Cute Aprons (Yes, Aprons!)

Whether you're hosting or need a great gift for a host, you need an apron

Hello, Gorgeous!

I’m an avid home cook. I’ve worked as a professional baker, and have cooked with world-class chefs on multiple occasions. I’m also a crafter and artist in multiple mediums, and teach art therapy. For some reason though, I never really got into using aprons until recently. That meant that nearly every time I baked, cooked, or painted, my clothes ended up stained or smelly.

Not your grandma’s apron

Many of us still associate the idea of aprons with the idealized midcentury TV housewife. Hair perfect, lipstick freshly applied, and an assortment of goodies on the table waiting for her man. But as women’s roles evolved, so has the humble apron.

The new gen aprons come in beautiful patterns and sizes and can be personalized depending on your needs.

For some reason this didn’t show up in the original post. The reason I shared the Hello Gorgeous! week at Henri Bendel was because of the aprons worn by everyone working at makeup counters on the first floor.

Marimekko Aprons

Oh, how I love Marimekko patterns. The Finnish textile and clothing company never ceases to delight my midcentury-tinged palate.

Aprons are a fun way to wear bold and bright patterns you might not otherwise wear.

Finnstyle has a huge selection of Marimekko products (and other fantastic Finnish brands) including this Pieni Unikko Dark Cherry / Pink / Off White Apron. You can still snag some CyberMonday deals, this one is now $46, reduced from $58, on Finnstyle.com.

Retro aprons

Etsy has some really fun vintage inspired aprons including this retro floral pinafore apron from Brighter Home Space which is pretty enough to wear over your LBD when serving. ($35, Etsy.com). You can also find loads of apron styles to personalize.

Japanese style aprons

In case you’re a messy cook, you might need a bit more coverage when cooking. Pillowpia has a cute criss cross apron modeled after Japanese pullover aprons (which come with a bit of a learning curve until you’re used to them). This one also has two large patch pockets so you can store your cooking/gardening/painting tools. This one is on sale big time right now at about $50, usually $88, pillowpia.com. Incidentally, please don’t blame me if you fall down a Pillowpia rabbit hole. They have the most fabulous macrame plant hangers I’ve seen (nicer even than the ones I make :)

Plus size aprons

Much like robes at the salon, not all aprons fit every shape or size. I love the way the straps on Apronner plus size aprons comfortably wrap around my waist twice. They’re also long, so you won’t splash your pants or legs while cooking. The fabric is a bit rough though, but just fine for an apron. ($12.99, Amazon).

Do you wrap yourself in an apron as soon as you head into the kitchen? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋

And just for fun, a few pics from Hello Gorgeous! week at Henri Bendel including the 5th Avenue windows and first floor all decorated Hello Gorgeous! style.

An overhead view of the first floor of Henri Bendel during Hello Gorgeous! week. All first floor makeup counters were decorated as another midcentury room and pages from the book/retro products were placed in the entry

Another interior view. I’m pretty sure it was Benefit who kept their cosmetics in the retro oven that week!

One of the more surreal moments of my life was walking up to Henri Bendel department store and seeing the 5th Avenue windows transformed Hello Gorgeous! style.