Any famous actor or actress will tell you that the best part of making a film is the experience that comes with job. Working on a movie set allows them the chance to get into character and put their own spin on how they would speak and act — some have gone so far to be impulsive on set and change up the script to make a scene feel much more natural.

Did you know that in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, when Jason Issacs’ character, Lucius Malfoy says “Let us hope that Mr Potter will always be around to save the day” — Daniel Radcliffe’s response “Don’t worry, I will be” was totally out of the blue? The director liked it so much he decided to keep it in!

Although such trivia is fun to know, especially for those Friday night pub quizzes, that’s not what we’re here to discuss. We have something much more serious to cover, such as outing celebs who were so attached to their on-screen personas that they took a memento of their character from set

1.    Emily Blunt — Mary Poppins Returns

You can probably guess what this star stole from her latest release, because if we were in her shoes, we totally would too. Although there were countless umbrella props on the set of Disney’s ‘Mary Poppins Returns’, she could only get her hands on two, one of which she was forced to return.

To keep the movie to feel as real and magical as possible, set designers created an animatronic brolly that “sort of winked and moved its head and talked”. Although this was Blunt’s go-to-choice to take home, she unfortunately had to return it for it as it was due to be entered into a museum and therefore accepted another, less magical version.

But Emily, if you’re reading this, we’ve got a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious windproof umbrella waiting just for you!

2.    Emma Watson — Harry Potter Franchise

Starring in all eight of the Harry Potter movies, there are countless props that Watson could have taken home with her — but she selected three special pieces that were close to both hers and her character’s heart. Once the franchise ended in 2011 with ‘Deathly Hallows Part 2’, which earned more than 1.3 billion at the box office, Emma thought it was only right that some of Hermione’s essentials left set with her:

“I took my wand, I took my Time-Turner, and I took a cloak. That’s about it really.” Today, a lot of the props from set can be seen at Warner Bros. Studio Tour ‘The Making of Harry Potter’ in London. If you’d like to see more memorabilia from this fantastic franchise, hop on your Nimbus 2000 or catch the Knight Bus at midnight.

3.    Andrew Garfield — The Amazing Spider-Man

When you sign up to a superhero film, there’s no saying how long you could be a part of the franchise. Andrew Garfield signed on to ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ after Toby Maguire’s trilogy, and completed two films which were directed by Marc Webb (no pun intended). Once ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ was complete, the actor admitted to Scott Mills that he stole something extremely valuable from set…

Speaking about the iconic Spider-Man costume, he commented: “”I may have stolen one and it may be in my luggage, it may be in my hotel room luggage. It may even be in my backpack in the car.” However, he was quick to say that there were about 22 identical versions on the film!

4.    Robert Downey Jr — The Avengers

Another superhero film has made it onto our list — but that’s because they often have the most unusual props that every actor wants to take home. In this case, when Robert Downey Jr wrapped up on ‘The Avengers’ as Iron Man in 2012, he asked if he could have the 30-foot ‘A’ from the Stark Tower for his home in Venice as a joke.

A few weeks went by, and Robert completely forgot what he asked for — but that ‘A’ was delivered to him! “So now we have a massive Avengers ‘A’ that will be prominently placed.”

Although Marvel were pretty happy to give Robert Downey Jr a massive part of the set, when Ben Affleck asked DC whether he could take home his Batman suit and they responded with: “For $100,000 you can.” He instead opted to take a picture!

5.    Simon Pegg — Star Trek: Into Darkness

When you hear of Star Trek, you’ll instantly think about the iconic Starfleet badge. During filming, Pegg admitted that every day when filming had come to an end, everyone would have to hand their Starfleet badge back to the set designers — so that they could keep them safe.

Assuming it would be the same on the last day, he admitted: “I stole my badge. It was on my costume when I got back to my trailer and it’s a beautiful little brass thing. And I put it in my bag.”

Do you know of any celebrities who stole from set? Or if you could have one piece of memorabilia from your favourite movie, what would it be?

As parents, we document a lot of our children’s first experiences and encounters — from captivating cinema trips to their first proper winter coat. But have you ever considered when to give your child their first umbrella?

An umbrella is essential for those living in rainy England, and although you may have one for yourself, your little one needs one too. A child’s first umbrella is significant for their own development and allows them to feel a sense of independence at an early age.

With the festive season upon us, there has never been a better time to shop some of our fabulous children’s umbrellas. But what are the key factors that will persuade you?

Colour & Illustrations

Although you may consider an umbrella to be a grown-up accessory, we design children’s umbrella with their age in mind. We champion the creativity and imagination of your little one and therefore provide umbrellas with fun and engaging illustrations including jungle animals, striking flowers and the Queen’s Guard — seeing as we have been appointed a Royal Warrant from the Queen herself.

