Yes, Every Man Needs an Apron

Apron No. 2 in Chambray

Men wearing aprons seem to be more of a novelty than a practical household item. In popular culture the apron on men seems to only show up on tacky backyard cooks (think Kiss the Cook) and wisecracking chefs and their hyperbolic reality shows, or the hapless dad in the movies putting on a pink ruffled thing when he's stuck with the kids. But it's time to ignore all of those stereotypes and get yourself an apron. Here are a few reasons you need to consider one for yourself. 

Aprons keep your hands dirty but your clothes clean.
It’s certainly much easier to go straight from work to your workshop without having to stop and change out of your office clothes and into that old t-shirt when you can just throw on an apron.

Aprons have valuable hand-wiping real estate.
No more accidentally wiping your hands on your jeans! Aprons give you one less reason to have to wash your raw denim.

Aprons protect your body.
A well-made apron can keep flying hot liquids, shards of glass, paint splatter, saw dust, and more from damaging your clothing or your body.

Aprons make you look like a pro.
There’s a reason everyone from baristas to welders don these fabric shields. Serious working professionals wear aprons, and so should you. Get an apron and be prepared for your neighbors to ask you for advice on how to rebuild their transmission.

Aprons help you hold your tools.
The integrated pockets helps keep your often used tools at hand: a pencil, a pair of tongs, a tape measure, shears, etc. Many aprons are designed for particular kinds of tasks and will feature appropriately sized pockets for common tools and equipment. 

There are a few things to consider when looking for an apron:

Materials
You want a durable fabric like denim or duck canvas with thick straps around the neck and waist. Leather or synthetic materials are great options if you’re interested in welding, crafts that involve caustic chemicals, or other things that may harm your skin. If it's just about the way it looks for you, which is ok too, check out these denim and leather ones from American Native.

Storage
Pockets keep commonly used items within reach. Look for one with a pencil holder like these from LC King in Tennessee. Some aprons are so decked out they practically have tool belts built right in, like this one from Duluth Trading.

Length
Consider the work you love to do and how it relates to the length of the apron. If you love to paint, you may want a longer apron to keep things off of your pants. If you are a woodworker you may want something that rests at your knees so you can stay mobile.

Whether you’re new to the DIY thing or you’ve been an amateur crafter for some time, you need to stop getting crap on your good clothing and get yourself apron. Your clothing budget will thank you.

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