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Sunglasses

Nothing lends an air of mystery and classy haute couture to a face like sunglasses. Whether you’re walking the red carpet, hanging out in a pub, or actually trying to reduce glare from the sun, the right sunglasses will give you the appearance of debonair stylishness.

The best selling sunglasses of all time, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, are Ray-Bans (you may remember Ray-Ban Wayfarers being famously sported by Tom Cruise in the movie Top Gun). Ray-Bans sold ten million units of sunglasses internationally in 1998. However, today the trend is towards more expensive, designer lenses. Most fashion designers issue their own lines of sunglasses. In Hollywood there are professional “sunglass stylists” who are hired by celebrities to outfit them with the perfect shades. The stylist selects the most flattering lenses for the shape of one’s face. The art is not cheap. Sunglasses by Dior and other famous designers can cost thousands of pounds.

In addition to designer, fashion sunglasses there are sports glasses. These often come in the form of wrap around, heavy-duty shades. They give the wearer an athletic appearance, even if he or she does not play sports. Think of snowboarding/skiing shaded goggles or thick, sports-biking sunglasses. These more sturdy shades protect one’s eyes not only from the sun but also from grit, dirt, water, or snow that will inevitably assault the face during sporting activities. Mirror sunglasses are always coming in and out of style. These sunglasses give the wearer an even stronger sense of mystery than a regular pair. They disallow all direct eye contact because all one can see when looking into mirrored sunglasses is oneself. These glasses typically scratch easily however and may be better suited for cops or poker players (who try not to give any emotion away) than for consumers. They are also ideal for snow sports because they reduce glare more than any other shades.

Sunglasses can come in a variety of tints, not just shades of black and grey. Although grey lenses yield the most accurate perception of surrounding colors, consumers can also find sunglasses in pastel blues and pinks as well as reds and yellows. These shades are usually for cosmetic purposes only. When purchasing tinted lenses, make sure that they are going to protect your eyes from harmful UVB and UVC rays. Green lenses are popular in aviator sunglasses because they increase clarity and provide a barrier against harmful blue light. Brown lenses also serve this blue light-blocking purpose.

Sunglasses will continue to serve practical as well as cosmetic purposes on the eyes of the rich and famous as well as on the regular Joe’s. The current trend in fashion sunglasses has been towards bigger lenses as well as better adorned frames. Frames studded with rhinestones or designer names are flying off the rack. It is ironic that something that is supposed to guard you from overexposure and make you less approachable is now going to gaudy extremes: but the trend will not last for much longer. Back to archive