Mar

23

Timeless Fashion

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Some fashion trends come and go, while others remain relatively timeless. The man’s tie, for example, has stayed popular for several generations longer than most male clothing trends. True, its gone from thin to fat, long to short and back again, but the essential element of the tie remains. For men, also, Ray Bans continue to carry the same weight and appeal that they did when they hit the market post World War II.

Women’s fashion isn’t as timeless, and is much more fluid and constantly changing. Nevertheless, there are a few females fashion trends that have lingered. The soft, slipper-style shoe remains popular, and has been since the 1920s, though with mild variations. Tom Fords, for women, were popular when they first hit the market and continue to be a favorite for female celebrities and fashion fans everywhere.

Where some clothing and accessories stay popular, some come and go in a cyclical manner. Bell bottoms were hot in the 1960s and returned again in the 1990s. You can bet that there will be another resurgence of bell bottom jeans in coming years. The same can be said of eyewear. The circle lenses popular during the war era are returning full force early 2000s and will probably make a reappearance in another thirty years.

This cyclical nature means that you can find fashionable items that are hot now in your grandma’s basement, and if you keep some of your most fashionable items and accessories of today your grandkids will be saying “oh Grammy you were so cool!” when you allow them to rummage in your old gear in future years.

Mar

20

Iconic Eyewear

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High fashion isn’t without its faults. But some of the worst (and best) looks have been extremely iconic. Try to picture Elton John without his crazy sunglasses, or Bono without his amber tinted shades, or Lady Gaga without her silly Tom Fords or Oliver Peoples shades. It’s nearly impossible. In fact, what would Risky Business have been without Wayfarers, or Top Gun for that matter.

Iconic eyewear are, by their very nature, a branch off of the normal, more
popular mass-appeal sunglasses. Like the girl in the image here, the flare-up sunglasses of the 1980s were extremely popular for a short period of time. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone sporting these now (in sane circles) but that doesn’t mean they aren’t without their certain charms.

Colors, like the icons who make them popular, come and go. Bono’s pink shades are hot right now, and as long as Bono is hot. But once that fades the color will change. In the 1920s neon green tinted sunglasses were all the rage. And in the 1960s purple was hot. Certainly most men now wouldn’t wear neon green or purple, but the red and pink remain hot into the 21st century.

And like colors and icons, shapes also have power and appeal during certain periods. Harsh, angular shapes were hot in the ‘80s but soft, circular shapes have been the range since the late 1990s. Keep in mind that if you want to be a trend setter you’ll have to move on from the shapes, colors and styles of your generation and attempt to get in on the next fad even before it becomes big!

Mar

15

Finding your ideal color palate

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Everyone has an ideal color; one color that is really their best possible match. For everyone the color isn’t easy to diagnose.In fact, not all blondes with pale skin and blues eyes look best in pastels.But some really do.There are some tried and true ways to tell if the black Prada sunglasses will make you look fashionable, or like a zombie. Or if the hot red Wayfarers will look chic,or spoiled on you.

First,check out the basics of astetics and color. The way the color wheel works is fairly simple. Opposing colors look smashing together. Blue is across from orange. Another way to do it is to look at colors that form a Y shape. Blue goes well with both yellow and red. These are the basics of the color wheel. What this means for you is that green-eyes women are more likely to look good in orange and deep reds than say yellows or blues. Likewise, blue eyes look good in yellow and red. This is one easy way to do eye makeup as well. But choosing your “it” color isn’t based solely on eye color. You have to factor in hair and skin tone as well to refine your search for your ideal color. A blue eyes girl with dark brown hair and pale skin is likely to look best in red. The reason being pale skin already absorbs the “yellow” aspect of the Y shape on the color wheel, leaving red as the only missing color for a harmonious color palate. You can play the same game on the wheel with any eye and skin color, or eye and hair color.

Mar

8

Sunglasses for Kids

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There is nothing you cherish more than your kids, so why do you ever let them leave the house in clothing that isn’t protecting them or without sunglasses? Cancer is one of the biggest killers of adults, but getting your kids into healthy habits as early as possible can mitigate lifelong risk.

First, when your kid is young- a baby even- start making him or her wear a hat whenever outside. If they’ve always done it they won’t question it. Likewise, if you start kids on sunglasses early they won’t seem as awkward and confusing when they get to elementary school age.

