Made for cooking but can it handle art?
I've been looking for something to protect my clothes when working with my more chaotic art materials. This caught my eye partially because of the pockets, but primarily because it's 100% cotton. As an artist owned by cats during these low humidity winters, natural fibers are the difference between having a happy loaf cat warming in the sun, or a static shocked, anxious furball sparking at every pet.I gave this apron a couple days of wear before reviewing, and so far it hasn't disappointed. Out of the box, the apron was a slightly stiff cotton fabric with zero static cling. Offered as a one size option, I found it to be a one size fits most.At 5'8", this apron comes down to right above my knees. Sitting, it covers thighs and can be angled to cover knees. Depending on how wide one's stance is, you might be able to get away with throwing on a pottery wheel in this, but it's not designed to wrap around the thighs, so I wouldn't recommend it.This apron is made for the front of a person. The wider a person is, the less this is going to protect their sides, so if you've got a healthy backside to protect, don't wear nice jeans in this.The long straps allow you to hang it up anywhere when not in use, or to dangle and be stalked by cats when wearing it. It's easy to slip into, and after a moment to adjust the straps, it fits fine and you're ready to go. There's no uncomfortable pulling under the armpits or at the shoulders, and it's a breathable, almost khaki weight, not prone to snags or wrinkles.The pockets are deep enough that nothing falls out when reaching or leaning over. There's also an extra set of channels built into the hips of the apron where you can thread the straps through for a tighter sized fit. You forget it's on after a while, until it wears in a bit, and then the fit issues start.It's too much for two straps, straps that quickly lose shape, and it's evident when things start riding up, going askew, one shoulder dropping no matter how tight you tie it. The design is flawed by the cross strap loop built into the straps. Once I unthreaded the hip channels, removed the strap where one threads into the strap loop, and put the straps back into the hip channels, the fit became infinitely better. Does the cross back now ride up and/or down the back? Yup. But at least the shoulders are even and the apron isn't sitting askew anymore.This isn't going to fit everyone. I'm a 2X, and I find this apron doesn't cover enough of my sides for my liking. It's also not the most durable of fabrics, and light can be seen through when held up to a light bulb. Will it do the job? Probably. The sewing is well done, very neat, clean edges, no loose threads. It's well made, just with some limits around design and materials.It's a clean, sharp design with a color palette that suits the modern world, yet still manages to have a cozy charm. Unfortunately, it's a solid black, so a bit drab to wear all the time, and if it does stain, solids make it harder to hide.Pros:- Easy adjustable fit- Good coverage that reaches to knees- Pockets that don't lose things- Sharp, attractive design- 100% cottonCons:- Not one size fits all- Thin-ish material- Little side and zero back coverage- Single color option with no color variations- Cross strap loop failAll in all, it's a decent apron that doubles well enough for a smock, that I'll be wearing until I find something that suits the task better.