Sunglasses, They Make You Look Great!

Sunglasses are without doubt one of the more useful fashion items that we wear on a regular basis. Not only do sunglasses shield our eyes from solar rays and protect from the glare of the sun, they also look great.

Sunglasses can be bought in a wide range of designs and looks, and are known by numerous different names. To name just a few: Speks, shades, sunnies, cheaters, Bonos and tints.

A pair of sunglasses can be bought for just a few dollars or for as much as hundreds of dollars. However, you should be able to find a high-quality pair of sunglasses for under $100.

Sunglasses are very popular for sports where there is protracted exposure to the sun, such as kite-surfing, going to the beach, or sailing. Before investing, you should be sure that the sunglasses protect you from ultra-violet (UV) light, which may cause possible eye problems such as snow blindness, cataracts and eye cancer.

For people who use standard eye glasses to help their vision, it is not uncommon to wear prescription sunglasses that provide all the benefits of a normal pair of spectacles and also help shield from the sun. Another popular solution to this dilemma is to have shaded lenses that flip down over the prescription lenses when needed.

Like many fashion items, sunglasses are available in a number of shapes and sizes. Here are examples of the most fashionable sunglass designs to be had on the high street:

Aviators – These have been popular since initially introduced by Ray-Ban in 1936 for military personnel. They consist of two teardrop lenses mounted in a thin metal frame.

Wrap-around – Wrap-around shades consist of one lens which covers both eyes and wraps around the side of the head. They offer very good protection from the sun and are especially popular among extreme sports enthusiasts.

Mirrorshades – This refers to the reflective finish on the lenses of many pairs of sunglasses. This can be used on any design of sunglasses, though it is especially popular on aviator and wrap-around styles.

Teashades – Think Liam Gallagher or Mick Jagger. Perhaps not so fashionable at present, these sunglasses, with two circular lenses set in a thin wire frame, were all the rage in the sixties and 1970s.

Wayfarers – Another classic style. Wayfarers were first designed by Ray-Ban in the 1950s. The lenses are slightly wider at the top than at the bottom and they have wide black plastic frames. Wayfarers were famously worn by film star James Dean.

As well as guarding the eyes from the sun and being popular as a fashion accessory, shades can also have other practical uses. They are at times used to hide the eyes to mask the signs of mourning, crying or to make eye contact difficult. Also, it is not uncommon to see people wearing sunglasses inside or at nighttime for that extra ‘cool factor’.