This parasol has an emerald silk canopy with layers of pronounced ruffles. The ribs are brass and there is a circular closure made of bone at the base of the canopy. The handle is made of painted black wood and a silk flower is attached at the midpoint.
Women often carried parasols to protect their complexion from the sun. A fair complexion was prized as a symbol of a life of leisure, showing that these women didn't have to work outside and could spend their days inside. A parasol differs from an umbrella in that a parasol generally protects one from the sun whereas an umbrella protects one from the rain or other elements.