My grandma had a saftey pin on her apron at the waist and pinned a hand towel on it, or a wash cloth on it to have something to dry her hands on instead of her apron. she said she didn't like to get the apron all wet. but she would use that towel to shine apples, take smudges off of silverware, etc. She sometimes pinned a clean hanky to the top of her apron.
My other grandma would put her hanky up her sleeves, or under her bra strap if she had no pockets. Don't remember her having pins on her dress or apron.