Friday, January 04, 2008

my kitchen is my closet

all day apron

I guess I figure that if folks can feel okay about wearing pajamas to the grocery store, then why not an apron to the park? We destined to the nearest playground this afternoon, but owing to a number of factors (strong winds, icy rain, irritable toddler) we didn't actually make it there. We decided to keep moving quickly and assumed the play structure would be too cold anyway. But I did, indeed, wear an apron on our long walk. It wasn't an accidental accessory, leftover from a morning of cookie baking. If I had sticky kitchen business to attend to, I would have opted for one of my sturdier, utilitarian aprons. This one was chosen this morning to complement my outfit. Not as a place to wipe my hands, but as a way to disguise my middle.

I'm finding myself with a bit of a wardrobe challenge these days. The challenge not being so much my wardrobe as the extra eighteen pounds around my middle. I wear a lot of long shirts to compensate for pinchy waistbands. When I got dressed this morning, I put on an old favorite pair of tan corduroys and a new black long-sleeved t-shirt, a very respectable combination, in which, however, I felt more conspicuous than respectable. I'm fond of adding skirts on top of pants for coverage and fun (I almost said 'fashion' but I'm not sure anybody but me finds that mix-up so fashionable anymore) and added a short denim skirt to the tan and black outfit. But the skirt was too bulky and the effect was all wrong. What to do? The few pairs of genuinely comfortable and adequately fitting pants I have were in the wash. And I didn't want to change anyway. I was thinking, hmm. What I need is something wide I can tie around my waist. A scarf? None of mine were the right width or color. Not a scarf then. I thought sadly, oh, it's too bad I don't have something I can tie around, like a pinafore. That's what I need. Wait a minute. Like a pinafore? An apron! I have plenty of those. Yes!

And so that's why you could have seen me hoofing around my town today in an apron. A very adorable vintage apron embellished with tiny ricrac. Tie up a dog turd in tiny ricrac and I'd find it some measure of adorable, but the apron truly is. I might have looked out of place. But that's because the winds were fierce, the rain sideways, and I was out walking for pleasure with two children in tow. I dare anyone to raise an eyebrow at me wearing an apron out of the house. It just hasn't caught on yet. Wait and see, all day aprons will be the next big thing!

3 comments:

Angelina said...

Wearing aprons all day and out and about is a special pleasure of mine and I can't remember a time I haven't at least occasionally indulged in my love of public aprons. I wish I had been out and about so I could run into you and enjoyed your choice of fashion! How can anyone not love rick rack? Especially tiny rick rack?

I just love that you were out and about in the icy rain. I couldn't drag Max out in it unless I chained him to his bike, but I love a good walk in a storm.

Lisa said...

I actually did see you out yesterday, when I was going to the post office. I didn't notice the apron, because I was too busy trying to make sure a tree didn't blow over on me! It was way too windy out there for me.

Anonymous said...

I keep hoping a version of the babydoll lolita street fashion from a couple of years ago in Japan would hit here.

Eat More Kale!