The LiquidLegends Lounge - Page 173

This one is cisnormativity, specifically. Also, I'm also a big fan of them (I'm a farmer, so I work out in the sun and am vulnerable / constantly in a state of sun-induced heat sickness, so I avoid the sun at all costs during my time off). A parasol/ombrelle makes a great accessory for more outfits then you'd think! Most of the mens outfits I'm seeing with google searches are either in multi-layered clothing (suits, yukata, jinbei (which are probably too hot for you given your heat issues)), or white people with wagasa out of context, so not the best inspiration. If you come to the queer side of life your options open up a bit. Here is my advice:

A basic black, gray, or beige one sets up a sort of background for the rest of your attire (It's not just portable shade, it's portable wallpaper). Unless you're rocking your layers then you should probably stick with a simple contrasting colour scheme (Ex: Beige parasol + gray-ish shirt; black parasol + white or light blue shirt). Something formal-ish is the way to go, I'd say like a Uniqlo-quality imitation dress shirt is the minimum. Any pattern would be fine as long as it's not like floral / aloha / some-band-you-like level of casual wear. If you go this route you should probs find a cheap basic one that matches well with clothes / styles you already own / wear.

I don't know what your general style is like, so beyond this is gets kind of tricky. A general colour trick is that wearing a light jacket over a dark top makes your frame seem narrower. A parasol is kind of like an inverse jacket, so if you go like a light coloured top with a black background umbrella it'll make your frame (mostly shoulders) seem narrower, or vice-versa. Having a contrasting monotone background makes various patterns shape you differently, so I actually think parasols are a great fashion thing for larger people (fat or broad-shouldered or whatever else).

Any kind of pattern, or a more colourful monotone, is now a highlight piece rather than a backdrop and you'd have to treat it differently. Advice here is hard to give because it really depends on the pattern. If you want to stay masculine with it then a simple pattern (a stripe, checkers, duotone rings, etc. - one of the colours should match something in your outfit) or monotone dark blue/red/green work best imo unless you're aiming for a specific style (scene, for example), then like studded or something weird could work. Generalized male fashion advice is that larger accessories are more flattering than small accessories, but a parasol is probably a little too big for this rule unless you increase your size with layers, or like a folded jacket over one arm, or a suitcase, or a messenger bag, etc. Or you could try to find a kid's size one if the heat makes you too hesitant to bulk up. Basically, I think this look should work fine for men and you should do it.