The Apron by Jennifer Fulwiler

... “So,” I explained, “Here’s the invention: It’s a piece of fabric that goes over whatever you’re already wearing, for when you’re doing messy work. Then, when it’s time to leave the house, you can take off this fabric covering, and your clothes underneath will still look great!”

I waited for my husband to jump out of his chair and pronounce me a genius. Instead, he said: “Umm, are you talking about an apron?”

Oh. Yeah.

It’s amazing that in the span of one generation, a clothing item that was once a staple of married women’s wardrobes could become almost entirely obsolete. Though our grandmothers used aprons regularly, women my age didn’t see much of them in our own childhoods, and rarely use them ourselves. The common thinking about why the apron fell out of favor, even with stay-at-home moms who might have a use for one, was that it came to be associated with unpopular concepts like traditional gender roles and stifled housewives during the cultural upheaval of the 1960s and ‘70s.

That’s certainly true, but I think the reason for the apron’s decline goes even deeper than that.

One of the cornerstone beliefs of the modern secular world is that the meaning of life is to maximize your personal pleasure and comfort; therefore, people are encouraged to minimize phases of life that might involve hard work or service of others. This probably impacts women with young children more than anyone. They receive the message loud and clear that their situation, with all the mess and physically demanding work that goes with it, is the very antithesis of a good life. No way to thrive here, the thinking goes...

This is why I’d like to see the apron make a comeback. It is the essential accessory for a life of service. Donning an apron is a simple act that sends a surprisingly powerful message, especially if you’re a mother. It’s a symbolic gesture that indicates that you’re seeking to thrive now, here in the midst of the toil that comes with nurturing new souls; that you see the work of serving others not as a temporary phase, but as a key aspect of a well lived life. Taking the time to fasten the strings of an apron around your waist sends a message (to yourself, as much as to anyone else) that it’s worth the effort to protect your clothes so that you can look nice at the end of the day—that self-care has not been shoved to the backburner just because you have children."