Big sunglasses are back in style, and we couldn’t be happier. Since sunglasses protect more than our eyes—like the delicate skin that eventually forms crow’s feet—the larger the sunglasses,the better. Polarized lenses are more expensive and yes,you should go ahead and spend the extra money. They cut down on glare and improve sight. And, we’re sorry to report that discount-store sunglasses might actually cause more damage than not wearing any at all. If the UV coating on the sunglasses is low-quality and the lenses are very dark,your pupil dilates—it only knows that your environment appears to be darkened. This dilation means more UV rays directed towards the eye, without the necessary protection.Once you’ve narrowed the field to quality sunglasses, how do you know if the shape and style are really “you?” Keep these things in mind when shopping for your next pair:
- Look for eyewear in colors that mimic your best feature. If you have gorgeous dark hair, you can pull off a dark frame.
- The frame of your sunglasses should contrast your face shape. If your face is round, think angular frames.
- The size of the frame needs to be in scale with the size of your face. Oversized is in, but be reasonable.
- Your sunglasses should sit far back on the bridge of your nose, but should not touch your eyelashes or rest on your cheeks.
Four of the most prominent face shapes are: round, oval, heart, and square.
1Round
Elena has a round face-shape because the width and length of her face are proportionally similar. The black, Coach frames are a slight walnut shape (right), and the Coach aviators (left) have some soft angles that compliment and gently elongate her face.
2Oval
Oval faces are proportionally balanced, so an assortment of frame styles will work nicely. Dolly is sporting two similar sunglass styles here. The blue frames by Tiffany & Co (left). feature a slight cat-eye shape, as do the black Tory Burch frames (right). An oval-shaped face can pull off just about any frame style, but the slight angle on these is a subtle contrast to the soft oval of Dolly’s face.
3Heart
Mary has a heart-shaped face. These can be difficult to spot, as they are only slightly different than an oval face. A heart-shaped face narrows toward the jawline and usually features a dainty chin. These creamy, marbled Prada frames (left) give a distinctive brow line. The dark brown, Coach frames (right) have a very similar effect.
4Square
Shelley, with a beautifully strong and angled jaw, has a square-shaped face. Her black, Prada frames work well because of their soft lines and perfect proportion to her face. Think contrasting shapes here—the sharpness of the jaw is softened by the curves in the frame.The blue Tiffany & Co. aviators are also the right proportion for her face, and have softer angles than the blue aviators featured on Elena.
Brought to you by Access Eye Center
Sources: AllAboutVision.com; DailyMail.co.uk
Photography by Norm Shafer
