Shades of Black and White

Melburnians finally get a taste of summer, and what a scorcher today was! Just a few minutes in the sun this morning and I could feel my skin burning. It climbed to 36°C today, hot enough for a parasol. It’s becoming more and more common to see sunshades on the streets these hot summer days.

I only wish this meant umbrella manufacturers would broaden their horizons and start producing beautiful parasols in the style of centuries past, covered in embroidered fabric, with carved wooden handles and silk tassels dangling from them – but they haven’t moved past brashly printed polyurethane yet (at least not in this country).

This vintage black and white umbrella is in fact also made from some kind of vinyl or plastic, but the floral patterned lining is actually flocking. So very pretty, and unusual. Too bad the handle got broken on a freak tram accident (I seem to have an uncanny ability to break umbrellas), relegating the umbrella to a prop. I have quite a collection of these tragic ‘props’; happily, recently I found another vintage umbrella, in navy and white with a scalloped edge and a tassel. I hope it lasts the summer!