At the farm market last week a young boy (8 or 9) came looking for an apron. He said all I had was girl stuff and he needed a boys apron. So, I told him that I would sew some boy aprons this week. He said my tote bags were mostly for girls, too. Now, I seem to be prejudice? I do have some men's aprons or at least plain colored ones and some prints for the barbecue aprons. It seems like I have been thinking men are farmers and women are gardeners. Same as girls are cooks and men just barbecue outside. girls are cooks, men are chefs. Do your children cook and garden or do they farm and barbecue. (chef) dooley
WOW! Since we don't have children of our own I can only go off my experience with the nieces and nephews. It depends on what we are doing. If I'm gardening Madisen is gardening but if Uncle Bret is farming she is farming. You know, monkey see monkey do Hope this helps
So do you think the boy needed a tote bag or was he just commenting that they were all for girls? Make a few bags that are plain and if they don't sell the way they are you can always add some embellishments to them later. Or make them into back packs or hobo sacks to see if thats what would appeal to him or them(boys/men). My kids aren't big enough to think an apron is needed to help out or stay cleaner. I have one who wouldn't wear and apron to save his life. He is a mechanic/farmer/handyman/jack of all trades, kind of kid. the dirtier and greasier the better. He's 16 and doesn't think he should have to get cleaned up to go to the store :-? hopefully he will outgrow this as he gets older.Please tell me he will. But at least you know what he was doing or that he was doing something, usually it is productive. The rest of them would roll their eyes at the suggestion. They think I am weird because I almost always have one on when I am outside. I offer them my apron to wear and they always decline. So after reading all this... I have nothing to really offer for your question, my kids don't really want to go outside and work. Except for Adrian sans apron!
Dooley, you are definitely not prejudiced! Guys don't wear "aprons" as such. They prefer "protective gear" such as the leather aprons farriers wear, or the canvas aprons with lots of pockets that carpenters use. I, as a "mature" female, wear an apron when baking bread, but that's because I'm incredibly messy. My husband has a canvas carpenter's apron that we both use--never got around to getting one of my own. Aprons are unisex, as is protective gear. That little boy needs to get over his girl/boy appropriate thing and get an apron!
Well, I must add that the mother said they'd come back next week for the boy apron but the boy said they would buy the red plaid one and come back next week for the boy one. I don't think he wanted a tote bag. He was just commenting that I didn't have boy stuff. My grandson is taking a cooking class at summer school. He lives in Wisconsin. I asked my son if he would wear an apron if I sent one and my son said that he would like one. I made and sent my other son's boy a chef apron and hat when he started taking a culinary class through the community college. He really liked it. dooley
I think it depends on the child's environment. His outlook may make him indifferent to what people think or social norms. On the other hand he may wish to emulate a male figure, his dad or an older brother. Whether it be a cook/chef/barbecuer or a gardener/farmer what he wears reflects on his wishes to emulate someone else or to escape from 'comments' made about his attire. While not in tune with children's 'fashion' I would think a denim 'something' would fit the bill, perhaps with a pocket. Jerry
Since I never wear aprons... I do have one that was a Christmas gift a few years ago, but the pockets collect grocery bags and it hangs on the wall... Since it was a boy thing, maybe he wants a superhero on his apron ? Or trucks or something ? When my boys were growing up, they wanted superhero costumes, so I made them each a red cape and other items to play superhero with.
I've never owned or worn an apron. I just put on my raggediest everyday clothes when I have gardening to do. Wait... I think maybe I used an apron a few times when I was doing alot of baking. But back to the boy/girl thing... yep.. maybe denim? Or something with John Deere/tractors colors/motif? Or trucks, hot rods or race cars?
I've only got girls, and they only wear aprons when asked to if they help out in the kitchen. I rarely wear an apron, inside or outside and my clothes look like they've been dragged through flour or dirt, depending on where I've been. Hubby wears aprons in the kitchen to protect his clothes, but outside he's just like me. I've managed to turn up at school with dirt smudges in my face and a sequateur in my back pocket more than once. The time just moves too fast and suddenly it's pick-up time. I think the boy just wanted to make conversation. I hope he'll be back to check out your new creations.
