While I own coats with hoods I'll often take an umbrella out with me if I think it looks like rain. At times I've become aware that people (other men, my friends in fact) regard the use of a brolly as somehow unmanly. Naturally, after this realisation I not only continue to use an umbrella to keep the rain off my head and upper body but also in utter defiance of this macho bollocks.
Anyway, my umbrella broke the other day. Or rather one of its spokes did. And then I discovered that it's almost impossible to get an umbrella repaired, the attitude of umbrella vendors is, unsurprisingly, that I should buy a new one. This irks me, considering it seems so minor an injury. I did find a couple of places that'd do repairs, but only if the umbrella was one of theirs. Which it was not.
Forced by this to put the broken brolly to one side (for now) I started to look into getting a replacement. On my lunch breaks I often used to walk past a suitable shop. James Smith & Sons, it looks lovely doesn't it? I should have guessed what was in store for me there. For something that looked just like my stricken brolly I was looking at £75, and you can spend almost £300. Unbelievable.
I found one for £25 eventually (here) and they even threw in a junior hiking stick, which I think I'll give to my mum, it's about the right size.
With me it's yellow socks. There, I've said it.
ReplyDeleteYellow socks! I feel queasy.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of the stigma attached to men carrying umbrellas comes from Steve "The Wally With the Brolly" McClaren". (It put me off anyway.)
ReplyDeleteBut no, I suspect you're right and that it was always thus. Not for me, mind./ I never leave home without one unless it's either a) very sunny b) very windy or c) very both. I must say I was amazed at some of those prices you quoted though. I usually pay about three quid for my brollies!
It's definitely weird how such a sensible item is ever so slightly reviled. And practical considerations aside you'd think they'd be joyfully taken up by modern man as a spear/sword substitute.
ReplyDeleteOn the price side, I used to buy brollies from Boots or wherever but even they cost about a tenner, then a few years ago I nicked the one that's just broken from a big pot in the hall at my mum and dad's. I don't think it was a posh one, just old, and well made.
I've started using a brolly recently. Rather like the gentlemanly swish of it.
ReplyDeleteI try to avoid extravagant swishing, my dad once nearly impaled an infant in their pram due to that.
ReplyDeleteI use umbrellas too, and I often carry one of those really small ones - always with me at Glastonbury, certainly (never in the crowd though, of course). No shame in a brolly..... My man bag feels empty without one (!)
ReplyDeleteI don't think my friends in the north know about my man bag.
ReplyDeleteI've never been to Glastonbury, but if I ever do make it I think I'd like to wear a cloak (possibly with the moon and stars embroidered onto it) to keep the rain off. Knowing my luck it'd probably be sunny.