5 Bright Umbrellas to Combat Unpredictable Weather

Bring it on, #raincouver.

Vancouver, we love you, but sometimes you can be a little hard to read. Take last Saturday, for example: we woke up to your typical grey skies and rain, squinted our way through a sunny afternoon, shivered in line for our dinner reservations and were then ambushed by a flurry of toonie-sized snowflakes just before bed. Listen, buddy, we understand. Making decisions is hard. We’re here to support you. Take all the time you need. But until you figure things out, we’re going to stock up on five funky, floral and foolproof umbrellas—today’s forecast calls for a 100-percent chance of style.

1. Flower Power

Pop open the Bubble Auto Open Stick umbrella and stand out on grey days. This three-foot wide dome umbrella comes in five fun and flashy patterns. It also looks just as stylish closed as it does open, so you’ll be runway-ready no matter the weather. $45, nordstrom.ca

2. Tough Cookie

Don’t let the asymmetrical shape fool you—the Senz° Automatic umbrella is as hardy as it gets. This smart accessory can withstand winds up to 100 km/hour, and has been tested in storms, wind tunnels and even jumping out of airplanes. Take that, mother nature. $89, informinteriors.com

3. Dry Humour

The sassy Rain Check? umbrella from Kate Spade is smart, stylish and ready for anything; clear plastic is see-through for maximum visibility and minimum wet hair. $38, katespade.com

READ MORECozy Winter Gear to Keep You Warm

4. Sunny Side Up

The unique engineering of the Blunt Classic Yellow umbrella makes it less of a hazard than regular umbrellas—all of the pointy parts have been replaced with soft edges. The radial tensioning system makes a tight and aerodynamic canopy that is inversion resistant. Plus, their aesthetic design makes for some cool photo ops—check out their Instagram for ideas. $100, ca.bluntumbrellas.com

5. Glow Pro

The LED umbrella from Vancouver Umbrella, a local business that has been manufacturing umbrellas for almost 90 years, takes bright to a whole new level. The illuminated handle isn’t just pretty, it’s also safe—other commuters will have no trouble spotting you when you cross the street. Price upon request, vancouverumbrella.com