A few years back a clear umbrella would've looked like something out of a Wes Anderson film, a bit quirky, a bit of a statement. These days you'll spot one on practically every rainy high street, and there's a reason for that beyond fashion. So which is it, are clear umbrellas a genuinely practical choice or have we all just been won over by how good they look in photos? Honestly, it's both, and here's why.
The Practical Case First
Start with the obvious one, visibility. A see through umbrella means you can actually see where you're going, which sounds like a small thing until you're weaving through a busy station platform or crossing a road under an ordinary canopy that's blocking half your view. Every clear umbrella in our range is fully waterproof and windproof too, so you're not sacrificing protection for the sake of being able to see your own feet, it does the job of a normal umbrella and then some.
Why They've Become So Popular
There's a genuine style side to this as well, and we won't pretend otherwise. A clear umbrella photographs beautifully, whether that's a couple caught under one on a rainy wedding day or just someone's Instagram story on a grim Tuesday commute. Our Susino Clear Dome Umbrella, available in white or black trim, has that deeper curved dome shape that looks properly elegant rather than purely functional, and a coloured stripe running through the canopy, in white, blue, pink or black, adds a bit of personality without losing that see through effect that makes the whole thing work in the first place.
Not Just For Weddings
Clear umbrellas get talked about a lot in a wedding context, and fair enough, they're one of our most requested styles for exactly that reason. But don't assume that's all they're good for. A clear umbrella earns its keep just as much on an ordinary rainy day, dog walks where you want to keep an eye on where you're going, the school run when you're herding kids across a car park, or just a normal commute where visibility matters more than looking dressed up. If you've got little ones, our Bugzz range brings the same clear canopy idea to a proper kids umbrella, with prints like sharks, dinosaurs, monkeys, frogs, pirates and butterflies so they're actually excited to carry it rather than leaving it behind at the school gates. A kids umbrella with a see through canopy has the same visibility benefit as the adult version too, which matters even more when it's a child trying to navigate a busy pavement or a packed car park.
You Don't Have To Pay A Fortune For One
Here's the bit that surprises people. A clear umbrella has a bit of a reputation for being the trendy, slightly pricier option, but that's not really the case with us. We stock a genuinely cheap umbrella option in this style too, so trying one out doesn't mean committing to a big spend on something you're not sure will earn its place in the hallway. Add free UK delivery on orders over £40, and it's a fairly low risk way to find out if the see through look suits your daily routine.
So, practical or stylish? We'd say it's a bit of a false choice. A clear umbrella happens to be one of those rare things that does both jobs properly, keeps you dry, keeps you visible, and looks good doing it. Given the option between that and a plain black brolly doing exactly the same job with none of the extra points, we know which one we'd reach for on the way out the door.
By Emma Barber
