Why are umbrellas black. Why not clear?

[MysterEcks]

They were clear once, I had one.
The most obvious places are in heavy traffic and stadiums.
Why risk poking someone in the eye because you can't even see them. Why tilt it up so the rain comes in to see the lights change?

[Jophiel]

They may have been clear once, but they've been black for longer. Clear umbrellas implies that they are made out of plastic, vinyl or glass (which isn't very likely). However, long before either of the first two (and we'll ignore the 3rd) was in existance, people had umbrellas. Why make them black then? My guess is simply that any other color would be too flashy and unless you wanted a bunch of umbrellas to match your outfit, black went with anything. Parasols, on the other hand, were mainly a fashion accessory so they came in a bunch of assorted colors and patterns.

So what about today? Well, although black is still a traditional favorite, you can get umbrellas in about any color including clear. Mind you, you might need to shop around for one -- the vinyl used on umbrellas doesn't fold very well so I doubt you'll find many compact clear umbrellas and since it looks sort of tacky (like sofa covers) I doubt you'll find them at your finer department stores. Still, sporting goods stores may carry them as well as department stores a la Kmart, Walmart, Target, etc. For some reason many clear umbrellas seem to be for kids, so you can always try the toy stores or else stores that sell children's clothing.

[handy]

YOu can get clear today. PLus I even bought one that has a light on the bottom of it, so you can see wher eyou are going.

[Chef Troy]

and let's not forget that umbrellas were originally designed to protect people from the sun, not the rain. The word umbrella derives from the latin word for shade, and parasol loosely means "for sun." (In fact, the french word for umbrella is parapluie, which means "for rain.")

Considering they were meant to protect fish-belly white Englishmen from the tropical sun, black makes more sense because it blocks the most light.

[Dystopos]

YOu can get clear today. PLus I even bought one that has a light on the bottom of it, so you can see wher eyou are going.


Ooh Ooh! What about the one's made out of fluorescent tubes like in Blade Runner!?

[scr4]

Mind you, you might need to shop around for one -- the vinyl used on umbrellas doesn't fold very well so I doubt you'll find many compact clear umbrellas and since it looks sort of tacky (like sofa covers) I doubt you'll find them at your finer department stores.

I think this is the main answer. Most umbrellas seem to be made of some waterproof fabric. They are lighter and more flexible than sheets of plastic. Even if you wove a fabric out of transparent fiber (like fishing line), you would end up with a white fabric, not a transparent one.

In addition, I personally don't see much benefit in being able to see through my umbrellas. In a crowded street you need to hold it up high anyway. And with the wrinkles and water droplets on it, I don't think you can see through them very clearly.

That said, the cheapest umbrellas in Japan, sold in convenience stores and train stations, are made of clear plastic. They truly are cheap - the plastic sticks to itself and is often difficult to open, they are heavy (or would be if they were large enough to be actually usable), and I have never had the occasion to be thankful that I can see through it.

[MysterEcks]

Hi, folks.

Not that I have any objection to the subject of this thread, but I want to point out that it wasn't started by me. The yoo hoo who wrote the OP was a fake MysterEcks, who was quickly given the heave-ho by Tuba.

See http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=26456

The dimwit didn't do anything objectionable in this thread, but I want it on the record.

And since I'm here...I prefer red umbrellas, just so people can see me more easily in lower-visibility situations.