apron
An apron , also called a pre-tie or pin , is an item of clothing that is tied in front of the stomach and sometimes the chest to protect the clothing from dirt . Depending on the intended use, aprons are made of different materials, for example from different types of fabric , rubber , lead (for X-rays ) or leather . The Duden describes the apron as "an item of clothing worn over clothing, mainly covering the front of the body, with sewn-on straps around the waist and neck , which is particularly used to protect clothing during certain work."
history
Since the end of the 15th century, aprons have also been used in fashion as a decorative element in women's clothing (decorative aprons, dandy aprons ). From the Middle Ages to the 19th century, the apron was part of the everyday clothing of a middle and lower class citizen.
Rural women usually owned a large number of aprons, which they changed depending on their activity and social situation. The change of the apron symbolized a ritual transition from one activity and social position to another.
The apron entered the national costumes of almost all regions of Europe. As part of traditional costumes, they are usually half-aprons, which can be elaborately embroidered or otherwise decorated. As a fashionable element, aprons made of cotton or silk can still be found in dirndls today . In the second half of the 15th century, the term Fürtuch ("Voruch") came up in the Bavarian language area . This usually means a (work) apron without a chest part for men and women. Most often the term is still used for traditional aprons.
The bow with which the costume apron is tied symbolizes the marital status of the wearer in some regions. For example, if the wearer has her bow on the right side, she signals that she is taken. A bow on the left side means that the wearer is still available. However , there is no reliable historical source for this statement, which is circulated every year by the media on the occasion of the Oktoberfest .
A more recent development is the smock apron . While “ smock ” generally refers to a loosely hanging item of clothing, it is specifically work clothing . Sometimes - especially with long sleeves and for "upscale" activities such as a doctor or pharmacist - the apron is also referred to as a professional coat. In the 1960s and 1970s, nylon was widely used as a material because it was easy to care for and easy to iron. In the meantime, almost only cotton fabrics are on the market. In the GDR , aprons were made from Dederon . In its sleeveless variation, the apron is also worn for housework.
A bistro apron can be worn by men and women, is almost ankle-length and almost completely encloses the body.
The apron is still part of the workwear of cooks , bakers , waiters , butchers , blacksmiths and cleaning staff .
Use in the world of work
Protection of devices and machines
Furthermore, an apron is also a technical component, e.g. B. in the body shop . In the building trade, flat, hanging components such as vertical projections on suspended ceilings or wall parts hanging from the ceiling are called aprons.
Protective clothing
As occupational safety z. For example, when welding or abrasive cutting, leather aprons or protection are usually used.
Aprons with inlays made of lead are used in the medical field for radiation protection . On the one hand, these serve to protect the gonads (i.e. ovaries or testes ) of patients during radiological examinations or treatments. On the other hand, they are worn by medical personnel for their own protection during examinations and treatments if they are also exposed to direct ionizing radiation (e.g. cardiac catheter examination ); this is usually also required by statutory regulations on occupational safety .
In areas where contamination with liquid materials is to be expected, aprons made of rubber or plastics are often worn, e.g. B. in the field of dairy and butcher shops.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Apron, die , duden.de, accessed on March 2, 2013
- ↑ Elke Gaugele: Apron and apron: clothing as a medium of gender construction , Böhlau Verlag GmbH & Cie, 2002, ISBN 3-412-04902-6 . In it p. 96 and p. 112 ff.