Where to buy decent umbrellas?

[PhaseEighteen]

I'd quite like something colourful to brighten me up. I'm currently living in a navy mac.

It must be sturdy though!

I wish I knew the answer to this. Am sick of buying rubbish ones, at whatever price. Even the expensive ones have been terrible.

I've got a black Fulton stowaway - not colourful but it is sturdy. I've had the same model for I think 6 years, but did have to replace it 3 years ago because I lost my first. If they do it in other colours I would recommend.

The best umbrella I've had was a jaunty tall light up one from one of those crayzee gadget websites. Twenty quid.

If you want a very smart umbrella, there's a lovely shop in London called James Smith which has umbrellas in lots of colours. They have a website and will make to order if you want something they haven't got in the shop. It will not be cheap, though.

This is going to be a very specific and probably unhelpful recommendation, but there's a charity shop on the Golders Green high road in London that seems to have an endless supply of new Fulton umbrellas. Mine (£4) lasted 3+ years.

TK Maxx. I had a great one there last year, with an Emma Bridgewater design on. Very sturdy and a quick drier. Sadly left it on the train a couple of weeks ago.

Best umbrella I owned was a Fulton's. Had it for over 10 years.

fox umbrellas
are infallible.

The only reason I've had to replace mine is because DH left it on the train.

My umbrella got caught in a gust of wind last week and took off into the sky like an absolute rocket. Everyone in the street stopped to stare as it whizzed up and then down into the path of oncoming traffic. I was worried I would be a murderer by proxy as it crashed through someone's windscreen. Luckily it wrapped itself around the traffic lights instead.

Is there such a thing as a compact umbrella that doesn't have Mary Poppins style up, up and away aspirations?

I've just looked at the price of the Fox's umbrellas!

I bought an artist's one a couple of years ago. It's sturdy.

Thanks. Am going to check out the Fulton ones.

I have a Galleria peacock umbrella that my daughter bought me about 10 years ago, and it's still going strong!

They do loads of lovely colourful designs, both stick and folding styles (mine is the folding one). They have a good selection of them on Amazon.

I take back what I said about TKMaxx. Called in today and they had nothing but rubbish. They are very hit and miss though.

Just looked at Fulton umbrellas on Amazon, why are the majority of plain black ones described as men's umbrellas? Are they so big that they have to have a penis as a counterweight?

20 years ago I bought my mother a walking stick from this shop.

I still remember the price of their umbrellas today . Didn't buy one but you would hope they were good!

I have this one from the poppy shop Poppy Colour Change Umbrella
Product code: AA20B0UMBBKCCL

I don't think the quality of Fulton umbrellas is a patch on what it used to be. The first one I had lasted 9 years, and I only replaced it because I wanted a lighter brolly. In the last 4 years Dh and I have gone through so many of the blimmin things . Totally pants!

Plemo are very good they sell them on Amazon. Sturdy and push bottom open and close.

www.amazon.co.uk/Umbrella-Raindrops-Automatic-Folding-Travel/dp/B00LBWUX4E

I asked through an arcade in Nagasaki and saw a shop that only sold umbrellas and parasols.

Stunning,

And very unhelpful, I realise.

Orla Kiely umbrellas in John Lewis

My Orla Kiely umbrella is made by Fulton, it's very flimsy

I didn't think the supermini/super light fultons felt very sturdy (but i haven't actually tried them). The ones sold as "mens" are heavier and sturdier. Probably because ladies like pretty things and are too delicate to carry the functional models...

I still rate my Deluxe Stowaway though.