No offense intended, Buff, but the automatic, folding ones, however practical they may be, have always struck me as just having something a tad effeminate about them. This may be totally irrational on my part, I confess, but when my wife appropriated the automatic, folding umbrella my late mother had given me, I felt there was something appropriate about her having it.

I just feel there is something more inherently "manly" about a sturdy, full-length umbrella. However, this places me on the horns of a dilemma. I'd like to get a really elegant gentleman's umbrella--not necessarily a some $400 Swaine, Adeney & Brigg job, but something better than the El Cheapo I have. (Saw some rather nice, sturdy-looking wooden-handled umbrellas a Neiman-Marcus for $75 the other day that were tempting.) However, this may be the Cruiser-like philistine that I fear lurks within (I worry that I have more in common with that clown than I care to admit), but I am just loathe to put down a significant sum of money on an object that is both easily lost or ruined by a strong blast of wind.

I too would be interested in the comments of other forum members on this topic.

Perhaps the chaps you saw being veddy, veddy British with their brollies should have completed the effect by pairing them with bowlers!

I have 3 umbrellas. God knows I only need one.

A black "automatic" kind...it lives under the seat of the car.  Comes to class at law school with me...much easier to deal with, law school classrooms don't exactly have cloakrooms or places to put an umbrella.  This era comes to an end (well, except for bar review classes) in a few days.    I won't go as far as the Captain and suggest effeminacy in the automatics, but rather, well, cheesiness/dinkyness. 

An older black one from my parents' house, full length.

What I suppose youd call a golf umbrella, a cheap big one from my college in the school colors.  Probably gets the most use though outside of class.

One full-length and one folding, in black and grey respectively. Sorry, always cheap because they are so easy to lose.
Full-length in classic black will always be smarter, and I don't really find it too much more inconvenient to handle. At any rate far better than schlepping bulky overheating rainwear around.

An interesting aside is that when flying, security will confiscate your lighter and nailclippers before boarding, but you can walk on and off the plane with a 36" steel-tipped umbrella quite unhindered.

Good to see you here Big K., I've liked your input elsewhere from the start. Funny to think people used to think I was you...

Umbrellas in the country are still regarded as you say. Vicars & women carry them.

Best -

Russell, I never knew what that was all about initially.

There was loads of information 'elsewhere' - especially on things like Northampton shoes and where to get stuff in the the UK.

I realise that they were not really interested in Americana in its widest sense. You could not have a worthwhile thread that included the word 'skinhead' for example. I felt really sorry for the American youngster going down a two tone route. He was sourcing stuff in the UK and had interesting stories to tell - but once he said he was a 'skinhead' they never let up.

Back to umbrellas I have a solid stem one from Smiths which I've often used as a walking stick when too drunk to walk properly in London. I also thought it would be great to hit people with but I never got the chance.

I did a canoe course on Raven's Ait once. That was  before green algae  cover on the Thames. No regular ferry. They have to know you are coming.

I've also seen some men using small umbrellas that have ugly patterns on them.

I almost lost my, left blue because of an, umbrella upon entering the, Grand C.