Silk parasol

Date1890s-1900s

Object number00018453

NameParasol

MediumSilk, bamboo, lacquer

DimensionsOverall: 100 x 840 x 100 mm, 0.8 kg

ClassificationsClothing and personal items

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionProtecting precious complexions from the harsh Australian sun, parasols were an essential fashion accessory for women who took up the popular pursuit of promenading along the seashore in the late 19th century. This cream coloured silk parasol is decorated with pink and white flowers and blue flourishes and has a decorative cream tassel. Both the frame and handle are made from polished bamboo and the point is finished in paper covered in black lacquer. HistoryBy the early 1900s a thriving tourist industry had become well established around the seaside towns of Australia. The beach had become a site of rest and recreation. Many women took up the fashionable pursuit of promenading along the shore. Wearing the 'uniform' of a white day dress, decorated and accessorised with sashes, veils, hats and parasols, to protect precious complexions from the harsh Australian sun, women enjoyed being ladies of leisure. White, cream, or ivory daywear was seen as a symbol of wealth during the Edwardian era, indicating you either had a maid at home or could afford to pay another to wash your clothes. SignificanceThis silk parasol is a representative example of women's fashion accessories, used by the middle classes during the seaside leisure activities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.