Tough Aprons To Protect You From Cooking Catastrophe

Frilly, decorative aprons are fine if you don't plan on getting your hands dirty.

The type of cooking we like, however, requires a protective garment that actually protects.

We're not alone, it seems. At Bar Agricole in San Francisco, bartenders sport custom denim aprons with plenty of pockets. Los Angeles's Kaufmann Mercantile carries a similar style, made from selvage fabric, by Stronghold Denim ($125) and available in two lengths. Either would be equally at home in your kitchen or your garage.

If your kitchen is your studio, the Washington-based studio Blackbird has a Trusty Workshop Apron II ($85) that could be an indispensable part of your toolkit. It's fashioned from heavy-duty sea-green canvas, with space for a calculator–should you need help with recipe fractions–and a second large pouch pocket with a flap to keep out cutting-board debris.