Woman's Apron

Short aprons are important to the history of women’s dress in many parts of Africa. Though today such aprons are rarely seen outside of ceremonial settings, they were considered to be appropriate coverings well into the mid-20th century. Like other forms of dress, women’s aprons were made from a variety of materials and in a range of styles that often reflected the social status of the wearer.
The widespread importation of glass beads beginning in the late 19th century led to a flowering of beadwork across West and Central Africa including the production of beaded women’s aprons. Such aprons demonstrate a range of abstract styles from rigidly structured to highly unstructured and explore variations in geometry, color, and texture. Different approaches to pattern represent different regional styles as well as possibly differences in age and marital status. This apron displays irregular beading on coarse white thread. The use of different sized beads woven next to each other gives the apron an uneven texture. The top of the apron and the ties are composed of cotton rope, and large cowries hang from the end of the fringes, which are suggestive of wealth and create a rhythmic sound when the skirt is worn.