Designed With Height In Mind

We don’t want your child to look uncomfortable when holding their brolly, and we want them to take pride in their new companion. To combat any problems of this kind, we’ve designed their umbrellas so that they’re lighter in weight and easier to hold — preventing any hand injuries when opening and closing the accessory.

Stylish For The Street And The ‘Gram

Your little one will become the most stylish kid on the block as an umbrella can truly bring any outfit together, especially when stormy weather occurs. Accompanied by a bright coat and wellington boots, your children can splash away in the puddles and you can capture some amazing memories for Instagram — slow-mo shots are a must!

Keeping You Both Dry

If you regularly walk outdoors to get from A to B, you can’t go without a brolly — that’s basic etiquette. Being prepared is essential, especially with irregular weather conditions here in the UK. If you want to keep both yourself and your child dry, your own umbrella won’t do, particularly because of the difference in your height. By gifting your little one their own brolly, you’ll be able to ensure that they don’t get wet as you hold your clear umbrella much higher!

With bold and beautiful colours, your little boy or girl will look even more adorable in the rain!

We’re all counting down the days until Christmas Eve — cosy nights in by the fire watching our favourite festive films with the family. As the night comes to a close, families around the world will be preparing milk and cookies for Santa Claus and carrots for his merry crew.

The World Bank suggest that there are 7.53 billion people on the planet, and if each person believes in the Christmas spirit, Father Christmas will have a lot of milk and cookies to consume. Although we put these yummy treats out with good intentions, Santa Claus can become full after a while.

So what else could Santa benefit from this Christmas? Hmm… let’s think!

1.    Umbrella

As one of the leading manufacturers of umbrellas in the UK, we know that a windproof umbrella would make the perfect companion for Saint Nic on his travels. Breaking down the science behind Santa’s sleigh journey, if he has to travel 510,000,000km on Christmas Eve with around 32 hours to complete the job, he will be travelling 1,800 miles per second.

Of course, travelling at such speeds will be a challenge; don’t ask us how he does it, it’s one of the best kept secrets in the world. By using his windproof umbrella and positioning it at the front of his sled, he’ll be able to block the icy breeze and enjoy a much more comfortable ride.

2.    Sat-Nav

A little birdie from the North Pole tells us that Santa Claus still uses his magical map to find the homes of those on the Nice List — and has done so since the beginning of time. However, technology has developed rapidly since his first-ever journey across the world.

Equipped with a modern sat-nav or GPS system, he can plan his route more efficiently before he leaves the workshop. With the help of Mrs Claus, a route with multiple stops can be created to make sure that he doesn’t miss out any house during his trip.

3.    Smartphone

Everywhere you go, you’ll see someone casually scrolling through their smartphone. Although Saint Nic isn’t up to speed with the likes of Instagram and Snapchat, he could do with a device that allows him to make a few calls to his head elf back at home to make sure everything is running smoothly.

By installing apps like ‘Find My Friends’, Mrs Claus will also be able to track his whereabouts throughout the night to make sure that he’s safe.

4. Night Vision Goggles

Although Rudolph lights up the way with his bright red nose, it can still be difficult for Santa to see where he’s heading — and we know that children try to stay up super late to spot him in the sky. As this can become a problem during his shift, we propose night vision goggles!

Using this spy-like gadget, he can remain extremely discreet and be able to see where he is going at the same time! With Rudolph getting older now, it might be time for him to take some deserved time off work too…

5.    Wireless Headphones

We all know that no journey is complete without listening to music, so why should Santa and his reindeers miss out on this luxury? Using his new smartphone, he’ll be able to connect the two devices together and create a playlist for his trip around the world.

Of course, on that playlist he’ll need some Christmas songs. We reckon ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ by Mariah Carey, ‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues and Kirsty McColl and ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ by Band Aid. What would you recommend?

With Christmas just around the corner, what have you asked Santa Claus for Christmas? Let us know! Remember to Get Festive with Fulton and shop our must-have Crimbo gifts this season too!

There’s always a storm of debate when movie studios announce that they’re remastering an old movie that we all know and love. From animation to live-action and even rehashed story lines, many film fanatics believe that studio bosses are becoming lazy and producing films that they know have worked well in the past — despite there being a demand for new stories on the screen.

Our team here at Fulton Umbrellas love a good trip to the cinema, and you can probably guess which remake we’re all anticipating for next month. In today’s blog posts, we take a look at what comebacks are soon to be released and what remakes have left a lasting impression.

Mary Poppins Returns

Mary Poppins is making a return to the silver screen in Disney’s reboot starring the fabulous Emily Blunt. Set 25 years after the original movie starring Julie Andrews and following the book series penned by P.L. Travers, this movie welcomes the governess’ return to the Banks family home on Cherry Tree Lane in London.

Cast your memory back to the first film and you’ll remember Mary gliding down from the skies with her umbrella to look after Michael and Jane Banks who were in desperate need of attention and adventure. This film follows a similar premise, where Poppins comes back to look after Michael’s three children after a tragic loss occurs in the family.

