Nov
New Francesco Maglia Umbrellas just in time for the holiday season! (Taken with Instagram at Shrine)
If you live in Chicago and haven’t been over to Shrine Haberdashers yet to check out these umbrellas, then you’re missing out. They’re gorgeous. The models they had before were pretty amazing, and it looks like these have sleeves, which to me is a huge improvement on an already great umbrella.
Sep
Rainwear: What I wear to stay somewhat dry
One of the priorities I set for myself recently over the summer was to get my rainwear squared away. Slowly, I picked up each piece and finally consider that part of my wardrobe complete.
The obvious first step was a coat. I don’t think it particularly matters if you have a trench or “mack” overcoat, but keeping your chest and the upper half of your legs dry is pretty necessary on days when rain decides to be horizontal. I have two raincoats — a the blue trench you see above and another tan “mack”-styled one — that I actually bought dirt cheap at thrift stores. Both are vintage London Fog and from what I’ve read they’re from the era when production was still in the United States and the quality still quite good. You see a ton of these in thrift stores, so they’re not terribly hard to find if you search long enough.
Next up was footwear. I have a pair of L.L.Bean Boots, which are great, but they’re not very dressy. I found dieworkwear’s “rainy-day shoes” article helpful in finding an option within my budget. I got a pair of SWIMS overshoes during the spring Friends & Family sale at Brooks Brothers, knocking down the price from $100 to $75 for days when the rain was lighter. For heavier days, I picked up a pair of Charles Tyrwhitt military captoe boots on deep clearance, which feature Dainite soles. Both have worked out pretty well.
Finally, came the last piece: the umbrella. Again, dieworkwear’s article on umbrellas guided my decision on finding a quality one. I’d considered getting a plaid umbrella from Brooks Brothers, but after handing them in person, I thought it might be a better option to consider saving up for one with a solid-stick handle and shaft. For a while, I was planning on going with one of Howard Yount’s umbrellas, which had some great canopy selections, but then I got a really, really lucky break. I’d loved the Francesco Maglia umbrellas dieworkwear mentioned, but thought they were well beyond my budget. Then I found out that they were not only on sale at a local haberdashery (Shrine), but through a Rue La La “local deal” I could knock off another sizable chunk of the price — putting them on par with the umbrellas at HY. I’ll do a full review in the future, but let me just say that at a discounted price it’s well-worth it and the quality is immediately noticeable.
So, that’s my rainwear solution and I expect it to last quite some time.
Aug
What's your opinion regarding umbrellas as accessories? Is it worth the trouble given how so many people lose them fairly easily?
I’m in agreement with dieworkwear that umbrellas can definitely be used as stylish accessories that also perform the essential function of keeping you dry.
On the high end, yes, you can go for a $300-$700 Francesco Maglia umbrella. These are beautiful and I’ve handled a few. I ended up buying one — although I paid nowhere near the full retail price for it. The quality is pretty phenomenal and it looks great, too.
Now, if you’re prone to losing umbrellas and don’t want to pay as much money for one, then there’s plenty of other options.
The Brooks Brothers umbrellas are pretty nice if you like tartan canopies. I nearly bought one myself during their Friends & Family sale, but opted to buy a blazer instead. The wooden shaft and handle is nice, but they’re two pieces instead of one continuous piece of wood. Decent quality and felt fairly sturdy to hold.
Orvis has a decent selection as well and I’ve had hands on with their waxed-cotton canvas “Prime Minister’s umbrella”. The canvas made the weight a bit more heavy to hold, but it felt really tough, probably moreso than the Brooks Brothers ones. A bit drab in color though. I also recall their retail store having a few tartan umbrellas with nylon canopies (cheaper, too), but they didn’t seem as sturdy.
Still, it does come down to the fact if you’re the type of person who is good about remembering your umbrella when you leave a location. I definitely understand the fear of forgetting a crazy expensive umbrella, but I also think that if you have that fear, then you’re less likely to leave your umbrella behind if you paid a lot of money for it.
Jul
It’s On Sale: Swaine Adeney Umbrella
Over at J. Peterman, they’re offering Swaine Adeney Brigg umbrellas at close to half price - just over $200. If you’re not a man who loses his umbrellas, this is about as good as it gets for as good a price as you’ll find.
Woah. Anyone know what the canopy of this umbrella is made from? Hit up my ask box (or email) if you happen to know.
ADDING: from suitsandboots:
I would guess nylon on that umbrella considering the silk ones retail for 550 pounds.
Hmm…
Feb
Saw your reblog and comment about the bespoke umbrellas. Thought you may enjoy this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr6ElmsSMZM
Ignore the superlatives and sycophantic language.
Wow, that’s a fantastic video. I guess I can see now why some people would geek out over these, just like shoes or watches.
But yes, I agree that this is the sort of thing you buy once you’ve been had bespoke suits and still looking for places to drop money.
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