Fine Lace Parasols | A Lady Like Life Saving Accessory
In spite of the fact that you risk serious sun burns if you step outside without sunscreen for fifteen minutes in New Zealand, (I'm not kidding, the burn time here is quite often less than ten minutes, not that they use burn time anymore because some people thought it was okay to run around for nine and a half minutes, then started complaining when their skin was sloughing off the next day,) parasols have largely fallen out of fashion. I think that's something we should remedy.
Once upon a time, fine ladies would always take a parasol with them when walking in the sun, because pale skin was valued highly. This is still the case in countries where a significant class divide exists between lowly peasant laborers and the educated upper classes whose skin need not be sullied by the rigors of hard work.
The lace parasol is a means of shading the carrier from many of the rays of the sun without blocking it out entirely. Lace parasols are incredibly pretty feminine accessories and believe it or not, you can still by lace parasols that any lady in the 1800's would have been proud to own.
The parasols in today's article are all from www.laceparasols.com, a quaint little online boutique which sells all manner of lovely lace pieces.
Battenberg Lace Parasol
This beauty features modern metal ribs hidden under copious amounts of lovely cotton lace. The wooden handle creates a traditional appearance which will compliment any occasion. The fairly wide set lace could be interpreted as being perhaps a little bold, but it means that you will enjoy a bit more of the sun on your skin as you traipse the byways and highways of your life.
Juliet Handmade Parasol
Unfortunately, parasol makers apparently also fall into the trap of giving their wares female names, oblivious to the fact that it makes one sound quite a lot like one's parasol is made from the skin of some unfortunate woman named Juliet. Fortunately that is not the case. The Juliet is an entirely hand made parasol with some of the most lovely delicate lace I have ever seen.
Priscilla Parasol
Priscilla is evidently a name which stands for all things bold, bright and colorful, and this parasol is all of these things. If whites and off whites are a little too prissy for you, going the full Priscilla will take you into a world of bold colors. The Priscilla also comes with a not quite matching white lace fan, which is lovely in its own right, but which will no doubt force you to color co-ordinate some kind of red / white outfit in order to look properly fashionable when carrying both.
Oh, and if you take nothing else away from this article, wear sunscreen.