Parasols: Vital or Frivolous?

For the particularly curious, here is BBC's history of parasols.

Parasols are an impressive upgrade to any lolita coordinate. They could be considered an elaborate sister accessory to sunglasses in mainstream fashion―both in terms of usefulness and visual touch. While they are not necessary to complete a coordinate, they enforce the lolita aesthetic while protecting the user from the sun and rain. You can also use parasols to smite your muggle enemies and participate in lolita duels.

Most brand parasols are made out of umbrella fabric, although they (and by they I mostly mean Victorian Maiden) still occasionally release chiffon and pure lace parasols. Brands also occasionally release clear umbrellas which are useless for blocking the sun, but adorable for resisting the rain. The following collage is an excuse to post my parasol/umbrella wishlist along with two examples of the parasol's effect on a coordinate.

Top right picture sourced here, and bottom right here.

If I didn't already stick out so badly at my college, I would happily carry a parasol with me everywhere I went. Instead, I carry mine back and forth from my house to my car, where it sits folded most of the time. That brings up an interesting question: when do you find it appropriate to use such a conspicuous accessory? Would you only use yours for meets and rainy days? Do you carry a spare in your car? Let me know!