Dear Miss MacDonald,

As a child I was always made to wear a bib, presumably because I was a messy eater, but this practice continued until I was about seven or eight, long after that of other children. After constant objections from me, my mother decided that an apron would be more suitable, and from then on I was expected, without exception, to put on one of several ladies' style pinafore aprons for all mealtimes. This became a normal and accepted routine for me, and at worst, I suppose, was just slightly embarrassing when we had guests or went out visiting.

My first conscious feeling of humiliation was when I was about twelve, and we went on holiday to a guest house in the Lake District. Not expecting to wear my aprons on holiday, I had removed them from my case which Mother had packed. On our first morning there we were sitting down for breakfast, and to my utter disbelief Mother told me to get my apron on, only to subsequently learn that I had not brought them, and this made her absolutely furious. Our kindly landlady, Mrs Payne, was told of the predicament, and saved the day by taking me out to the kitchen, and both provided, and neatly tied me into, a very pretty frilly over-the-shoulder pinafore apron with a huge bow at the back, sending me back into the crowded dining room a very red-faced and teary-eyed boy.

Mother was delighted, and after reluctantly eating my breakfast, I was made to help Mrs Payne and her daughter clear the plates  and wash up. This became the regular routine, and I got on very well with the family, and stayed on for an extra two weeks after the holiday. I even went back for several years after. Wearing an apron became quite normal for me, and even now, after having grown up, I still wear a neat, feminine waist apron most of the time. It just seems natural to slip on an apron the moment I get dressed or return to the house, just as my mother always did, and I can't explain the deep sense of pride I feel from wearing such a feminine garment. My mother is amazed that all the years I was made to wear an apron I didn’t want to, and now I don’t have to, I want to wear one! I would be very interested to know if you, or any of your readers, have come across anything like this before.
Yours sincerely,

Robert.

Come across anything like this before?? Robert, this site is fully archived, and you have a lot of reading to do. With the training you had, it's no wonder that you find pleasure and pride in wearing a pretty feminine apron. It sounds like you are still living with your mother, and I hope that one day you meet a nice girl who understands a male who has experienced regular pinafore discipline.
Susan