Getting sunglasses your kids will love will mean they will take care of them longer and will be less likely to misplace them. If your kid loves Spiderman, get him or her Spiderman glasses. If she loves pink, get her a gorgeous pair of frilly pink lenses. It isn’t hard to find items your kid will adore, and usually kid’s fashion is significantly less than adult fashion. They aren’t asking for Prada after all.

Kids are like sponges, they watch us and absorb what we say and do. If we wear a hat and sunglasses whenever we go outside they will see this and do likewise. Setting a good example and making sure your kids have the tools to follow suit is important. From sunscreen to sunglasses to hats and beyond, it’s monkey see-monkey do.

Importantly, check that all sunglasses, lotions and hats have full, 100% UV protection. Some cheap, gas station sunnies for kids are just dark plastic and meant for fun and not serious protection. Especially for young eyes 100% protection is essential.

Feb

29

Feminine Friendly Frames

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Women love their accessories. More than men, more than even kids, women appreciate the art of finalizing every look with a bit of bling and flare. Designer sunglasses like Versace or Dior are one way to add more fashion to your look, directly on your face where your friends and acquaintances will look first. Necklaces, earrings and makeup are equally important, but only eyeglasses and sunglasses dominate the face and can either make or break a look.

It’s important to find frames that fit your look and style, but also fit your face. They need to bring out your cheekbones, enhance your lips and hair line. Many women overlook how to fit sunglasses to their face and end up copying fashions that they can’t pull off. If you have a round face than square shades aren’t for you. Feminine fashion is about finding the look that works for you, without compromising your womanly look.

Some of the best brands for feminine frames include Dior, with their frilly temple bars, gradient tinting and feminine colors. You can even find purple and pink frames and tinting. Dior is one of the few brands that works for many face shapes rather than designed for just one look, and they come in so many different styles and shapes that you’re bound to find something that works for you.

Prada, on the other hand, are not designed for all faces and looks. They are more professional and thus manufactured in darker colors and designed for a more streamlined look or thinner face. Prada have never looked great on round face types.

Feb

26

Sexy, Sophisticated Men’s Eyewear

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You don’t have to dress like a male supermodel to be a sexy, sophisticated man. But you can always take a few key tips form the runways for the year’s coming fashions. Astute men will instinctively know how to adopt and adapt the latest designer looks for everyday use. For the rest of you, here’s a simple guide.

The image (right) shows three men who are currently in fashion (in the high-end manner that fashion in understood). It’s okay to think they look ridiculous, or like a Ken or PeeWee Hermon doll. They do. But the key is picking up bits and bobs and making them work for your look. First, notice the fitted jacket in coloring indicative of the ‘60s. This is chic and hot. It reminds one of the days when all men wore suits, even at home. You can find a fitted suit in one of these traditional colors quite easily, without shopping at a Prada outlet.

Next we notice the high-water pants. This isn’t a look we’d recommend adopting. However, it does indicate that bell bottom, flare and boot-cut jeans may be edging out of style. Thus, when you buy your bottom halves for the next few months keep a leaner leg. You don’t need to go ridiculously tight, or even short, but the point is to stay away from too much girth at the ankle. 

Finally, accessories are in for the sophisticated man. Look at the man bags in these pictures, they are pretty cool, even for a masculine dude. And sometimes you do need to transport your gear, what better way than a raw canvas bag? It looks like something Bond would carry and it’s perfectly acceptable for a man who has to move a lot of stuff. Sunglasses are also hot, and with a return to older, established looks fashion in eyewear will be easy. Police sunglasses, Carrera and even Serengeti will all tie your new look together and add that final touch of class to any outfit.

Jan

3

Crazy Sunglasses Designs this Winter

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Designers around the globe are being affected by S.A.D (seasonal affective disorder). They are cooped up in their drafting rooms and design centers scribbling insane drawings of cartoon faces with even more cartoon sunglasses. Take, for instance, the Prada SPR-27NS sunglasses (image left) as seen on Ashley Olsen. If this isn’t the result of winter insanity we’re not sure what is. This design would be more suited for Cruella Deville than for a pretty girl like Ashley. She looks like a character right out of a Disney cartoon, the wicked, rich step sister in Cinderella or the daughter of the boss in The Devil Wears Prada. Either way, the design isn’t fit for public consumption. Perhaps a lifetime on the silver screen makes it harder for stars to remember which world is reality, and which world it’s okay to dress up like a cartoon in.


