National Umbrella Month begins today, just in time for the rainy season. The visual, musical and cinematic arts are full of representations of umbrellas ( or their aristocratic forebear, the parasol ). Degas, Monet and most of their Impressionist brethren used the parasol as a key prop in countless paintings. An exuberantly in love Gene Kelly, plain black umbrella in hand, turned a run-in with a rainy night into the most famous musical number in film history. From the little bobbed Morton Salt Girl to Rihanna's 2007 smash 'Umbrella', the once utilitarian object has true pop-culture cache and is anything but average. In wide use for little more than a century, the modern umbrella has come a long way. These days, carrying an umbrella is reflective of much more than foresight and a desire to keep dry. With thousands of colour, style and pattern combinations available, they are as much a statement of personal style as a bag or pair of shoes.
For the next month, I will be doing a series of posts on all things umbrella-related, from art to film, from fashion to literature. I have chosen to start at the top with a clip of Gene Kelly 'Singin' in the Rain.' Enjoy!!
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