I've only seen parasols being used in movies, cartoons and other artistic media, but extremely rarely in real life. Somehow it feels like I would look ridiculous with one in hand walking around the town while the sun is scorching. But I'm willing to ignore the supposedly negative public reaction (I'm unsure, because I've never seen anybody talk about how they perceive people carrying parasols during sunny days) if it means I'm gonna have a much easier time under the sun's heat.
With embarrassment out of the way, what kind of parasol is the best for carrying in the somewhat busy city streets (to avoid discomforting others) and parks where there's plenty of space around you? What color? Knowing that white reflects the heat and the light, and black absorbs them, which color would be optimal? Are there parasols with aluminium or plastic foil plating to increase the reflective effect? Or can I just use a regular umbrella instead of finding a true parasol? Are parasols even effective against the heat and UV rays?
In short, how do I attain the ultimate parasol experience?