But Ashley Olsen isn’t alone. Lady Gaga is going ever more strange with her eyewear. That’s nothing new, of course, but what is unique is that she is able to find crazy designs on the market to suit her insane persona. These sunglasses are for sale to the general public, making me wonder if the designers were mad when the sent these models to the factory for manufacture. Check out these Dejour sunglasses (image right) or the even sillier Sunetttes sunglasses Lady Gaga wore in public recently that made her look like a giant beetle.
We’re not sure what happened to the designers of these otherwise able and popular brands, but we’re hoping that when the snow thaws they regain their senses and return to producing eyewear the mass public can wear without looking too foolish.

Oct

28

Matching your eyewear and hair

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One of the most talented achievements in fashion is to find simplicity beautiful, and then to find a way to make your own fashionable look come across as natural and effortless. This is something that can take a lifetime to achieve. Many celebrities have teams of people working to make them look naturally beautiful. Prada or Dior, Versace or Tom Fords, there are whole groups debating what will look best before someone like Angelina Jolie steps out on the red carpet or out for a film debut. Julia Roberts is one of the few celebrities who can pull is off consistently, and always look fresh and unique.

Matching your hair to your sunglasses is extremely important. Yes, your skin color plays a huge part, but basically if you look good in a color normally it will likely look good in sunglasses form. Still, matching the sunglasses to your hair is harder. You don’t want to wear oversized sunglasses with a hairdo that reveals how big the frames are. It will make you look like a kid playing dress up.

The girl in the image here should not have her hair pulled back on one side, it reveals that the frames are too big for her head, giving the appearance of someone who is dressing up. And in fact she doesn’t look natural in the white jacket, either. But, the first shred of doubt emerges when you see the oversized shades. That’s how important it is to get the frames right and to match them to your hair. If she had but left her hair down on both sides she’d look more natural.

Oct

25

Women’s versus men’s sunglasses

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As with all things in the fashion world, different looks work for men than for women, and in fact there are very few brands that can carry both genders beautifully. Ray Bans happen to be one of the few brands to bridge the gap nicely. Tom Fords do likewise, but have specific models for men and for women, so it is slightly different. Still, knowing which brands work for your gender is essential to having a complete wardrobe.

For men, Police sunglasses, Serengeti, Carrera and even Tom Fords are great brands for masculine, fun and sporty dudes. For ladies, most of these brands are too bulky and have the result that they make women’s faces look childish, and the glasses too bulky to be sexy. Femininity is about understated beauty to bring out a natural glow. This can’t be achieved when a beautiful woman is wearing men’s sunglasses.

Most men wouldn’t pick up women’s frames anyways, but every once in a while you get someone who looks good in pink who is happy to wear women’s Dior frames to add a bit of color to their tennis getup. This is a great way to get attention, but it has very little to do with fashion.

So, buy glasses for your gender. They will fit better, look better and be proportional to your shape. Women’s frames are also a bit more colorful, fragile and womanly than men’s and thus add a bit of sex appeal. Meanwhile, the designs made for men add masculinity and sex appeal of an entirely different variety. Yes, they protect you from the sun, but making you look cool is the backup job of sunglasses.

Oct

18

Red, the color of love, rage and fashion

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It’s hard to imagine a world without red. Red Jimmy Choo, red Prada, a cycling community without red cycling pants and Nike shades. Red is defiantly the color of passion, rage and love … and most importantly, of high fashion.

Colors mean different things to different people. But whenever you think of high fashion you think of red. There is not only a shortage of red in the world aside from fashion and passion, but you’ll find it difficult to dress in higher fashion without the color red. Isn’t that what mot guards wear? Isn’t it what armies wear to signal their excellence? There is no doubt that red is the single most emotional color in the spectrum.

Some of the best brands for red include Prada, Jimmy Choo, Alexander McQueen, Ed Hardy and Dior. Any of these brands will have lush, passionate red designs that will impress your friends, and look snazzy with any wardrobe. For sports wear, Nike does it unparalleled in terms of bright red hues and simple, clean lines. For simple designs that really pop, this is the brand to go for sporty looks. You’ll find nothing compares to a simple pair of Nike shades, and they have eyeglasses, too. You can stay sporty year round.

Wearing red can signal a lot of things, but one thing it means for sure is confidence. Slip into something red and your eyes pop, your confidence boosts and people see a slight tilt in the chin. Perhaps that is why it’s the color of fashion.

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