The apron is a garment that has never gone out of use. For centuries it has been both an item worn at home and a work uniform for many groups. A simple tie-on layer of protective material, the apron finds use from simple kitchen wear saving the user from spillages on their clothes to heavy duty aprons worn by foundry workers protecting them from burns, oils, etc.

The apron is worn in many professions. Maids, cleaners and nurses traditionally wear aprons to keep their clothes clean. In many western countries however maids and house staff are less likely to wear the apron, seen as somewhat of an antiquity, unless they are expected to be dressed in official uniform.

The apron is almost always seen as a female accessory and in the early part of the 1900s was seen as inseparable from a housewife. American television and advertising made the apron an icon of the stay at home woman who cooks and cleans for her husband. This image is usually decried by modern women who sometimes see it as a propaganda tool. Nonetheless the apron is still used due to it's simplicity and practicality, but has declined due to home washing machines lowering the need to keep clothes spotless. Styles vary from the standard apron to the pinafore, a kind of sleeveless and backless dress designed to be slipped over an outfit, and aprons supplied by workplaces can be anything from cloth to plastic to leather. A tabard or cobbler apron is a type that covers the front and back and ties at the sides.

Aprons have attained a kind of novelty status for many people. They are worn by men more frequently, and the image of a man wearing an apron while he cooks a barbecue is a common American joke. They are also seen at fancy dress parties; the archetypal French maid and nurse outfits always have aprons, as do images of cooks. Most modern aprons come with slogans or funny pictures on them.