shows a deep-pointed corset (payre of bodies) and an unfastened over-dress.  She is still combing her hair and part of her garb - the ruff - is still not in place.

Is is cited this is an apron?

Marga

[isabelladangelo]

She is wearing a sheer apron.  Look at the lines coming from the waist, down over the point of the bodies and extending over the skirt.  Also, look on the table side of the skirt (not the dog side) and see a thin white line extending over the skirt down to the hem.  You can trace the outlines of the apron all the way around the hem, back over to just above the dog's ear and up back towards the waist.  

The jacket she is wearing only needs to be fastened for her to be dressed, really.  The ruff was placed to add to the idea that she is normally modest.  ;-)

[Kate XXXXXX]

Once dressed she'll look like this: 

  Or this:    Or even this:    I love this one: 

Margaret Layton is the only one with a sheer apron and an embroidered jacket, but here are a few others about...