A loose, light garment or apron worn over clothes to keep them clean while working or doing messy activities.
From Old English 'smoc' (a shift or chemise), possibly from Scandinavian roots. Originally meant an undergarment or loose dress. By medieval times, it meant a protective outer garment for messy work like farming or cooking.
Smock painting—the folk art tradition of decorating smocks with beautiful embroidery—became huge in rural England and Germany, turning protective workwear into folk art. Medieval women's 'smocked' embroidery (gathering fabric into decorative patterns) is where the sewing technique 'smocking' comes from!
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