Will I look an utter wally if I buy and use a UV parasol this summer? I am 42 and sturdily-built, not an eccentric elderly lady or a frail Victorian duchess

[HepburnKNotA]

I burn even with Factor 50 if I stay out in the midday sun and with the usual ghastliness of school sports days/family garden parties etc occuring this summer, I can't just stay indoors at midday (or guarantee shade in small urban gardens or sports fields)

I have a LOT of freckles/moles, incredibly pale skin and need to be careful.

A hat (in which I always feels ridiculous) is OK for some shade over the face, but in the height of the sun it never gives enough shade, plus there's all the other bits to think about, shoulders, chest etc.

I have seen this online and think it's rather fetching.

www.umbrellaheaven.com/product/ezpeleta-patterned-ladies-uv-parasol/

But will I look utterly ridiculous if eg I rock up to sports day with this (when everyone else seems to be in vest tops, no hats and Factor Zero, the kind of blithe Summer People who think i'm a party pooper with my pale skin and my 14 different varities of sun-screen).

Or will I set a fabulous new fashion and be the envy of all who survey me?

I have used a parasol in summer since I was in my early 20s. I'm a redhead and like you have burned in the UK with a hat and factor 50 on. I don't care if I look strange.
I normally use the umbrellaheaven UV ones which are silver reflective material on the outside and black on the inside. But my problem is the wind, every parasol I buy breaks when I use it on a windy day. But just like rain and wind going together often the sunshine and wind do.
This means I have to buy at least 1 new parasol a year.
I look OKish in a hat but parasol gives much better protection ime.

Burka

No you won't. Someone I know has stage 4 skin cancer, it's not worth it

For shoulders and chest though, which you mention in your op, the far easier option is just to wear something with sleeves and a round neck surely. Also more practical than constantly having only one hand free because of holding an umbrella.
I get the sun thing, I have vitiligo and
Can’t have my skin in the sun at all but I manage by sun cream and the right clothing. I’ve never got my shoulders or chest out. Honestly I too feel like a bit of a wally in a hat but I’d feel more of one with a parasol. Sorry!

Hats flatten your hair and make you sweat. Parasol is a great idea and much more cooling. You might educate a few people about not worrying about looking a little out of the ordinary the damage the sun can cause at the same time

I have a huge head so sunhats are a problem. I've got a couple of visors from Primark for £4. I also live in a very touristy city and you see Japanese ladies with parasols and umbrellas all the time in sunny weather.

I wouldn't but only because I wouldn't want to be a hand down (although I saw these recently).

That's gorgeous! I'm going to get one! You're starting a trend.

I used an umbrella for sports day one year when I forgot to bring a hat. If anyone looked at the umbrella I said "I forgot my hat" and almost all replied "very sensible". Whether they actually thought it was sensible, I don't know.

I use one like this.

I often use a normal umbrella on sunny days anyway. I don't care if I look like a wally, but I don't think I do

I have one of these :

It's a great idea. I went to a sunny outdoor wedding recently and a few people were sitting in the front row with massive black umbrellas. Just normal umbrellas - it looked really weird. Parasols would been a much better choice.

I wear it in the garden. Yes DH laughs at me but asks to borrow it as it's handy to keep his phone under it to avoid it overheating. Hands free gardening, non sweaty head and even put my tiny poodle under it ! I also wear spf 50 as well and am fairly dark skinned but don't want wrinkles or sun damage.
Get this Op you will start a trend. Amazon.

I think they should make a comeback, they must look like a proper parasol though and not an umbrella, otherwise you will get odd looks. If it’s good enough for these fashion forward women.....

They’re really common where I live (extremely hot summers)

The only difference between looking like a wally and looking like a fashionista with your parasol is confidence, so style it out. Then you'll be a trend-setter not a weirdo. If you creep about apologetically and try to hide then yes you'll look like a right muppet. I agree with you about finding something that's clearly parasolly, rather than brolly. Happy hunting!

I'm like you OP, sports day is always the hottest day of the year.

I quite like this:
cheap and pretty

I think it all depends on what you wear it with.......channel your inner Helena Bonham-Carter.

This is a good idea, especially with your sensitive skin.
Do you think any doctor would call it ridiculous?
You may help this trend grow & save some lives- maybe even yours.

I am in Ireland and we only have two types of sports days, about 60% of the time the sun is splitting the heavens and I feel like keeling over from the heat and there is intense competition among the parents for any scrap of shade to stand in. The other 40% of the time requires a winter coat.

My only issue would be if it were something like sports day & you were sat in front of me and blocked my view. Provided you're considerate, I would just think "that's a good idea" and start googling to see where I could buy one.

Thank you so much everyone.

I am thrilled the consensus seems to be a resounding DO IT!

I have to say those Lily and Lark ones someone linked to above are now my holy grail, I just need to eat baked beans for a month to afford one.

I agree wholeheartedly with all the posters who've said it has to LOOK like a parasol, not just like I'm the only person for miles around who's expecting rain.

Thaht lacy one you use is stunning fraumaximoo - is it UV protective enough (for someone like me) do you think? I'm thinking I'd probably have to go with something with a proven UV protection level. Or maybe I could have a cheap papery/lacy gorgeous one for LESS sunny days... a whole wardrobe of parasols!! Bring back 1895!

Thanks all.

This being the UK, I don't think anybody ever thinks about how fundamentaly nuts it is to host events in the summer outdoors AT MIDDAY

Definitely our problem in the UK. I don't burn in general, yet I burn badly at midday events in the summer. Logic just goes out of the window in the UK summer - it's madness. I don't think there is anywhere else in the world where people host events at midday in summer with little to no available shade and huge portion of the people attending don't even wear hats.

I use one. It also serves to mortify my teenagers. Winning!!!