The 21st century man has a lot of things expected from him by the society that at times it gets a bit confusing. As an African man the expectations span from social to personal expectations that you are expected to uphold. I was discussing with my friends a while back why is it that most Kenyan men nowadays during the rainy season will rarely carry their umbrellas around. The reason I was given was that umbrellas are not that “masculine” for a man to be seen carrying them, that they are unattractive and that if you are short it will be difficult to get by the streets. Just let me stop you right there. Now in this era we supposed to make a stand on our masculinity? Am a man, I don’t see the reason why I should stop doing the common sense thing that men have been doing just because I don’t want to seem less masculine. That response wowed me for sure.
Umbrellas are supposed to keep you dry, at least keep some certain bits of your body dry. That’s what they are meant to do and they are also a unique sex tool meaning that a man or woman can use it. Now my brothers out there who don’t want to use umbrellas let me ask you, would you prefer being wet or inconvenienced when it’s raining or would you just save yourself the trouble by carrying an umbrella?? If you wear glasses an umbrella is your best friend because rain tends to mess with your glasses and you can’t keep on wiping them all the time. I am one of the people who love the rainy season so much because they usually work to my advantage; except for the cars that splash dirty street water on me, one of this days I will start driving too bro. during the rainy season it’s among the times the ladies who don’t carry their own umbrellas see my gentleman side in full swing.
You see if during the rainy season am in the city center, and a lady is struggling or stranded because they didn’t carry an umbrella. Me being a gentleman, I will offer her mine at least we share the umbrella as I drop her to the stage where she can pick her bus. In such a scenario I will obviously get a thumbs up for helping first of all and secondly, I will get her number. No desperate pick-up lines used. Instead of the umbrella reducing my masculinity as my pals claimed it instead acted to my advantage and got me a cute lady’s number. I bet that’s something you didn’t consider uh! An umbrella might just be the ultimate wingman during the rainy season.
Picking the Right Umbrella
If you pick the right umbrella in terms of structure, height and color it will compliment your dress code during the rainy season. If you are rocking an elegant shirt, tie, jeans and a blazer and you carry an umbrella with so many flowery details that you look like a walking Japanese flower art you don’t deserve to be a called masculine leave alone smart. For guys the best umbrella is the plain dark colors or if it’s a bright color please let it not be pink, if you have a pink umbrella, am writing this article for you because you have been making some poor choices. A dark color umbrella no matter the structure or height will always work with what you are wearing. If you are wearing a suit with a trench coat and then you add an umbrella. You will look super dapper my friend. Especially if the umbrella is matching the color of your suit, you might just be the African James Bond because of the look.
Short people first of all I have to tell you to own your height. It’s your height and nobody can take it from you. But now my friend pointed it out and I came to understand his point. You see in Nairobi, when it rains the city center becomes crowded because of the people trying to rush to get their buses or get cover from the rain. A short man will be there with an umbrella struggling to get by the streets since their height isn’t that good for managing an umbrella and rushing at the same time. But u see that’s just it if you have your umbrella it doesn’t matter what happens, it’s not like you are the same height as a ten year old so you won’t be bumping to other people. You can still move so blaming your height for not carrying an umbrella is just ridiculous. If you are a midget yea, I would see your point but the rest of you don’t even go there.
So to finish off, umbrellas are good if done right. Remember when you are picking an umbrella dark colors are the right and only way for a guy.