I am strange, and I know this not just because my mother told me so, but because I carry a parasol with me whenever I plan to be out in the sun all day.  But I wonder, why is it considered strange for fair skinned people to take all measures possible to protect their skin?  My educated guess is that it all started sometime in the 1950’s.  The US and Europe were experiencing an economic comeback from WWII as well as a baby boom.   Since that time, being fair skinned no longer meant that one had not worked in the fields, in fact, having a tan meant you were well off enough to play in the sun all day, or pay for a tropical vacation.  As for the baby boom, packs of children were thrown out of their houses to play and parents only took them back in at meal and bed time.

Sunburns led to sunscreen, but a morning lather will not keep you from being toasted if you spend a day in the sun.  A fair skinned person can quickly become a “sad tomato” if he gets insufficient SPF, doesn’t reapply his sun lotion, or swims or sweats.  Clothing, of course, can aid in blocking the sun’s rays and some outdoor wear come with tags letting you know just how much SPF it gives.  But, until looking like a hiker everywhere you go becomes fashionable, clothing can’t help that much.  Even if the hiking look went vogue, sunshine can still go through clothes and give you a light tan, or worse. Having once been an archaeologist spending weeks in the sun, I experienced this first hand!

Thus, the parasol is making a timid comeback.  Yes, this device hasn’t been really popular since the 1910’s, but the idea of taking the shade with you has not died.  Just take a look at what’s on the runway.

It seems that sporting a parasol is not so strange after all. It is trendsetting!  Even babies in strollers can now show off their own pretty parasols.

But why stop there?  Do parasols have to be just pretty accessories?  Both fashion designers and industrial designers can come up with new-age parasols.  Visually, why stick with the lacy-frilly look?  How about a Gossamer-Parasol inspired parasol?!

What about the men, can they use parasols? 

Steer away from pink parasols for now….How could a designer make one so sleek and new-age that very modern-oriented men and women would take one with them on a sunny day?  Also, what about expanding the uses of a parasol?  Wouldn’t it be cool to have a solar powered parasol that protects your skin and charges your ipod on the go?

Contemporary Outdoor Shade

Here is one solar parasol. Can you make a better one?

 Designers of the world unite in creativity; after all, the world is your parasol!

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