Really? I have only ever seen elderly asian women carrying umbrellas on sunny days in NYC.
I think some people have heard of this remarkable new thing, it’s called “sunblock.” It blocks the sun without encumbering your hands.
As long as she isn’t poking people with her umbrella, I don’t see how it’s any of my business.
I’m female, 35, and white as Wonderbread so I burn in no time. I also have very little tolerance for hot weather. I use an umbrella (it’s a big sucker, too, not a dainty little parasol) on summer days when I’m outside walking around. It keeps the sun off and it means the sun isn’t directly beating down on my head. It’s easier to manage than a hat, because it covers my whole upper body and I can just fold up the umbrella and shove it in my purse when I’m indoors. And I look bad in hats 
The first time I saw it was 2005-ish at Niagara Falls, on a blazingly sunny day that was one of the hottest on record (I think it hit 95 deg F). There wasn’t a scrap of shade anywhere. A lot of Asian tourists had umbrellas and I thought it was a fantastic idea, so I bought an umbrella in the gift shop. That worked well because after that day it rained for the rest of the trip
Sunblock only works for the number on the label X how many minutes before you’d burn without it MAXIMUM. Given how most people mis-use it, it’s usally good for far less time than that. Adding more sunscreen does NOT reset the clock, although if you’re sweating or swimming, it’s a good idea to add more periodically anyhow.
I burn in about 10 minutes without sunscreen. A properly applied 30 SPF means I can spend 300 minutes, or 5 hours in the sun, MAX, without getting burned. It’s sunny for more hours than that during the summer days.
I was puzzled by a woman who appeared to be over dressed in all weather conditions. Then she mentioned that she had experienced skin cancer and was doing everything she could to cut the future risk. I also know men who carry a cane and don’t need one. It’s legal to carry a cane, not so much a knife or brass knuckles. I have learned tolerance over the years when something looks odd. People do things for a reason. It does not have to be mine.
I use moisturizer with sunblock on my face, but I can’t stand the smell or the sticky feeling of regular sunblock lotion. I’ll use it when doing yardwork or swimming when I know I can go wash it off once I’m done. It also doesn’t keep the sun from baking my brains out.
As a fair hair redheaded I am sympathetic to your plight. In a ddition to burning easily I get a dermatitis-type rash all over me from UV.
Most people do not spend hours outdorrs every day, nor do they spend most days of the year primarily unclothed. On my average day, I spend perhaps a cumulative hour outdoors: house - 2 blocks to the subway - subway - 2 blocks to work - a 1/2 hour walk at lunch… repeat in reverse. And New Yorkers walk far more than most Americans, ergo are outdoors more than most Americans.
My post was not about whether sunblock is a perfect solution, but whether it was better than a parasol. Whatever problem you have with sunblock while swimming, I’m certain a parasol does not solve it.
Another vote for “cute” here. Lady’s got to know how to accessorize.
I wouldn’t presume to judge. But I might find it charming.
Ah, that does make sense!
Though wouldn’t a reflective undersurface make more sense?
Then you would get the rainbow effect but still have the protection underneath?
In Spanish the main difference between a parasol and a paraguas is whether what you’re trying to protect yourself from is sunlight or water; there’s very few models which can’t do double duty. While it’s not a common sight, I’ve seen people of both genders use an umbrella normally kept in their car to help them survive the dash from the A/C in their cars to that in their destination under a lead-melting sun. I can’t recall seeing a model which wouldn’t be able to serve as an umbrella in any Spanish stores, it may be something you’d need to get made specially (buy one of the smallest umbrellas and change the cloth).
When thermometers are hitting their max, anything that can get you a bit of shade is merely a survival skill.
Someone who was simply leaning it on their shoulder as a fashion accesory, well, either they’re wearing some kind of period ensemble it matches or they’re daft.
I remember my mother said her and her sisters would wear sun hats when they worked out in the fields. Frankly that sounds a lot more practical than a parasol. Of course the entire purpose of a sun hat or a parasol was to make it look like you didn’t work outdoors.
I often carry an umbrella when walking outside in places with really strong sun. Southeast Asia was not kind to my skin.
Burma has the nicest umbrellas. More interesting was Vietnam, where women wear these thick beige socks with their flip-flops, gloves that go up to their upper arms, hats and masks.
In popular domestic tourist spots in China, it was a challenge to dodge all of the umbrellas, which were always held at the perfect height to poke me in the eye.
27 year old guy from New Jersey.
I live in a heavily Chinese part of Los Angeles, so I see it all the time. More common with the older women, but not at all unusual among younger.
I see them on 34th Street–maybe tourists going to Macy’s.
Kari Byron carries one occasionally on Mythbusters. She’s a redhead, so she’s probably prone to easy burning.
Sun block can cause rashes on some folk.
This was my first thought as well.
Many of the parasols I see are paper. Not at all good for rain!
There are some gorgeous ones made of lace, too. Those are obviously not so practical, but pretty pretty!
Of course it’s possible to take things too far . . .
