Gift Umbrellas: for Men, Women and Kids

It is difficult to imagine our modern, fairly comfortable life without many practical little things. Although we are used to complaining about strange times, problems, crises, in fact, today we live much safer and better than all previous generations. Things like smartphones are a completely modern invention, although they evolved from a rare rotary dial telephone. Others look super-technological, but have a thousand-year history.  

An umbrella is just such an object, which, expectedly or unexpectedly, has over 4,000 years of history. How we got this wonderful accessory and why it is a wonderful gift under certain conditions, we will discuss in this article. 

Parasols as a gift

The Ukrainian word «parasolya» comes from a similar French word, which means «protection from the sun». The English word “umbrella”” comes from the similar Italian “ombrella”, which in turn comes from the Latin “umbra”– shadow. And so unexpectedly we begin to trace the history of the rainiest accessory with the sun umbrella. 

Ancient Egyptians and Babylonians made umbrellas from palm leaves to protect themselves from the sun. Judging by the preserved bas-reliefs, having shade from the scorching rays was a privilege available to the nobility and wealthy people. After all, the umbrella was carried by servants, making sure that the angle of inclination provided good protection. This is confirmed by the Persian analogue of our accessory, which looks like a whole portable carriage, where the shade is provided by a pagoda dome with additional protection from a thin curtain.

In ancient Greece and Rome, umbrellas were an exclusively female attribute, and were worn by wealthy patrician slaves. They also protected themselves mostly from the sun, but historians have found evidence that paper umbrellas were lubricated with oil to protect against rain. The idea is creative and productive, but it is unlikely that such an umbrella had a long service life. 

For some reason, umbrellas were almost forgotten in the Middle Ages. Perhaps they were out of fashion, when most outerwear was in the form of cloaks or cloaks with a deep hood that protected from the rain. But not in Asia, where umbrellas were used constantly in circles of nobility. It was from there that the fashion for this accessory returned to Europe, and with new designs. At that time, umbrellas were made from twigs of wood or whalebone, with a canvas as a dome. Surprisingly, the modern folding umbrella mechanism is almost the same as its first invention in the early 18th century by a French merchant. It was then that the use of this accessory against rain became fashionable. Despite its convenience, in Britain umbrellas remained exclusively a women's accessory. This continued until Jonas Hanway, a London trendsetter at the time, started carrying a cane umbrella everywhere. Thus, the umbrella itself became a universal and necessary accessory. Indeed, who would want to proudly get wet in the rain? The following years were quite positive for umbrellas, which received a strong and lightweight aluminum construction in the early 19th century. And then the revolutionary telescopic folding mechanism that allowed the umbrella to be folded into a pocket. The 20th century was generally marked by progress in improving the umbrella dome, which is now made of nylon, which dries quickly. In fact, you can already find specimens made of much more modern materials, but their main properties are generally the same - better repels water, dries faster, weighs less.

Umbrella as a gift: how to choose?

On the one hand, it may seem that everyone has such a necessary item as an umbrella, so there is no point in giving it as a gift. But it's not that simple.

First of all, protection from rain is an important function, and an umbrella is an accessory. And there can be many of them. Color, type of mechanism, handle decor, material - all these are characteristic features of an important wardrobe item. Therefore, umbrellas, like shoes or bags, are not common.

Moreover, umbrellas come in many different shapes. You can give a rain protector, or you can – a beach umbrella. You can focus on technical specifications or  virtuous decor.  

Further – a sad but honest argument. Even the best and strongest umbrellas can break. Especially after a small tornado. And they can also be lost in a taxi, at a party, accidentally picked up by someone at a restaurant. It's a shame to lose your favorite accessory, but the thought of a worthy replacement given by a good friend will make up for the loss. So how do you choose an umbrella as a gift? The choice will be successful and balanced if you consider the following points: justify;">Model. Umbrella- cane or folding compact version. Here, the presence or absence of your own car for transportation during bad weather will play a significant role. 

Style. Laconic monochromatic classics or a bright independent accessory. Simple lines, reliable materials will cover the main tasks, but maybe your soul lies to an umbrella with a tropical flower on the dome and a flamingo head on a handle made of Swarovski crystals?  Buying a Pasotti umbrella, for example, can be quite difficult, so trust your intuition or simply ask the lady about her wishes.

Color. Instead of a neutral, boring shade, it is better to remember the favorite color combinations of the person for whom you are choosing an accessory and give preference to a complementary shade. Or even give a transparent umbrella as a gift, which will look futuristic and creative.

Special tasks. A thing like a children's umbrella must be both light and compact to fit in a child's hand and a small backpack; bright and interesting so that the child agrees to wear it; probably not too expensive, considering the extremely high chances that the child will lose it. 

As with all other gifts, consider the personality and temperament of the person who will use this umbrella. You shouldn't burden a person who loves speed and free hands with a two-meter cane. Or buy an umbrella for a beach friend who won't be able to see a beach vacation for the next few years (unless it's just a joke). But we're sure that you know your loved ones well enough to choose the right direction, and the online store of luxury gifts Fama will help with specific models for every taste and budget.