In defence of umbrellas

Someone actually said “Real men don’t use umbrellas.” It wasn’t an April Fool’s article but it does read as a joke. Especially that “real men” nonsense. I’m afraid, however, that it might be in earnest because the author, Michael Hogan, tries again and again to convince us that umbrellas are essentially foppish, undignified and effeminate. Then again, he’s partially right, historically speaking.

When the umbrella came to Europe in the sixteenth century – via Africa and Asia – it was used mostly by women, mostly for sun protection. As G. Bruce Boyer wrote in his 1985 book Elegance, “men who carried them were thought too affected and foppish.” Eventually, they became an accepted accessory, especially in the upper classes, replacing the walking stick (which had itself replaced the sword). Boyer points out how thirty years ago the umbrella was becoming popular again because of “a current nostalgia for the elegance of the past, particularly the 1920s and 1930s, for which the umbrella is a symbol, denoting propriety and sophistication – graces we seem to have lost sight of these past two decades.” Sounds very contemporary, doesn’t it?

Yet that is probably what our “real man” Mr. Hogan is railing against: the perceived inauthenticity of dressing well that carrying an umbrella can suggest. I do not believe there is anything inauthentic about dressing well. Quite the opposite. And it is precisely because of their “propriety and sophistication” that I love umbrellas, specifically  “walking umbrellas.” I think of them as an elegant addition to my wardrobe, invoking, as Boyer puts it, “the days when no man of quality would have thought of strolling out without his malacca or rosewood cane.”

A few years ago I decided I’d had enough of cheap umbrellas, the ones that bend at the slightest gust of wind. I also wanted something classic and elegant, which is easy to define: black and with a wooden handle. I know black is sombre and a little boring, but it works with almost any outfit under any conditions – weather I’m wearing a suit and going to a business meeting, or dressed casually and out for a coffee. That said, I have nothing against some colour and pattern in umbrellas, so long as it doesn’t end up clashing with your wardrobe.

I bought my umbrella – a Fulton Commissioner – at Raindrops in the concourse at 50 Bloor West (which has gone out of business since this article was published – new recommendations at the bottom of the page). It sits a level or two below better umbrellas from Fox and Swaine Adeney Brigg but is well-built and thanks to the elmwood handle, a gorgeous accessory. My one concern with umbrellas, of course, is their nasty habit of getting lost. In fact, on my first outing with this one, I left it behind in a movie theatre. Thankfully I got it back and since then have committed myself to keeping it by my side.

What I really appreciated about shopping at Raindrops – apart from their huge selection – was that they first taught me how to properly close and fasten an umbrella. Like most people I used to grab the fastener and pull it around the umbrella, then snap it into position. You end up with a frumpy and ruffled mess. More importantly, this puts a lot of strain on the fastener, one of the weakest parts of the umbrella’s construction.

Instead, use this method: leave the umbrella open until it is bone dry so rust doesn’t develop at the hinges. Hold the umbrella by the handle with one hand while your other hand holds the tip. Then roll the umbrella clockwise at the handle, moving your other hand up with a tight grip. Once that hand reaches the fastener, clip it closed.

Not only is this good for the umbrella, it ends up looking sleek and elegant, like the walking sticks of old.

Since this article was published, I have discovered a couple of other options for buying good umbrellas in Toronto: LeatherFoot Emporium now carries a great selection from Fox while Betty Hemmings stocks some gorgeous single stick umbrellas by Swaine Adeney Brigg.