Although Bert won’t be joining us in this film, Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda plays a street lamplighter named Jack who was an apprentice of his — so don’t think you’ll lose that magical touch in the sequel.

This film is your perfect excuse to go to the cinema around Christmas time, with a set release of 21^st December and will likely be practically perfect in every way! Just don’t forget your birdcage umbrella…

A Star Is Born

Not too long ago, A Star Is Born hit the cinema and became an immediate blockbuster sensation with a soundtrack dominating the UK music charts. Starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper 80 years after the original, the film series has had four instalments thus far and highlights how every era gets one to call its own.

The first movie which was released in 1937 stars Janet Gaynor and Fredric March tells the story of a young girl soaring to make it in Hollywood as an actress, and the impromptu relationship she has with a well-established actor who is battling with alcoholism. The 1954 version featuring Judy Garland and James Mason is based on the original screenplay but is altered slightly to tell the tale of an aspiring singer who is convinced that she can make it in the movies.

However, you may be more familiar with the Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson remake which was released in 1976 and details the relationship of an upcoming female singer and a self-destructive rock star who fall in love. Similar to the 2018 release, the female singer’s career is ascending while the love interest declines as a result of an addiction — we think this one could win big at 2019’s Academy Awards!

The Parent Trap

The Parent Trap will always be one of those feel-good films that we can never watch too many times – but which version is your favourite? Did you know that there were a few versions of the film before Lindsay Lohan took the role of Hallie Parker and Annie James in 1998?

The original film was released by Disney in 1961 and starred Hayley Mills as Sharon McKendrick and Susan Evers, identical twins who were separated shortly after birth when their parents decided to divorce. When they were unexpectedly thrown together at the same summer camp, their looks and home life experiences allowed the pair to come to the realisation that they were in fact twin sisters. When summer camp came to a close, the two switched places and returned ‘home’ to the parent they never really knew. Sharon and Susan are soon reunited when they discover that their father intends to marry a child-hating gold-digger, and they must stop this from happening.

The 1998 version mirrors the same story, although the twins lived in separate counties with one growing up in London and the other in Napa Valley. This version however, did not see three television sequels and was not nominated for an Academy Award.

The Lion King

You can’t deny that you’re already itching with excitement that the first trailer for The Lion King has been released. Starring Donald Glover as Simba and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, the original animation is regarded as one of Disney’s best and even has a theatrical show off the back of it.

The animated movie was released back in 1994 with original songs from Elton John and a score by Hans Zimmer — which has remained at the heart of the movie since its release. The plot shows a pride of lions ruling over the animal kingdom from Pride Rock in Africa. When King Mufasa tragically dies as a result of his evil brother Scar, his son Simba is next in line to the throne who Scar also tries to eliminate.

We’re not certain whether this movie, which is set to be released in summer of 2019, will feature some of the iconic anthems from the original, but it would be a waste to not use the magnificent voices of the cast members.

Which movie remake is your favourite? And most importantly, what film will you next be seeing at the cinema?

It’s no secret that over the centuries, British monarchs have used fashion as a tool of power to influence decisions and to convey diplomatic messages to both their own subjects and people around the world. As a company that holds a Royal Warrant, we thought we’d take the opportunity to discuss some of the most stylish monarchs in history. Find out who made our list below!

Queen Elizabeth II

Ascending to the power in 1952 following the sudden death of her father, Elizabeth II has become the longest reigning monarch in British history at the age of 92. Although fashion trends have notoriously changed since her coronation, The Queen is known to only adopted those that suit her personal style.

As she took to the throne at the young age of 25, her wardrobe has been the most documented for a royal and as a result, has highlighted a great shift in royal fashion throughout her years as sovereign.

During her initial years as Head of State, The Queen didn’t drastically change her style and stuck with the former choice of attire she had as Princess Elizabeth. The monarch identified with popular female fashion during the 1950s and often wore feminine dresses that were cinched at the waist to create a gracious flow with any movement. This type of look was often accompanied with by a pearl necklace, pearl earrings, elbow-length gloves, signature hair-pieces and of course, a petite handbag.

The 1960s found The Queen encounter more formal occasions than usual — with her trip to Malta and President Nixon’s visit to London highly anticipated around the world. Throughout this time, she occasionally wore sleeveless silk dresses which was deemed unusual for someone in such a position, but she intended to remain youthful as Queen and achieved just that. This look slightly changed depending on circumstance though, a fur over-jacket was sometimes paired with the dress if the event was held outside of a royal household. However, both occasions would use an elegant tiara to draw the entire look together.

