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FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions
- What is A Bit Shady?
- What's the difference between a parasol and an umbrella?
- Which parasols can I use in the rain?
- What are the dimensions of my A Bit Shady parasol?
- How cool are A Bit Shady parasols?
- What is the difference between the lace parasols?
- What is the difference between the pale colours?
- Is it bad luck to open a parasol or umbrella inside?
- Where do parasols originally come from?
- Who designed the website?
- Do you wholesale?
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Where do parasols originally come from?

All over the world! Parasols have been in existence for over 4000 years. The civilisations of ancient Assyria, Egypt, Greece, India, Persia and China all used parasols.

In many of these areas, the parasol was reserved for royalty, (although it was a poor sunburnt subject that held the parasol over the royal head.)

The parasol made its way to Europe in the 16th Century where it was immensely popular. The parasol wasn’t fashionable in England and America until the 18th and 19th Centuries.

There were two types of parasols in the 1800’s; the regular parasol and the carriage parasol with a folding handle which fitted nicely in a shopping basket when folded and was a less awkward length when riding in a buggy.

The parasol had been out of favor for a while, but as there is currently a greater awareness of the damaging effects of UV light on our skin, the parasol is making a resurgence.