Umbrellas

I bought a very pretty umbrella with a frill around the edge, which makes it look like a parasol. However, people round here don't like anything out of the ordinary and stare, so I generally use a plain blue one.

My friend bought a wind proof one that we took to use to protect our hair and finery from the car to a restaurant. We got out of the car opened it .......and it turned inside out!!

I have small ones in both cars but prefer my new see through birdcage one - like The Queen. Thing is it's a flipping pain to cart about.

I would love an update in a few months time, grannyrebel, telling us how your latest umbrella is doing, as I always have the same problems that you have described, and have considered splashing out on a good-quality one myself.

I hope yours does better than kitty's!

I hate umbrellas, especially other people’s when they poke me. Give me a hood any day!

Don't like brollies either but I bought an upside down umbrella from Lidls last year. It feels much sturdier than the usual style, has a second piece of lining inside which strengthens the support. Hard to explain.
The ends of the spokes are towards the floor when it's closed, rather than handle end. Means you can stand it up to dry it.

My go to umbrella is one I've had for donkeys years. If it blows inside out, I just turn it into the wind and it rights itself every time. I have also used it on holiday when it's been too hot to stand in the sun, as a parasol. Works a treat then too.

As it's getting rather tatty now, I've bought a succession of new, sometimes pretty ones then plainer ones in case they were up to the job. So far, I've found nothing to replace my old gamp.

I do have a couple of those large, see through things, but as KL remarked, they're a pain to lug around, and one has indeed blown inside out on a particlary stormy day in Caernarvon.

Back to my ancient, trusted, tatty friend...

...particularly..

I was given a Radley automatic brolly for Christmas maybe 15 years ago. The mechanism never failed, it blew inside out on many occasions and I didn’t manage to lose it. Sadly in Sidcup last month it suffered a terminal attack of metal fatigue and ended up unceremoniously bunged in a street bin. Bereft, and damp, I have resorted to using an old Next telescopic (manual!) brolly which is even older but still does the job.

I dont have a problem with umbrellas since I bought mine from Umbrella World and bought a double canopy one- these definitely dont turn inside out- golf ones are good as well and nice and big for two people.

I have given up with umbrellas, It never rains but a gale blows and they are difficult to control and blow inside out.

I just grit my teeth and accept that my head will get soaked. Luckily my hair is short and straight so if it gets wet I d not worry.

Ladymuck, I think you should use your frilled umbrella if it pleases you and to hell with what others might think..

I still remember going with my mum, when I was a child, to get broken spokes replaced on our umbrellas.
Those were the days

Because I wear glasses, I like a brolly - it keeps the rain off them, unlike a hood. I end up not being able to see where I'm going if I don't use one.

Me too dragonfly I dislike umbrellas. Difficult when you are vertically challenged and can't see where you are going because your umbrella is much lower down than
everyone else's. I usually just wear a hat to protect my hair which will go frizzy at the slightest sign of damp.

IMHA the very best - plain black by Filton from Debenhams. Currently costs about £25 and only needs replacing every 5-7 years. I wouldn't think of using any other make now.

Will let you know how well it stands up to whatever the elements throw at me MamaCaz!

I lose so many umbrellas, they never have the chance to break!
Because of that, I buy cheap telescopic ones.My last umbrella bought three months ago has now vanished.
DH has had the same umbrella for years and years.

A plastic fold away rain hat is what we all need.?

I bought one recently, like the one you describe - blue sky with fluffy clouds - from Amazon. It's really pretty, and it does seem to be wind-proof, so far

Only of it has a very long peak, to keep the rain off my glasses, lemongrove