The Queen was approaching her 50s when she started to adjust her appearance and opt for a more formal look that continued to stun crowds. Depending on the affair, this was the period where The Queen was known to become more adventurous with her gowns. Take the Royal Film Performance of ‘Funny Lady’ in 1975 for example, she wore a pastel pink dress which was embellished with golden and blue features. The Queen’s jewellery became extravagant too and was better coordinated with her chosen attire.

When entering the 80s, we seemingly moved away from pastel hues and women shifted their looks to bright and bold tones, including Queen Elizabeth. You can probably picture Her Majesty on the balcony of Buckingham Palace wearing that iconic blue dress at Prince Charles and Diana’s wedding in 1981. As well as this, when the Queen carried out a state visit to Australia in 1986, she was spotted wearing a padded-shoulder dress in bright yellow that also had black dots. This was accompanied by a patterned scarf, black gloves and a slimline hat – this decade was great for women’s fashion.

The 90s and 2000s have been plain sailing for Queen Elizabeth, and her current style isn’t afraid to be influenced by previous looks. Today, you will see her wrapped up in a colourful coat and a matching hat that has become her signature style – and when the weather permits, you will see her use one of Fulton Umbrella’s birdcage umbrellas.

Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria wasn’t always confident with her fashion decisions, but it’s believed that she paved the way for modern monarch fashion and has influenced many royals today. Reigning from 1837 to 1876, Victoria’s early diary entries suggested that she had a key interest in women’s fashion from a young age.

It’s thought that the monarch used fashion to minimise her husband Prince Albert’s insecurities – as he would always one station below her as Prince Consort. To show her appreciation and love to her husband, she hosted a ‘costume ball’ at Buckingham Palace in 1842 where they dressed as Queen Philippa and King Edward III, allowing him to wear an actual crown.

Victoria was ahead of her time and used fashion to align with the values of the people she met, especially when carrying out her duties across different countries. For example, when she visited Scotland, she wore tartan and when she visited Ireland, her clothing featured shamrocks.

As photography became more mainstream during her sovereignty and her image became more widespread, Victoria used this as an opportunity to show herself as a more relatable public figure. For photoshoots, she often wore clothes that normal woman would wear – such as cotton dresses and bonnets.

However, one of Victoria’s most notable fashion choices was to never wear colour again following her husband’s death and even insisted that her ladies in waiting dressed the same. Images have shown that she tended to wear black dresses, black stockings, handkerchiefs that were embroidered with monograms and a black fan.

King Edward VIII

Recognised as the man who gave up the throne for love, King Edward VIII abdicated from his position in 1936 to marry his American sweetheart, Wallis Simpson after 12 months as sovereign. Just like his decision on giving up the crown, Edward often liked to challenge convention and rebel against the rules that society had set out for him – and this was often reflected in his fashion and lifestyle choices.

The now Duke of Windsor was known for his bold sense of style and had his clothing made with comfort in mind, regularly referring this to ‘dressing soft’. Photographs from the royal collection have shown that Edward was very confident with pattern designs in his suits and fashion experts have claimed that he was able to carry this off due to cutting techniques. This included high jacket waists that were able to create a longer leg look.

Although he spent most of his time in France, Edward was extremely fond of Scottish tweeds and Fair Isle sweaters and had them used for his wardrobe as opposed to modern fabrics that were dominating Europe’s fashion scene. So much so that he continually used the same tailor – Scholte of Savile Row – who designed with the Duke’s personality in mind. Often, his outfits were made with larger pockets to hold his cigarette case and elastic waists, so he didn’t have to wear suspenders. Adding to the modern look, he always preferred a zip fly rather than buttoned.

12 years before his death in 1972, an inventory of his entire wardrobe was taken. It was discovered that Edward owned 15 evening suits, 55 lounge suits and three formal suits.

To accessorise like a monarch, check out our range of premium umbrellas before you go, including men’s, women’s, designer, children’s, and sport styles.

It doesn’t feel like too long ago that we were celebrating the spectacular wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle — which drew in millions of viewers and gathered people from around the world to a small town just west of London.

Last Friday, we revisited the same location to see Princess Eugenie wed her sweetheart of eight years, Jack Brooksbank. Although the wedding didn’t capture the same attention of Prince Harry’s, who is sixth in line to the throne, ITV reported that there were around three million viewers who tuned in to watch the ceremony unfold.

As a company who holds a Royal Warrant, there’s no one better than us to give you a royal-rundown of what happened on the day so that you can relive every single moment.

The Guests Arrive

The happy couple invited 850 guests to St George’s Chapel for the ceremony, and they appeared to arrive between 8:30am and 11:00am. Just like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — who are now expecting their first child together — Princess Eugenie and Jack allowed 1,200 members of the public to join them in the grounds of Windsor Castle to celebrate the day; all of whom were selected through ballot proceedings.

However, crowds weren’t just limited to the castle itself. An additional 3,000 people reportedly gathered in the streets of Windsor to catch a glimpse of the royals in action.

