Cheryl Shops

Website of the week
The ol' saying might be "April showers bring May flowers," but I've always found that it tends to rain more in May. Since that month is swiftly approaching and I accidentally left my umbrella in Grandma Bea's apartment last weekend, I'm in the market for a new one. Now, I'm always tempted to buy a nice umbrella from, say, Lulu Guinness or Burberry, but I always end up with a $3 street umbrella or, if I feel like a splurge, a $5 job from Duane Reade. I also go through approximately four a year, so maybe investing in a nice umbrella would be worth it. Tray6 has a small but focused selection: five colors, four styles (not all styles come in all colors, however), and all are $48. Yes, that's a bit more than my usual $3 street umbrella, but these puppies feature fiberglass rib frames with strong wind resistance, a black rubber-coated ergonomic handle, and a durable auto-open mechanism. When opened, the umbrella is a hair-protecting 40 inches in diameter, and although the 32" height won't fit in your purse, the styles are so cute, you'll look totally chic carrying it around. The site is flash, so I can't link directly to any style, but my favorite is the garden print, in spring-friendly green. Shipping is $8 and items arrive in 4-10 days--so if you order now, your chic new umbrella will be here just in time for those May showers.