Not That an Umbrella Will Protect You From Hurricane Irene, But Here Are 11 Cute Ones We Like Anyway

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If you live anywhere on the East Coast and are contemplating an umbrella purchase in preparation for this weekend's imminent Hurricane Irene doom—not that an umbrella will do anything to fend off those tropical storm/gale force winds—here are 11 cute umbrellas that are in store now.

* In case you are worried about more practical matters, like the possibility of having to evacuate, here is a list of items FEMA recommends including in a basic emergency supply kit. The Red Cross also sells emergency preparedness kits. Or you can pack your own, using these Go Bag guidelines—the page is loading super-slowly today, but basically it advises you to pack important documents, credit and ATM cards, $50 to $100 cash in small bills, bottled water, non-perishable food, flashlight, batteries, AM/FM radio, medication, first-aid stuff, and childcare supplies in a waterproof bag.

1. Ethnic print umbrella, $45 at Mango: We're not sure about the ethnic-ness of this print, but it looks like a giant paisley to us—a giant multi-colored paisley that will definitely stand out against a sea of black umbrellas.

2. Marimekko "Papajo" umbrella, $49 at Crate & Barrel: This automatic umbrella (auto open and close—we hate when umbrellas only auto-go one way #firstworldproblems) is covered in one of Marimekko's iconic 1960s prints, designed by Annika Rimala.

3. Elliott Lucca "Artist Circle" umbrella, $24 at The Sak: Made of 50% recycled materials (recycled nylon), this super-pretty scarf-print-y umbrella packs into a tiny handbag-like carrying case. So chic!

4. Awning stripe folding umbrella, $130 at Barneys New York: This gorgeous, classic awning-striped umbrella from Barneys comes in four colorways—Yellow and Khaki, Navy and Ivory, Green and Aqua, and Red and Khaki—each finished with a dark maple handle.

5. Apricot contrast frill crook umbrella, $30 at Topshop: Dainty, pocketbook-sized, super-frilly, and complete with a curved handle, we adore the no-holds-barred old-fashioned feminine cuteness of this Topshop umbrella.

6. Raining Dogs & Dogs umbrella, $39.99 at Modcloth: It's a pink umbrella with photos of a Corgi and a Poodle on it. They're friends! It's raining! How much cuter can this umbrella get.

7. Marc by Marc Jacobs Miss Marc mini umbrella, $58 at Zappos Couture: Besides sporting a totally cute cartoon of Marc by Marc's queen bee Miss Marc on it, this umbrella is also: "Decorated with mildly disturbing sketches of zombie mice that are hungry for your brain." Well, then, can't beat that with a stick.

8. Burberry check quilted walking umbrella, $250 at Bloomingdale's: We're not usually ones for big displays of plaid logos, but we love Burberry red, generously sized "walking" umbrellas, and that perfect, curved red wood handle.

9. Fulton starprint cage umbrella, $27 at MyLabel: We've never owned a clear umbrella in our lives, but we might just start with this one—it's covered in stars and is built with an extra strong aluminum and fiberglass frame.

10. Sadly, this Irregular Choice umbrella has just sold out right before publication, but if you're in the market for a bright yellow umbrella, check out this "Prepared for Precipitation" wildflower print umbrella from Modcloth instead.

11. Prepared for Precipitation green umbrella, $29.99 at Modcloth: We're super-fans of Modcloth's selection of whimsical umbrella designs, and love the understated but bold kelly greenness of this umbrella.
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