The event wasn’t short of a few famous faces either. Public figures such as Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Ricky Martin, Stephen Fry and Robbie Williams were all in attendance. Did you know that the former Take That star and current X-Factor judges’ daughter, Theodora, was a flower girl for the wedded couple? Not only that, she asked the Duchess of York if she was the Queen!

Members of the Royal Family were last to arrive and started making their way into the chapel at around 10:40am. This included the Prince of Wales, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Duke and Duchess of Sussex and of course, the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Mother of the Bride Sarah, Duchess of York, and her daughter, Princess Beatrice, who was Maid of Honour, later arrived at the venue and made an effort to interact with crowds before entering the chapel. Following this, Bridegroom Jack Brooksbank and his brother, Best Man Thomas Brooksbank, were seen entering.

Princess Eugenie and her father, the Duke of York, were last to arrive and entered through the West Steps of St George’s Chapel. Guests caught their first glimpse of Eugenie’s wedding dress which was designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos as she walked down the aisle.

Keeping in line with tradition, Eugenie wore a white portrait-neckline gown with a wide train. However, the princess broke convention when she decided not to wear a veil and instead take pride in her back scars which were left from surgery when treating scoliosis at age 12. For the ceremony, the Queen loaned Princess Eugenie the Grenville emerald tiara which belonged to the Queen Mother before her death.

The Ceremony Begins

Jack Brooksbank watched in awe as his soon-to-be wife made her way down the aisle in a radiant dress that stunned the world. You may not have spotted this, but Jack was wearing his spectacles as Eugenie headed to the alter — making sure he had clear vision and didn’t miss a moment of the most important day of his life; he later removed them for the rest of the ceremony.

Lead by Dean of Windsor, the Right Reverend David Corner, and the Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable John Sentamu, the ceremony lasted around an hour. This included hymns, prayers as well as speeches from the likes of the Princess Beatrice, who read from The Great Gatsby and of course the exchange of vows and rings.

The Ceremony Concludes

After the ceremony ended, the newly married couple exited the chapel as husband and wife and showed a kiss on the West Steps. As they departed for carriage procession, page boys and flower girls, which included Prince George and Princess Charlotte, also made an appearance.

The wedded couple then took a short carriage ride in the Scottish State Coach which was pulled by four Windsor Grey horses named Plymouth, Milford Haven, Tyrone and Storm. There were two outriders also, Claudia and Sir Basil!

The Wedding Receptions

To begin the celebrations, the Queen’s reception luncheon was held at St George’s Hall at around 1:00pm but was not televised. At around 7:00pm, after the midday reception, guests partied at Royal Lodge in Windsor until the early hours of the morning. The location was decorated with an autumnal theme with fall-inspired flower arrangements to create a loved-up atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.

Princess Eugenie wore a long sleeve, silk gown designed by Zac Posen which included its own built-in cape. The bride and groom commented in a statement: “Mr. Posen was inspired by the beauty of Windsor and the surrounding countryside. The choice of colour reflects the blush of an English rose. Mr. Posen took his inspiration from the White Rose of York. The pin-tucked plissé is cut on the bias and mixed with signature drapes. The White Rose of York is subtlety embroidered on both the shoulder and back which hold together the cape. The silk for the gown comes from the British Mill, Biddle Sawyer Silk.”

However, the party did not end on Friday night or the early hours of Saturday morning. The couple were more than happy to let guests celebrate for a second day and opened their own fun fair on the grounds!

That was our round-up of Princess Eugenie’s and Jack Brooksbanks wedding. But before you go, make sure to browse our range of women’s, men’s, children’s, designer, and sport umbrellas!

Halloween is definitely growing in popularity for families across the UK. But with sweets, treats, costumes and activities to pay for, the event can prove costly for some of us!

So, how do you make sure your family has a fun and memorable Halloween without breaking the bank? Instead of buying new things online, repurpose clothes and accessories from around your home. Not only will you save money, but this is also a great crafts activity you can enjoy with the kids…

Ghost ornaments

If you’re having a party, you need to deck out the house appropriately. Instead of forking out cash for decorations, make your own! Start with ‘mini ghosts’. Simply keep hold of your drinking bottles instead of recycling them and spray paint these white. Once dry, draw ghost eyes and mouths on each with black marker pens and place them around your home.

Scary bingo

There are plenty of games to buy online, but if you want to get creative, do your own. One great idea is ‘Scary Bingo’ — just like the regular game, but you use spooky images instead of numbers.

Get several pieces of paper — enough for everyone at the party — and mark out a grid of four-by-four squares. In each, draw a picture of a Halloween image — like a witch, spider, black cat, pumpkin, ghost, and monster. Kids can then use pennies to mark off when each image is called out — make sure there’s a prize at the end for the first full ‘haunted’ house!

