It’s been raining for a week straight here in NYC, so we had to touch on rainwear.

Today’s tip: stop wasting money on shitty $10 plastic umbrellas that look cheesy, break after one use and end up forgotten at a restaurant or in the back of a cab.

Buying a quality stick umbrella will enhance your look, keep you dry, save you money in the long run and is much less likely to be left behind since it’s part of your outfit.

The right version can serve as a stylish accent to any rainy day outfit. Here’s an example.

1. Corporate Commute

A quality umbrella should keep up with your sharpest suits and add to your look, not remove from it.

Since rainwear is generally colorless and boring (black, grey, navy, etc) I went with this classic rep stripe fabric to shake things up and add some life to drab times.

The shaft and handle are carved from solid wood, which feels sturdy in the hand and ads a certain masculinity to the piece.

Size is important, especially on crowded city streets.

Too small – like those dainty plastic things with the short handle – and the umbrella can look feminine and not give you enough coverage.

Too large – like those oversized dual-level golf numbers – will make it difficult to maneuver around other umbrella carrying pedestrians.