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The apron as a fashion accessory

Cream white apron embroidered in colored silks and gold and silver thread. Design shows three offset rows of heavy rose buds with curving stems and leaves. Between each rose bud is a heavy drooping leaf in gold thread. Apron has five scallops along the bottom and is trimmed on three sides with metallic bobbin lace. A narrow piece of bobbin lace is at the top. Apron has a yoke of plain silk and drawstring.. Original file: [Apron (France), early 18th century (CH 18386995).jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AApron_%28France%29%2C_early_18th_century_%28CH_18386995%29.jpg). Creator: Unknown artist Unknown artist. License: Public domain (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AApron%20%28France%29%2C%20early%2018th%20century%20%28CH%2018386995%29.jpg). Attribution: Unknown artist Unknown artist. Downloaded from the verified Commons file page; unaltered image. Checked 2026-10-25.

Short wide apron of white embroidered in silver thread, rose, violet and white. Design is a large central flower spray of carnation and lily with leaves in silver thread. Corner design of cornucopia with sprays of tulips and lilies. Bottom and sides have a subtle scallops bordered in a sawtooth pattern in silver thread.. Original file: [Apron (France), early 18th century (CH 18386997).jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AApron_%28France%29%2C_early_18th_century_%28CH_18386997%29.jpg). Creator: Unknown artist Unknown artist. License: Public domain (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AApron%20%28France%29%2C%20early%2018th%20century%20%28CH%2018386997%29.jpg). Attribution: Unknown artist Unknown artist. Downloaded from the verified Commons file page; unaltered image. Checked 2026-10-25.

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Cream white apron embroidered in colored silks and gold and silver thread. Design shows three offset rows of heavy rose buds with curving stems and leaves. Between each rose bud is a heavy drooping leaf in gold thread. Apron has five scallops along the bottom and is trimmed on three sides with metallic bobbin lace. A narrow piece of bobbin lace is at the top. Apron has a yoke of plain silk and drawstring.. Original file: [Apron (France), early 18th century (CH 18386995).jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AApron_%28France%29%2C_early_18th_century_%28CH_18386995%29.jpg). Creator: Unknown artist Unknown artist. License: Public domain (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AApron%20%28France%29%2C%20early%2018th%20century%20%28CH%2018386995%29.jpg). Attribution: Unknown artist Unknown artist. Downloaded from the verified Commons file page; unaltered image. Checked 2026-10-25.

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In the 1730s–1750s, wealthy women wore fine aprons as fashionable accessories rather than for work. The expression about being “tied to one’s mother’s apron strings” did not originate from this fashion: the apron-string metaphor is documented much earlier in English.