Halloween can game

Another easy game to create at home before a party, the ‘Halloween Can Game’ is great fun for kids. To start, keep your used cans of soup, baked beans and other food. Remove the labels and paint faces of ghosts, witches and pumpkins.

Then, make a mummy-themed papier-mâché ball by using black felt-tip pen and paint to mark out bandages and two yellow eyeballs. Once dry, create a tower and let the kids use the mummy ball to knock down the tins. (You can also use papier-mâché to make a Halloween-themed piñata filled with sweet treats!)

Bat costume

Of course, kids love dressing up for Halloween. So, why not make them the perfect bat costume out of a simple umbrella? All you need are:

• A black umbrella.
• Scissors.
• Wire cutters.
• Tape.
• Two metres of black ribbon.

Firstly, open the umbrella upside down on a workbench. Take your scissors and cut two triangles of material opposite each other — make sure one of the triangles is a bit smaller than the other. This is for recognising the top and bottom of the wings.

Use your wire cutters to cut the metal supports — for safety, take off as much metal as you can to eliminate sharp edges. Then, cut the metal handle off the umbrella before cutting the joiner from all the umbrella arms. Next, remove the support arms from either side of the larger triangle of your bat wings — this lets your youngster move their arms!

Now, tape down the other loose support arms — making sure to cover sharp edges. From here, measure and cut two pieces of ribbon. How long? Just enough to tie the wings to your child’s wrists. Afterwards, cut two longer pieces of ribbon — these must go across their shoulders and chest, as well as under their arms, and tie together at the back. Next, attach the ribbon to top of the wings.

And you’re done! Now all you need is a headband with black, pointed ears and plain black top and trousers.

Spooky dinner party pieces

Throwing a dinner party to celebrate the event? Then you need Halloween treats that can sit on the table. To start, you can use plastic vampire teeth as napkin rings, then add to the effect by putting red food colouring on the white cloth.

For a centrepiece, take a glass vase you already own and fill it with spare Halloween pieces the kids have left over from across the years — like plastic spiders. Pull apart cotton wool balls to create a cobweb-like effect. Then, sprinkle some discoloured, browning leaves from the garden over the top for the ideal Halloween-themed centrepiece.

Cut the cost of Halloween with these repurposing craft tips for Halloween 2018! Browse our ranges of men’s, women’s, kids’, sports and designer umbrellas before you get to work!

London Fashion Week (LFW) is one of the biggest events in the calendar for designers, models and trend-lovers alike. At Fulton Umbrellas, we love keeping our eye on the next big thing in fashion to make sure our collection stays on-trend and in vogue. So, what were the highlights from September’s LFW?

Browse our run-down of the event right here — and get a head start on what’s going to take fashion by storm…

Dare to diversify.

Anyone who was even slightly interest in fashion was eager to watch the Burberry show at the latest LFW. Why? Because this was the debut of Riccardo Tisci, who was appointed chief creative director of Burberry in March. Fortunately, onlookers weren’t left unentertained.

Tisci sent his models down the runway in a perfect blend of classic and contemporary outfits — ensuring this traditional British brand showed its power as a modern fashion powerhouse. Learn style tips from Burberry, which focused on both ends of the style spectrum — demure pussy-bow blouses, pleated midi skirts and elegant gowns at certain intervals, and bold graphic t-shirts with leather bottoms and overstated make-up at the other! Basically, go classic British — whether it’s chic and feminine 1950s or punky and rebellious 1980s! Our William Morris collection is ideal if you want the vintage vibe.

 

Keep it minimal

2018 is Victoria Beckham’s tenth year in the fashion industry — and she celebrated it in style with her stand-out collection at LFW. Beckham was applauded for her stunning range of loose-fit, beautifully chic and minimalist designs that looked effortless, but packed a real punch among critics and the audience.

Using block colours set to be big in spring and summer next year — like baby blue and rust — she showed us how a simple pair of tailored trousers paired with a plain blazer and long t-shirt can work wonders. To enhance the simplistic-yet-powerful look, pair with a sleek black umbrella to stay on-trend in all weather.

The ruche appeal

If Molly Goddard’s collection is anything to go by, next season is all about ruffled clothing. Breathing life into a classic 1980s trend, ruffles on everything from skirt hemlines to shirt cuffs will be hugely popular.

Wonderfully feminine and adding a touch of fun to an outfit, fill your wardrobe with ruched tops and pair them with tapered trousers to highlight the ruched outline. Or, go for a long, ruched skirt and wear a fitted blouse on top so you don’t go overboard on the ruffles! A retro, floral umbrella from Joules will look great with this style of outfit, we think, too.

Layers of embellishments

Layering and embellished clothing were other top trends found across multiple catwalks at September’s LFW. Take show, which featured models dressed in boxy jackets decorated with shiny metallics, dresses enhanced with tulle layering, and skirts featuring bird and leaf patterns.

