The Victorian Era

How Did Victorians Use Parasols?

Article · Fashion & Dress · The Victorian Era, 1837–1901

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The parasol was an essential accessory for the Victorian lady, and it was used by ladies of all classes throughout the period. The parasol, a small, light umbrella used to protect the face from the sun, was a major fashion item in the Victorian period, and the great parasol makers, including the firms of Brigg, James Smith & Sons (founded 1830 in New Bond Street), and Fox of London, all produced parasols of various types. The history of the parasol is examined in Victorian Accessories and Jewelry, and the parallel history of the umbrella is examined in Men’s Victorian Fashion.

The Origins of the Parasol

The parasol had its origins in the ancient world, where it was used in Persia, in Egypt, in Greece, in Rome, in China, in Japan, in India, and in the Ottoman Empire as a mark of rank and a protection from the sun. The parasol was reintroduced into Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as a fashion item, and by the eighteenth century it was a familiar accessory in the hands of ladies of fashion. The parasol of the eighteenth century was a large, heavy, elaborate item, generally carried by servants or attendants. The parasol of the early Victorian period was a smaller, lighter, more practical item, generally carried by the lady herself.

The parasol grew in popularity in the early Victorian period, and it was a major fashion item by the mid-Victorian period. The parasol of the mid-Victorian period was a small, light umbrella, with a handle of carved wood, bone, ivory, mother-of-pearl, silver, or gold, and a cover of silk, satin, lace, chiffon, or tulle. The parasol of the late Victorian period was a more elaborate item, with a more elaborate handle, a more elaborate cover, a more elaborate fringe, a more elaborate tassel, a more elaborate ruffle, and a more elaborate decoration.

The Function of the Parasol

The parasol had a number of functions in the Victorian period. The most important function was to protect the face from the sun. The Victorian ideal of beauty included a pale, white complexion, and the parasol was used to protect the face from the sun, to keep the complexion pale, and to prevent the face from becoming tanned, freckled, or weathered. The parasol was particularly important for the lady of fashion, and it was a sign of social status, a sign of refinement, a sign of elegance, a sign of leisure, and a sign of wealth. The parasol was also used to provide a discreet screen at the theatre, at the concert, at the church, at the meeting, at the dinner, at the ball, at the opera, at the court, and at the drawing room.

The parasol was also used to signal the social position of the lady. The parasol of the working class was generally a small, plain, inexpensive parasol, with a handle of wood or bone and a cover of cotton or linen. The parasol of the middle class was a more elaborate parasol, with a more elaborate handle, a more elaborate cover, a more elaborate fringe, a more elaborate tassel, and a more elaborate decoration. The parasol of the upper class was the most elaborate parasol, with the most elaborate handle, the most elaborate cover, the most elaborate fringe, the most elaborate tassel, the most elaborate ruffle, the most elaborate decoration, and the most elaborate ornament, and the parasol was often a gift, an heirloom, a memento, or a token.

The Materials of the Parasol

The materials of the Victorian parasol were many and varied. The handle of the period was generally a small, light handle of carved wood, bone, ivory, mother-of-pearl, silver, or gold, and the handle was often decorated with carving, engraving, etching, chasing, repoussé, inlay, or marquetry. The cover of the period was generally a small, light cover of silk, satin, lace, chiffon, or tulle, and the cover was often decorated with fringing, tassels, ruching, ruffles, flounces, bands, panels, or plastrons.

The other materials of the parasol included the spring, the runner, the stretcher, the tip, the ferrule, and the spike. The ribs were generally of whalebone, bamboo, or steel, and the spring of the period was generally a small, light spring of steel, brass, bronze, or copper, often decorated with engraving, etching, chasing, or repoussé.

The Use of the Parasol in the Period

The parasol was carried by ladies throughout the Victorian period, and the manner of carrying it was itself a matter of fashion. The parasol of the early Victorian period was small and light, sometimes hinged in the middle so that it could be tilted towards the sun, and the carriage parasol, made to be used while driving in an open carriage, was a distinctive form of the mid-Victorian years. As the century went on the parasol grew larger and more elaborately trimmed, with fringes, tassels, ruffles, and lace covers, and it was carried in the hand, on the wrist, or in the crook of the arm.

The parasol was used in a wide range of social situations: on the promenade, in the park, at the garden party, at the races, at the seaside resort, and on almost any daytime occasion that took a lady out of doors. The “parasol walk” of the seaside and the park was a particular feature of the period, and the well-dressed lady of the late Victorian years would have a parasol for almost every occasion.

The Sun Umbrella and the Rain Umbrella

The sun umbrella (the parasol) and the rain umbrella were separate objects in the Victorian period, with different sizes, different weights, different materials, and different occasions. The parasol was small and light, with a cover of silk, satin, lace, or chiffon, designed for fine weather and for the protection of the complexion. The rain umbrella was larger and heavier, with a cover of silk or cotton treated with oil or wax, designed for wet weather. The gentleman of the period carried the rain umbrella, and the lady carried the parasol, and the two objects were seldom confused.

The Legacy of the Parasol

The parasol declined in popularity in the early twentieth century, and it was gradually replaced by the wide-brimmed hat, by the veil, by the sun bonnet, by the sun hat, and by the various modern means of managing the sun. The parasol, however, is still made, and the great parasol makers of the modern period still produce elaborate and beautiful parasols for weddings, for the seaside, and for the garden party.