Beauty+Style Editor

A Style Guide to Sunglasses

Looking pretty shady this summer!

-Lois Joy Johnson

If you think celebrities wear sunglasses to make a fashion statement, that’s only half of it. The real reason is (according to my refusing to be named inside source) “it’s so exhausting making constant eye contact with the fans and paparazzi intent on getting your attention and taking a picture.” The rest of us love the way sunglasses hide dark circles and puffiness (well at least I do!) while substituting for eye makeup. There used to be a whole set of rigid rules about frame shape and size and face shape and features that now sound pretty retro themselves. Huge oversize frames make everyone look and feel sexy but the extra coverage also helps protect the very thin, delicate eye area from future wrinkles and crinkles. You want the lenses to provide 100 % UV protection so skip sunglasses that are purely cosmetic with out built-in protection. And be extra cautious about polarized lenses that reduce glare, mirror-coated lenses, and photochromatic lenses unless they also say full UV protection. Darker lenses block more light so if you can see your eyes in a mirror they may be too light. Yellow and orangey lenses are fun but may make it hard to tell the difference at traffic lights.

Here are three of the newest trends for Summer 2009:

AVIATORS
If you have smaller features, aviators are perfect for you. Delicate and lightweight but still providing the size that looks new, size, they sit higher on the bridge of your nose. Just be sure they don’t extend beyond the sides of your face which looks buggy and ridiculous.

Old Navy Aviators with 100% UV protection and faux gem studded frames in black or gold ($9.50 oldnavy.gap.com)

Charlotte Russe gold aviators with buckle detail arms 100% UV protection ( $5.99 charlotterusse.com)

TIPS:

•    Take the bridge seriously – where its sits and how prominent it is can shorter or lengthen your nose, and if it’s too heavy can be uncomfortable to wear. If you’ve had a nose job, you do not want a heavy piece across your bridge!

•    Go for a color in frames and lens that work with your hair and skin but don’t match it.

•    Choose against face shape to sculpt and enhance. A round face shouldn’t choose round frames, a thin long face shouldn’t choose a narrow frame

BIG FRAMES WITH DROPPED TEMPLES
The arms sit lower on the frame instead of starting higher up at the top of the frame. They flatter anyone with a long nose or long face since they cut the length in profile.

Ann Taylor “Naples” tortoise rounded rectangles with 100% UV protection ($59 anntaylor.com)

Rampage Dropped Temple Oversized Rounded frames with 100 % UV protection ($24 rampage.com)

SMART GLASSES
Nerdy but cool black classics that have an urban intelligence kind of style.

Wayfarer II Sunglasses with black and clear frame and 100% UV protection ($139 bergdorfgoodman.com)

Wayfarer Black Sunglasses with Rainbow Stripe and 100% UV protection ($5.80 forever21.com)

Martin+Osa Ray-Ban Clubmaster sunglasses with 100% UV protection ($130 martinandosa.com)

Time to get your summer style on – jazz up your look (and keep the paparazzi at bay) with some celeb-worthy sunglasses!