Sequins, shapes and colour reigned supreme at the Temperley London show — so why not bring the look into your style? Instead of plain shirts and tops, go for something with beaded embellishments or nature patterns in a lime green, electric blue or tangerine orange for a stand-out outfit that’s ideal for SS19. And when it comes to choosing a skirt or dress, keep your eye out for mesh and tulle — a satin maxi skirt with a cream netted fabric over the top looks beautiful. Since colour is an important part of this look, choose an umbrella from our Cath Kidston collection.

Edwardian styles

Our final top trend of LFW is the revival of Edwardian fashion. From lace dresses featuring chic high necklines to double-breasted blazers with a check pattern, Edwardian styles took over at the Erdem show.

If you fancy following suit, keep your eye out for trouser suits, long skirts, frilled embellishments, puffed sleeves, and ultra-feminine frocks in soft, demure shades. Pair with simple court shoes and an umbrella from The National Gallery featuring a scene of a former, quintessentially British way of life and your style will be flawlessly in vogue!

These are our highlights of September’s London Fashion Week. Browse our collections of quality men’s, women’s and kids’ umbrellas before you go.

 

At Fulton Umbrellas, we offer a wide range of designs and colours to create our collection of umbrellas. So, we know how attractive a brolly can look! But how are umbrellas used in art? Can they help create timeless pieces and do they inspire people when used in public displays?

Here, we look at the influence of umbrellas in public displays, films, songs and paintings to find out how important the everyday, essential accessory is in art…

Public displays

Recently, there’s been a huge trend for incorporating the umbrella in public art displays all over the world. In Salisbury, a technicolour canopy of brollies was put on display in the city centre in July — which included 90 umbrellas hanging over the High Street — while in Florida, a pedestrian promenade is the latest location for the Umbrella Sky Project, which is an internationally renowned public art exhibition launched in Portugal years ago. Visitors to these exhibitions are also encouraged to upload pictures of the display on social media and use hashtags to help spread the umbrella-enhanced art around the world!

These are just a couple of examples of how innovative public art displays can be, and it’s clear that seeing a network of umbrellas suspended — as if by magic — above ordinary locations can really draw in the crowds. But, can umbrella art also help our high streets by attracting greater numbers of visitors and tourists?

Apparently so. A canopy of colourful brollies was implemented in the name of art in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland earlier this year, which Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Paul Reid, claimed was a fantastic example of how an area can “attract people into town centres and develop a more vibrant atmosphere”. Similarly, an exhibition of hundreds of painted umbrellas was used to help build on the city of Da Nang’s tourism success in 2017. The Vietnamese city was named one of the top ten holiday destinations in Asia in the previous year and this garden of colourful brollies was a large part of its effort to retain its status as a leading tourist destination! It seems that, regardless of culture, everyone has an affinity for umbrella-inspired art exhibitions — but what about other art forms?

Paintings

Even in paintings, the umbrella can play an iconic role. Most people will recognise The Singing Butler oil-on-canvas painting that was created by Jack Vettriano in 1992. It features a man and woman dancing in their finery on a damp beach, flanked by their maid and butler who both hold up a black umbrella each in an attempt to protect the couple. Clearly, this painting meant a great deal to someone, as a private collector bought it for £744,800 in 2004 — a record sum of money for a Scottish painting at the time!

If you don’t recall Vettriano’s masterpiece, you’ll surely know A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat. Created in 1884, this work of art displays a crowd of elegantly dressed Parisians relaxing by the River Seine, using umbrellas — or parasols — as chic shields from the sunshine. Currently, the masterpiece is on display at the Art Institute of Chicago, which reportedly paid $24,000 for it in 1924.

Film

As umbrellas are handy — arguably must-have — items, it’s no surprise that they feature significantly in the world of cinema. Who can forget Jiminy Cricket’s most famous prop, a red umbrella, which featured in Disney’s 1940 version of Pinocchio? And of course, there’s the 1952 smash-hit, Singin’ in the Rain, starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. This classic would never have been the same without the renowned scene where Kelly dances in the street with his black umbrella as the rain pours down all around him.

Then there’s Julie Andrews’ character in Mary Poppins, who flies in and out of London using an umbrella, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which features Hagrid lighting a fire with a spark from a brolly, and My Fair Lady — a film that depicts its leading character, played by Audrey Hepburn, using a beautiful white-lace parasol that has now become one of Hollywood’s most iconic and sought-after props.

Music

Even in music, the umbrella is a popular lyric and prop. Most recently, global star, Rihanna, had massive success with her song Umbrella in 2007. Reaching number one in many countries across Europe, as well as Australia and the US, Umbrella claimed the top spot in Entertainment Weekly’s ‘10 Best Singles of 2007’ and won two accolades at the MTV Video Music Awards. Interestingly in the UK, the song was classed almost as a curse, due to the fact that it reached and stayed at the number one spot in the charts during a spate of extreme rainfall and flooding!

