Rainy weather won't change your plans if you have an umbrella in your purse to protect you from the weather.

The history of the umbrella goes back more than three thousand years.

Theorists are still arguing over which country China or Egypt should be considered the birthplace of the accessory. Originally, the umbrella was a symbol of power, wealth and authority. Only rulers and those close to royalty could own such a luxury.

The size and weight of an umbrella were directly proportional to the position of its owner in society. In China, giant umbrellas resembling pagodas were particularly popular.

The Siam (Thailand) rulers competed with the Chinese nobles, for example, the King of Siam covered himself with a seven-tiered umbrella to protect him from the sun. His Burmese 'counterpart' appeared in public under a robust 24-tier sunshade, with each tier embroidered with gold threads and jewels.

The umbrella was also considered a symbol of wealth and power in India.

The more noble a man was, the more his entourage had the right to carry umbrellas behind him.

The Indian legend of the girl Zita says that, despite her good heart, she could never marry: her whole face was covered with freckles and her nose was always red and peeling. God recognized this and gave her a canopy with a handle made of the feathers of fanciful birds and the leaves of trees over her head. Under it, Zita got rid of her skin blemishes and was transformed into a beautiful woman.

In Tibet, white and yellow umbrellas are signs of spiritual greatness; they are reserved for those who have given themselves to high service and prayers.

Umbrellas came to Japan from China around 1500 years ago.

One of the symbols of Japanese imperial power was the red umbrella. The ancient painted umbrella lasted in Japan until the late 1940s. Today, the traditional Japanese umbrella has evolved from an everyday item of daily use into an expensive work of art.

From the East, umbrellas migrated to Ancient Greece.

Even later, in the third century B.C., the umbrella made its way to Ancient Rome. Here it again becomes an object belonging exclusively to the nobility. In Ancient Rome, the umbrella frame was made of wood, a huge leather dome was stretched over the hoop. Used such umbrellas Roman noblewomen patricians. It is interesting that neither in Ancient Greece nor in Ancient Rome did men use umbrellas, as it was considered a manifestation of pampering.

It was a great honour for a servant to wear an umbrella over his lady. The ladies attending the chariot races had their umbrellas painted in the colours of the favourite drivers. It is interesting to note that even back then, there were conflicts among the spectators over other people's umbrellas blocking the view of the event.

In Western Europe, in Italy, the umbrella appeared in the 16th century.

The visit of Pope John 18 to Constance (1414) caused a sensation. The pontiff was followed by a knight holding a pole, on the end of which a huge "hat" was hoisted, clinging to the houses on the edges of the street. The red and gold umbrella was, and still is, a symbol of papal authority.

100 years later, the umbrella is firmly established in France.

On 4 May 1715, the first folding umbrella was manufactured in Paris. In the early 18th century, the Frenchman Jean Marius gave the umbrella its rounded shape and the folding design that survives to this day.

In England, the umbrella, as a means of protection against rain, first became popular in 1750, when the famous merchant Jonas Henway introduced it into regular use.

It was a sensation. Passers-by laughed, but not for long: it soon became clear that Hanwei's invention was a lifesaver for those without their own carriage.

It was during this period that the distinction between a sun and rain umbrella was made, as reflected in European languages: in English, a sun umbrella is a "parasol" and a rain umbrella a "umbrella".

By the 1940s comfortable folding umbrellas had become ubiquitous. They were often made with beautiful bone handles, with rings attached to the tips for easy carrying. Elegant ladies' sunshades decorated with fringes and lace were still the most popular items, but more practical "rain" models were also becoming common. Both men and women wore the utilitarian models.

An umbrella similar to the modern umbrella appeared in the mid-19th century.

English mechanic Samuel Fox invented and patented an umbrella with an iron frame and spokes, as well as a water-repellent, durable fabric and a cane-shaped handle.

This period was very productive for the invention of umbrellas. In Paris alone, some 120 types of umbrellas of all kinds saw the light of day. In those years, umbrellas were an integral part of the outdoors and a fashion trend. Ladies' umbrellas were elegant attributes and indispensable companions of Parisian fashionistas.

The handles of these luxurious additions to the ladies' wardrobe were made of bone, precious wood, silver with intricate carvings, and the dome was decorated with flowers, exotic birds' feathers, all kinds of lace, frills and ruffles.

The umbrella probably appeared in Russia under Peter the Great.

Its name comes from the Dutch word "gondeck", meaning "awning, cloth or sailcloth stretched over the deck of a ship to protect it from the sun and rain.

Photo by Richard Avedon

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the umbrella became practical and convenient.

These days, designers are coming up with original umbrella design ideas, tirelessly improving and trying to make it more beautiful and comfortable.

Photos are taken from open sources on the Internet.

Olga Sukach's doll in the title photo

Based on the article "Umbrellas and umbrellas of the 19th and 20th centuries".

With love and respect, Tatiana Kalinina