PNW & its grudge against the bumbershoot
 

Losing a long time landmark in Pike Place Market area this week- Bella Umbrella is closing. I always go in there and enjoy looking at the lovely creations, but I have to admit I wondered who actually shopped there. Turns out, not enough people do! I'm rather tempted to go check it out one last time, but my day off is going to be spent at a corn maze if weather allows.


https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...ned_buffer_f_m


I found the article pretty humorous. I am not a true rugged native apparently- I do own a great umbrella, although between the mist and wind, I rarely take it out and about here. I don't think I've ever found a rain coat with a hood to be uncomfortable.

Any umbrella fanciers here? Do you have a serviceable umbrella, or do you match your outfits? An umbrella only for traveling or is your trusty everyday umbrella your travel companion? Thought this might be a fun thread:) We discuss shoes, coats, and suitcases so often but I feel the poor umbrella gets overlooked!

What are you talking about?


That is no <b>"long time landmark"</b>.


Even the <I>Seattle Big Wheel</i> has been there <I>a lot</i> longer.

The only umbrellas <I>normal (native-to-the-area) people</i> accumulate here are those found here or there.

I meant the long time thing as more of a joke- a few years is pretty long for what I'd consider a tourist shop that I rarely saw customers in.

But really, "normal" people? Someone takes umbrella ownership entirely too seriously! What else do you consider a requirement for local street cred? A specific car? Dog breed? Bike? Rain jacket brand?

I noticed that almost no one carries an umbrella in Ireland, either.

I don't mind a hood, although most of them are either too floppy to see out from under, or, if you lash them down, too tight and your face gets wet. But what I've never understood is, what about your bag and your hands and whatever part of your legs sticks out? That's what the umbrella helps with, or so it seems to me...?

Anyway, as a Floridian, I have a lot of umbrellas, ranging from small enough to fit in my bag (that one is also my travel brolly) to obnoxiously huge (lives in my car) and a few in between. None are really fancy, but I do have a wooden-handled one printed with a blue sky pattern. I still remember the clear bubble shaped one I had as a kid.

The article is pretty funny, I agree, marvelousmouse. I didn't even know the place existed!

I have to admit I love our mist - it keeps my hair curly and it is great for the skin.

Agree about both umbrella and hood struggles, Newbe. honestly I've never found a graceful way to walk the dog and carry an umbrella at the same time. After years of "suffering" I finally found a gortex climbing jacket that has a little stick out bill and a back cinch cord. Not only does it fit over my bike helmet, it also allows me to have unobstructed vision. It's like winning the rain jacket lottery every time I put it on!

I do enjoy that I have an excuse to not flat iron my hair. There is no product that prevents it from curling in this weather, and the mist makes the curls look like I tried rather than rolled out of bed this way...

And the only way your pants will get noticeably wet is if you're biking or a car hits a puddle, neither would be solved by an umbrella. As long as I can keep my feet and upper half dry an warm, I'm good usually. Like the article says, it just rarely pours. The first time I got caught in an east coast downpour was an educational experience. Florida rain is really something! To get as wet out here, I'd probably need to fall off a dock!

Our household has a few of those small black umbrellas. I keep a super small travel umbrella in my backpack. We have a golf size umbrella emblazoned with our kids old high school. That one comes in handy for two or sitting somewhere in the rain. My favorite is designed to look like the top of a typical Tiffany lamp. My mom and I went to a Tiffany glass exhibit many years ago and the next Christmas that pretty umbrella was in my gift pile!

I have not owned an umbrella since I was a little kid. I remember. begging my mom for one, and so she got me a clear sort of bubble one. I can still remember being so happy to use it, but it blew backwards about a block from home. I have never had one since then.

I am perfectly fine with a good jacket, especially since as marvelous mouse says, it is much easier for walking the dog. Plus the kids of jacket she describes is what we have. We love to hike (and DH/DS are mtn climbers) so our gear is all made for this.

Think I'm cursed when it comes to umbrellas, which always seem to turn inside out in the wind and end up broken. Keep a couple in my car, then of course don't have them when it starts raining in a store or restaurant.

Still in search of a tiny, strong, travel umbrella if anyone has suggestions!

Umbrellas are no good in wind, that's for sure. There was one we saw on Shark Tank years ago that was a really exaggerated bubble, came down to one's waist. Might have been effective? Looked absurd, though, and would get awfully steamy in there.

<Florida rain is really something! To get as wet out here, I'd probably need to fall off a dock!>
Ha, true! The big dilemma is always footwear. You'd think we'd have that sorted by now, but it's still a debate: flip flops, a popular option, are so gross when you are wading through urban puddles, but rain boots or booties are way too hot for 95 degrees and 100% humidity. It's also really easy to fall out of wet flip flops and bust your a$$.

Jackets are also out, you feel like veg in a microwaveable bag!

The struggle is real...

I'm very glad I'm not the only one that can't keep an umbrella from going wrong side out. I figured there was a trick to it!

Wondered what Floridans did for shoes, Newbe. I took water proof sneakers to WDW and flip flops. The sneakers lasted a half day- awful. But flip flops did not feel safe lol, and yes, so gross.

I think that something like Chacos or Tevas would be ideal, if you just concede from the start that your feet will be wet. But they are not universally beloved, style-wise, lol, and don't "go" with everything.

Back to umbrellas! There's always this:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...umbrella-has-a

A baseball cap or tennis visor goes a long way to keeping the rain jacket hood off your face. Even a lot of (Colorado) locals don't know that little technique. Give it a try.

Yeah, umbrella not much use in wind, which I suppose is why you don't see them in the American West that much.

Or maybe it's because John Wayne never used one?

Newbe, I looked at your hands free umbrella link. Somehow it reminded me of the 1953 film <i>Invaders from Mars</i>.

Gave me nightmares as a kid. I'm sticking with the baseball cap!

The baseball cap is a great tip, thanks! Especially since my curly hair does NOT like rain or mist: frizzes all to heck until I swear you can see it from space :-(

Haha, I think wet hair would be less embarrassing than that hands free thing. Ther's always those rain caps women wore back in the 50s and 60s...

I have a couple in the trunk of my car and one in the drawer of my desk at the office. If it's truly a downpour, sure I break it out to get to work not drenched or run out to get lunch. Often people in the office borrow them. But that's about it.

I more often use a little one for travel in the tropics where it can pour buckets in a brief period of timme (unlike Seattle which is most often just drizzly).


btw~ I thought you were talking about Bumbershoot (the annual event) and was wondering why anyone would hold a grudge against a popular music festival.

Lol. That's why I found it so funny! I didn't realize bumbershoot was slang for umbrella, I thought it was a music thing!