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Toni Frissell Fashion Umbrellas

Posted by: Jan Grenci

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A while back I assembled an album for Flickr of images of umbrellas. More recently, I selected color fashion photos taken by Toni Frissell for another album. While gathering the Frissell images, I noticed that umbrellas and parasols appeared with some regularity. In some shots umbrellas shield their holders from the rain while in others parasols provide shade from the sun. Both were also used as props in fashion shoots.

Here are some of the photos I found. First up, we see a young lady who appears in the fashion album and doubles her protection with an umbrella and sunglasses:

Junior Bazaar. Photo by Toni Frissell, 1946. //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/tofr.00760

Are these beach umbrellas meant as protection against harmful rays or have they been positioned for dramatic effect?

Beach Fashion. Photo by Toni Frissell, 1948. //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/tofr.46746

Didi Abreu’s parasol with a wildflower print is a great prop for her Alpen background:

Vogue Didi Abreu. Photo by Toni Frissell, June 1967. //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/tofr.35597

The pink parasol carried with aplomb by Cynthia Roche Cary even matches the flowers behind her:

Mrs. Guy Fairfax Cary. Photo by Toni Frissell, August 1962. //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/tofr.23765

It’s hard to pick a favorite image when there is so much to choose from so let’s just say that this is my favorite color Frissell image of Nantucket in 1957. Row upon row of colorful patterned umbrellas draw my eye through the image from the sunbathers to the water:

Nantucket Sunbathing. Photo by Toni Frissell, August 1957. //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/tofr.07916

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Comments (2)

  1. lentigogirl says:

    Thank you – How very wonderful! I definitely need to up my parasol game from black totes.

  2. Barbara says:

    A wonderful selection, highlighting such a useful and decorative accessory!

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