Elsewhere in the musical world, the brolly has also been mentioned in songs such as Dean Martin’s The Lady with the Big Umbrella, Bing Crosby’s Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella, The Hollies’ Bus Stop, and Faith Hill’s Red Umbrella.

Clearly, we love umbrella art all over the world in a variety of forms! Get your own art-inspired brolly from our National Gallery collection, or browse a range of other stylish designs in our men’s, women’s, children’s, and sport selections.

Searching for cheap or free activities to do this summer with the kids that you can both enjoy? At Fulton Umbrellas, we know how tricky it can be to make sure children have fun during the summer break from school.

So, we’ve created this guide to the best, free summer activities for kids and adults! Take a look and see which ones jump out at you…

Organise a baking challenge

With The Great British Bake Off starting later this month, now is the perfect time to get your kids or grandkids baking some treats in the kitchen. Plus, there are no entry fees or transport costs involved; all you need to do is buy the ingredients!

For young children, make something simple like jam tarts, and for older kids, make the event more challenging to keep them entertained all afternoon. You could pick at random from the cookbook you always use or set each youngster off with a different cake recipe and let them judge the best by tasting.

Do a treasure hunt

If it’s a nice day, pack up the car and head to your local park to do this activity. However, you could always do this in the garden, too. To make this fun, firstly find out how many kids are taking part and their ages — a treasure hunt for a two-year-old will differ a lot from one that’s entertaining for a ten-year-old!

Next, pick a theme to make your treasure hunt special — anything from pirates to princesses will work to make your treasure hunt memorable — and make clues that fit the topic. For the treasure at the end, you could fill a small box with sweets and a few coins, or even lead the kids to a new board or garden game to keep them entertained for even longer!

Enjoy a bike ride

It’s a shame to waste the day indoors. So, why not get some fresh air and exercise with a long bike ride at your local park or somewhere further afield? Look online for designated cycling paths and perhaps choose an area that the children have never visited before to make it new and exciting for them. Use this cycling journey planner for help finding the perfect bike-riding location near you.

Make sure you pack a picnic for the halfway point and make plenty of stops so the kids can explore their new surroundings.

Visit a farm

Kids love animals and wide-open spaces, so visiting a farm is the perfect day out during the summer break. Even better, you should be able to do this for free — minus the cost of transportation — if you search online. Many farmers are happy to let people visit without an entry fee, although often a donation is greatly appreciated, and kids love to see the animals getting fed or running around.

Afterwards, you can keep the kids entertained by asking them to draw their favourite animal or moment of the day. If you have the items (glue, paper, water, and paint), you could even let them create papier-mâché pigs and cows, too!

Head to your region’s most famous and least-known landmarks…

Every region in the UK has a famous spot, even if it’s just a landmark that’s well-known to the local community. So, why not spend a morning or afternoon visiting your area’s most iconic place, then do some research to find a hidden gem near you?

This could be anything from a secret garden to a section of coastline you — and many others — rarely visit. If your children are old enough, get them to help you find somewhere online using their tablets or laptops — this will help build adventure and excitement!

Make a weather station for the garden

As an expert in rain attire and umbrellas, we had to include something to do with the weather! So, we recommend getting the kids together and testing their science skills by making a rain gauge or wind vane.

To make a rain gauge:

• Cut a two-litre plastic bottle two thirds of the way up.
• Upend the top part of the bottle and put it in the bottom section. Adhere with sticky tape.
• Make a centimetre scale on a piece of tape and stick it to your bottle.
• Go into the garden and dig a hole to bury the gauge. It should be about 5cm out of the ground.

And you’re done! Now, get the kids to head outside every morning to measure the amount of rain it has collected using the centimetre gauge on the side of the bottle. If the kids enjoy this craft session, why not let them make a wind vane, too?

To make a wind vane:

• Use a pencil to draw a 25cm arrow on card. Cut it out and use it to draw around and make another.
• Glue the arrows together.
• Now, fetch a cork and four matchsticks. Then, push the matchsticks into the long side of the cork — these should be at right-angles to each other.
• Write: ‘N’, ‘E’, ‘S’, ‘W’ on four separate pieces of card. Attach these to the ends of each matchstick — it’s a good idea to use an adhesive tack or clear tape to make these secure.
• Put sand in a bottle.
• Push a knitting needle into your cork before pushing into the bottled sand.
• Balance the arrow on top of the needle.
• Finally, put the wind vane in an open area and use your smartphone or a compass to verify which way is north so that you can point the ‘N’ card in the right direction.

And you’re finished! Now, the arrow will show you where the breeze is coming from.

These are just a few entertaining activities that you can enjoy free of charge this summer with the children. If you’re heading outdoors, make sure you browse our children’s, women’s and men’s umbrellas to stay dry and comfortable!