Pro-Con: Umbrellas in Seattle
Staff writer Aimee Curl relayed an anecdote this morning about how she and her mother were walking along Ballard Ave. with an umbrella this weekend. Here, they were encountered by a non-umbrella wielder. The conversation went as follows:
Non-umbrella wielder: "Cardinal sin."
Curl: "What?"
Non-umbrella wielder: "Carrying an umbrella in Seattle."
Curl was surprised to hear that her managing editor is firmly in the camp of the non-umbrella wielder, to the point where I might have heckled her and her mom as well. Why? For one, if you're of a certain height (i.e., above 6'), umbrellas might as well be head-seeking darts. Secondly, natives of Rain City — and those who dare adopt it as their home — embrace the rain, not accessorize to defend against it. Herein, a baseball cap and waterproof jacket (and, okay, maybe a pair of duck shoes when there's standing water like there was today on Delridge) are declared to be the only forms of "rain gear" that a true Seattleite can don with a clear conscience.
For her part, Curl doesn't buy this line. "That�s the silliest thing I�ve ever heard," says the Bend, Ore. native. " I also think it speaks to the native nature to not be proactive, but passive aggressive." Then there's Mark Fefer, a King County native who once subscribed to my doctrinaire rainology, yet had his will broken during one of his repeat sabbaticals in New York City. "I remember when I first moved to the east coast and wondered why everyone lugged these stupid things around," says Fefer, who, curiously, has spent the entire day wearing a black ballcap bearing the name of an obscure jazz label. "Then I finally started using one. And I realized, you know what? I don�t actually like being rained on. And I�ll never go back."
15 comment(s)
david stoesz says:
Waterproof jacket: I finally bought one after looking down my nose at them since I moved here in 1992. And I have to say: Wow! It\'s like sealing yourself up in a little ziploc bag! You get to your destination happy and toasty rather than soggy and sulky. No wonder everyone has one. I know, stop the presses. But it\'s exciting news to me.
Umbrellas though? Def. unmanly. And a complete pain in the ass to lug around. I wouldn never say this to anyone on the street though. Especially not a lady. That\'s just rude.
Posted On: Monday, Dec. 3 2007 @ 3:15PM
Don Ward says:
Real Washingtonians/Seattleites don\'t use umbrellas. The moss on our backs and our stubborn pride makes keeps us warm and dry.
Posted On: Monday, Dec. 3 2007 @ 3:25PM
brad says:
I\'ve always labeled umbrella carriers \"Tourists\". NYC vendors make a killing selling cheap umbrellas as your coming out of the subway station. Unfortunately, half of them end up in the trash after the wind blows them inside out and makes them unusable. I\'m down with the coat and hat idea, having just purchased my first \"rain coat\" this year after being in the PNW for 12 years.
Posted On: Monday, Dec. 3 2007 @ 3:48PM
Aimee says:
Ah, pride = warmth. Brilliant! And so Seattle.
Posted On: Monday, Dec. 3 2007 @ 4:31PM
Joy the Life Coach says:
I experienced some gentle ribbing about my use of an umbrella when I first moved to Seattle from Northern California many years ago.
However I have to admit the Seattle drizzle I came to know over the years rarely seems to require the use of an umbrella.
See, where I grew up we experienced the type of rain we experienced today every winter. Heavy, warm, down pour. I can remember my Mother taking me out to shop for new rain coat and rubber rain boots before school started each fall.
On days like today I would not only break out an umbrella, but I also break out waterproof everything!
Then again, I personally don\'t love umbrellas for practical purposes. Like Aimee I prefer a nice waterproof jacket. Even pricey umbrellas never seem to last more than a year before they break in high winds, and do not provide enough shelter from the wind driven rain. A nice, warm, waterproof rain coat is a great investment that will last for years.
So I\'ve said goodbye to the umbrella for that reason alone.
Posted On: Monday, Dec. 3 2007 @ 5:17PM
Joy the Life Coach says:
In my last post I referenced Aimee as having made the prior post about the waterproof jacket. I meant to refer to David\'s. Sorry David!
Posted On: Monday, Dec. 3 2007 @ 5:20PM
Laura says:
I moved to Seattle after high school with a tasteful dark gray umbrella. Within days it was stolen from the entry way to a library. I don\'t want to point any fingers, but I think there may be a few Seattlites out there that get all holier-than-thou about their no umbrella thing until we get a real gullywasher then they steal your brand new automatic push-button one from the library.
Posted On: Monday, Dec. 3 2007 @ 5:34PM
gkb says:
Mike, do you not mind getting raindrops on your glasses? Drives me up the wall. So I always use one.
Posted On: Monday, Dec. 3 2007 @ 5:41PM
Seely says:
I get a few, but not too many, with a baseball cap on. The few times I\'ve used umbrellas, there hasn\'t been much of a discernible difference in the amount of raindrops m\'lenses catch.
Posted On: Monday, Dec. 3 2007 @ 5:42PM
mangga says:
I\'ve been in Maryland for 6 years. People wonder why I don\'t use an umbrella in the drizzle or light rain. I simply say, \"I\'m from Seattle.\" Scary east coast thunderous downpour is another story.
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 4 2007 @ 8:14AM
Chris Kornelis says:
The umbrella conversation is beyond ridiculous. Hey, why don\'t we ridicule people who wear boots, too? Embrace the rain! Let your feet get wet! Oh, wait, why do we give a shit that other people are using umbrellas?
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 4 2007 @ 1:04PM
Hester Proud says:
I\'m a 3rd generation Washingtonian married to a 4th generation Washingtonian --we both use umbrellas! Nouveau Washingtonians, with something to prove, stand in the rain like wet seagulls.... not the REAL DEAL.
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 4 2007 @ 1:57PM
tiptoe tommy says:
99% of the time an umbrella is not needed in Seattle drizzle. Days like yesterday are the exception.
Personally I don\'t believe in private umbrella ownership. When I used to wait tables and a storm would come up during lunch, I would tell people to just go up to the front desk and say they left a black Totes there last week. All I asked is that the next time they went out to eat somewhere, that they leave the umbrella under the table to share the wealth with others.
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 4 2007 @ 2:29PM
Halley says:
I too used to be too cool to carry an umbrella in Seattle.
Then I realized I was always wet.
What I\'d really like is some kind of head-to-foot rubber suit, preferably with a glasses drips-protecting bill, a la baseball hat. Any ideas?
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 4 2007 @ 2:56PM
Keith Malloy says:
Born and raised here, never needed an umbrella. Gortex rain coat and a UW (or M\'s or Hawks) hat have been my go to rain gear for as long as I can remember.
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 4 2007 @ 9:21PM