Kitchen Couture
So after looking at an e-mail about PHAG Gourmet’s newest holiday sugar high, the Ginger Bender cake-in-a-cup (pictured above) and thinking about my own addiction to cooking/making/baking treats (this week I dabbled in the world of making caramel candies!) I got to thinking about a very important kitchen accessory, the apron.
Amanda's lame-o apron
I won’t go as far as saying one needs to be fashionable while flour floats through the air and oil spatters out of sizzling pans but I will say that my own dirty, plain, navy blue apron does little in the way of inspiring great creativity in the kitchen.
And when I opened my Facebook Newsfeed this week to find a photo of a green taffeta apron with a sequined martini-drinking snowman applique made by my friend Rob, a local stylist and costume-designer, I knew I just had to find myself something a bit more exciting. And so I set to scouting out some possible replacements for my dingy blue apron. Here’s what I found:
This apron makes my little Dia de los Muertos-lovin heart flutter. As someone who celebrates this Latin holiday by making an altar and filling it with homemade sugar skulls and pan de muerto I feel almost required to own this adorable demi apron by D-Lux 57. Their claim to fame is an apron cameo on Desperate Housewives. Sounds kind of hilarious to me but I suppose in the world of fashionable aprons that would be the Holy Grail of good PR.
There are two aspects of the Hollywood Halter apron from The Apron Shoppe that interest me. The first is the pattern. I much prefer a geometric pattern over a repeating image of an apple. Secondly, I like the halter style, though the deep v starts to move into the territory of being impractical. I don’t know about your cooking style, but as you can see in the photo of my apron, I’m not exactly a dainty baker and that deep v is just asking for me to end up with vanilla extract dribbled down the bust of my white shirt.
The Ladybug Poppy apron from Jessie Steele pretty much speaks for itself. Bold patterns, bright colors and bows make it a feminine but modern apron with two front pockets that are perfect for hiding that flask of whiskey, I mean tube of lipstick.
And if you really want to get into the spirit of coordination, you could always outfit your kitchen with the matching pot mitt and hand towel, but I might make fun of you for that.
The Saucy Apron featuring fabrics from the Joel Dewberry Aviary Collection, is a super girlie but slightly artsy alternative to the basic apron with its ruffled edge and extra long sash. It’s made by Beautiful Blooms based out of Southeast Pennsylvania too, hooray for supporting local economies!
Nothing says classy like a vintage hostess apron. This tulle and velvet-lined piece is from the 1950’s and is a little reminder of what the classic housewife used to tout when the guests were about the house. I would like to take a moment here to blame Wal-Mart as well as the invention of stretch pants for the decline of the fashionable stay-at-home mom. You can find this piece along with many other vintage apron treasures at Ballyhoo Vintage.
The Nora apron from Bella Pamella has it all. It has full frontal coverage for the ultimate in clothing protection, it has a vintage feminine appeal and it’s super easy to put on and take off with its “sailor collar.” And if you really want to get into some old school style, check out the matching Lucy Hair Snug!
What is it about this apron ensamble that makes me want to go bake an apple pie? You’re right, it’s probably the red dots.
Finally there’s always the classic striped apron. I like this one from Vintage Aprons because the added colors keep it from being too conventional while still sticking to the basics of the chef-style. I am concerned that it might lead to scandal though. After all, it does resemble the apron Jeff Smith used to wear on The Frugal Gourmet.
