COME BACK ACCESSORY?

We’ve been lucky to have a mild summer in Washington D.C. Same amount of heat, less humidity. Of course, April who is from San Diego, might beg to differ on the mildness of humidity. While driving around Washington Circle in Foggy Bottom the other day, I noticed a group of umbrella-clad people who happened to be Japanese tourists. Go figure.

I promised a second and last blog on my Japanese vacation I took in June and it is about the second coming of the parasol accessory. In Japan, I noticed that it was not humid but the sun would drive up the temperatures and many people used parasols to keep cool. I was in a Kyoto Metro shopping arcade and came upon an accessories store. There were thousands of parasols for sale and the price tags ranged from 400 yen (USD $4.00) to 15,000 yen (USD $150). They had designer parasols such as those produced by Nina Ricci. Below are examples of the more elaborate parasols that you might see the new-age Geishas sporting.

I was amazed at the different styles, weights, thickness and thinness of the parasols. There was one that could have been the size of a business card. Honestly.

I bought five parasols. One had a handle that imaged Keropi and the others I bought as presents. My favorite is one I plan to debut on Derby Day or Gold Cup in Spring 2009.

I come back to the States to show off my ware and notice that there are other people flouncing about with parasols. On a hot July day, I went to see the Nationals play the Orioles. It was so darn hot that I saw at least twenty plus people clad with parasols and the guy sitting behind me used my parasol to shade his beer. I don’t know why I was excited but I was (see picture below).

I believe it was confirmation that parasols are coming back in style in the states… or… maybe it is the mild summer in D.C. that has people breaking out their parasols in an attempt to ward off the sun. The parasol has become an utilitarian accessory more than it has kept its factor of making a lady look dainty.

If you want more information on parasols, check out the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_
fashion_design.