It’s time to find the perfect sunglasses for summer.
Personal Style
Before picking up sunglasses, take a moment to consider your personal style. Are you drawn to classic styles, modern minimalistic ones or bolder designs? Do you mix different ones too? Let's see where your style leans:
Classic: If you’re not into trends and prefer timeless pieces you’ll wear forever, then you might be drawn towards clean lines, black frames, tortoiseshell or brown tones.
Bolder: For the fashion-forward individual who loves experimenting with the latest trends, you'll want to look for unique shapes, vibrant colours or quirky embellishments.
Sporty: If you lead an active lifestyle or enjoy the great outdoors, opt for sporty sunglasses with durable frames, polarized lenses and a comfortable fit. Look for brands known for their performance features and athletic designs.
Retro: Vintage-inspired sunglasses evoke nostalgia and add that charm to your look. Whether you prefer the cat-eye frames of the 50s or the oversized styles of the 70s, retro sunglasses add that intrigue to your look.
Boho chic: This one is all about the details. You’re drawn to interesting pieces that are conversation-starters: hard to find embellishments that draw everyone into your orbit at parties or in an art gallery. Seek out those vintage-inspired details, earthy tones, butterfly lenses and natural materials like wood or bamboo. These sunglasses layer well with flowy dresses, fringe tops and other boho-chic ensembles.
Consider Customizing
For those seeking a truly unique pair of sunglasses, many brands offer customization options that allow you to design your own personalized eyewear. From choosing frame colours and finishes to selecting lens tints, customization options enable you to create sunglasses that reflect your needs, style and personal preferences. We’ll delve deeper on this a little later.
Exploring Trends and Style Influences
Trends play a significant role in shaping the sunglass offering, with new styles emerging each season to reflect evolving tastes and preferences. Keeping an eye on current trends can inspire you to experiment with different shapes, colours, and designs, which allow you to freshen up your eyewear collection. Recently, retro-inspired shapes like round, oval, and cat-eye frames have made a comeback, drawing inspiration from iconic styles of the past. Oversized frames with bold colours and exaggerated lenses from the hobo chic era are also making a comeback.
A new season means a new opportunity to experiment with your style and update different elements of your wardrobe. We’ll now delve into how other elements like face shape, lens tints and more can also factor into finding new frames.
Choosing the Right Shape
Once you've identified your personal style, consider your face shape when selecting sunglasses. We’ve covered this topic in more depth over here. Different frame shapes can enhance your features and harmonize your look. Here's a brief recap on how to choose the right shape for your face:
Round: Opt for angular frames like square or rectangular shapes to add definition and contrast to soft curves. If you want to emphasize your features, you can opt for round shapes too.
Square: Soften strong angles with curved or rounded frames such as aviators, round, or oval shapes. If you want to accentuate your natural features, opt for the geometric shapes.
Oval: Oval faces can pretty much wear whatever they please, so feel free to experiment or let your personal style and preferences dictate your choice.
Heart: Balance a broader forehead and narrow chin with cat-eye or aviator styles. If you want to accent them, you can try oversized frames (but make sure they aren’t too big or too loose).
Diamond: Complement cheekbones with oval or rimless frames. If you want to accentuate your cheekbones, try slight narrow frames (that can be worn comfortably) or overly bold styles that overpower delicate features.
Exploring Frame Materials
In addition to shape and style, the material of the frame plays a crucial role in both the aesthetics of your sunglasses and your final look. Here are some common frame materials to consider:
Acetate: Known for its versatility and rich color options, acetate frames offer durability and lightweight comfort. They are easily adjustable for a customized fit. They come in a variety of colours, patterns and finishes.
Metal: Metal frames, such as stainless steel, titanium, or aluminum, are sleek, lightweight, and often more flexible than acetate. If you’re going for a more minimalist effect, these are perfect if you’re drawn to clean lines and a classic look.
Mixed Materials: Some sunglasses feature a combination of materials, such as acetate and metal, which can provide versatility and interest to your final look.
Considering Lens Options
Here’s what’s different (and fun) about shopping for sunglasses: the lenses are tinted and offer different levels of glare reduction, so you get to choose that too. Beyond frame shape, it’s fun to customize your sun lenses and tins to suit your lifestyle and eyecare needs:
Polarized lenses: Ideal for reducing glare and enhancing clarity, polarized lenses are perfect for outdoor activities like driving, going to the beach, or skiing.
UV protection: Ensure your sunglasses offer 100% UV protection to shield your eyes from harmful UV rays and reduce the risk of eye damage.
Lens tint colour: Choose lens tints that complement your activities and environment. Darker tints like gray or brown are versatile options for everyday wear, while mirrored or more colourful lens hues can add that pop of personality.
Photochromic Lenses: For ultimate convenience, opt for photochromic lenses that automatically adjust to changing light conditions, providing optimal visibility indoors and outdoors.
Choosing the perfect pair of sunglasses is a personal and nuanced process that means thinking about different elements like personal style, face shape, lens features, frame materials, trends and more. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming! The best thing to do is try on different styles in-store and take photos. (It’s hard to see what you look like through a tinted lens!) By taking the time to explore these elements and understand how they align with your personal style, you’ll be able to narrow down the right pair or pairs for you.
In the meantime, you can start by browsing our latest sunglasses collection for SS24. Stop by one of our locations and take them for a spin. If you fall for a pair, you can take them to-go right away.
