Umbrella/Parasol Inspiration

Seeing as the Summer has been replaced by unpredictable rain (curse you British weather!) I thought I would do a umbrella and parasol post. Please note that a lot of these items may not be available directly through their websites any more. This post is just to give a brief introduction to what sort of styles are available.

When ordering parasols you need to be careful about using them in the rain. Parasols are meant to shade you from the sun. If you require something to protect you in the rain look out for products which have umbrella in the title instead of parasol. Also, you can search online for product reviews. If you can't find a review, I suggest you ask around the online lolita community to see if they can point you in the right direction.

I am yet to purchase a proper lolita inspired parasol or umbrella. At the moment I am using an umbrella I got from New Look.

Sorry for the picture. I don't have a good one to hand. It is basically a clear plastic umbrella with strawberries on it and a frill around the edge. And now on to the lolita brand ones!

First up we have Metamorphose. Out of all the brands I think the Meta swan logo umbrella is my favourite. There have been various umbrellas featuring the swan logo. Here is a polka dot version. The last time I checked, the pink and blue versions of this design was still available (almost sold out, so be quick).

Here is a close-up of the swans! I love the gold coloured logo. Metamorphose umbrellas cost around 3800 yen.

Next up is Moi Meme Moitie. I have heard a lot of negative comments about their umbrellas. Some have described them as "the sort of promotional umbrella your dad brings home from work". I can sort of see where they are coming from. The umbrella they were describing was slightly different to the one pictured. The one pictured is slightly better. This brand tends to be more expensive than other brands and if I am being honest I don't think you get value for money here.

Next up is Victorian Maiden who usually offer very classic designs. I adore this ruffly umbrella. Unfortunately, you may end up paying around 22000 yen for an umbrella from their website. That is almost enough to buy an Angelic Pretty dress direct from their site. Ouch.

Innocent World do a lot of umbrellas which match the prints on their dresses. This is great for people who love to have an entire set of one print. Innocent world are also quite classic. The umbrella pictured features a beautiful rose print. The average Innocent World umbrella will set you back 5000 yen.

Finally, here is the latest umbrella from Baby the Stars Shine Bright. It features a cute birdcage design and has a more dome shape to it. The website claims this is for both rainy and sunny weather.

Here is a close-up of the print. I am currently going through a bird phase so I love anything with a birdcage on it. I love this umbrella but I would still probably choose the meta swan print. The average umbrella here costs 4000 yen.

Off-brands such as Bodyline also offer umbrellas. I have not included any because they were all quite basic designs. It is still worth having a look around. Hopefully I will be able to buy an umbrella before the rain gets too bad. Here in England, an umbrella is not an extra- it is a necessity.

An update on my brand purchasing- I have now paid for my meta skirt. Hopefully it will arrive quickly. Now that the stressful part is over, I am very excited!