Sunglasses are a great accessory to have as part of your wardrobe. Today, the global sunglasses market is expected to reach £14.72 billion, owing to the growing popularity of the fashion product. Not only do they provide ample eye protection from bright sunlight, but they also boost your style points — provided you know how to wear them correctly. Consumer preference has also evolved to favour well-designed, quality shades to elevate outfits.
Sunglasses can bring instant symmetry to your face, increasing the perception of natural beauty. At the same time, polarised lenses help filter out light and provide UV protection for outdoor activities — fashionably. In this post, we’ll look at how you can best style your sunglasses:
Choose the right sunglasses for your face shape
One common problem in styling sunglasses is that some may look weird on your face, even though it looks great on someone else. This is because some frames and lens shapes are not meant for certain face shapes. So, which glasses suit your face shape? There are at least seven common shapes you’d need to consider. A good tip is to stand in front of a mirror with your hair out of your face, then draw an outline of your face on the mirror using lipstick.
Once you find your face shape, you can select sunglass frames and styles that better fit you and accentuate your features. For example, semi-rimless sunglasses can accentuate your eyes and soften your narrow jawline if you have a diamond-shaped face. If you have an oval face, you can try solid frames with large or oversized shapes for a stylish retro look.
Match your sunglasses to your clothes
Aside from matching your sunglasses to your face shape, matching them to your overall outfit and look is just as important. Different occasions will require other clothing and, subsequently, sunglass styles. For example, bright, tinted sunglasses can help you look street chic and provide UV protection if you’re headed to a beach party. However, if you’re in a more professional or elegant setting, such as a dinner party or the office, consider subtler sunglass styles with thin frames.
Similarly, if you’re headed to an underground rave, sporting alternative style sunglasses will help you blend in and elevate the rest of your rave ensemble. For events like Dr Martens’s 10 Years party, for example, you can maximise your look by wearing sunglasses with wackier and crazy lens shapes, with bright and eye-catching tint colours that scream self-expression and alternative styling.
Pick a sunglass design depending on your needs
Some sunglass designs are designed and built for specific purposes. The aviators are known to originate from a need to protect pilots from bright glares when flying, so it’s something to keep in mind if you’re headed somewhere sunny and open for the weekend. Rectangular frames, meanwhile, are suited for sportswear as they provide a broader focal view and offer your eyes sun protection from as many angles as possible.
If your newly bought stylish shades are making it hard for you to see while driving to a beach party, it’s probably best not to go with lens colours that are too dark for safety and convenience reasons. On the other hand, if your fashionable sunglasses don’t seem to filter out enough sunlight outdoors, you may want to switch them out for something more tinted.
Accessorise around your sunglasses
Finally, you can also accessorise your accessory. Instead of over-accessorising your look with too much jewellery and bling, you can get sunglasses chains that can add shine or colour to your sunglasses without being too much. Not only are sunglass chains fashionable, but they also give you an extra hand in ensuring you don’t misplace your sunglasses at a party.
Sunglass chains come in many shapes and forms, from fabric and coloured plastic to refined and elegant gold and silver. You can also find beaded chains that you can customise to highlight your self-expression. Like matching your sunglasses to your outfit, matching your sunglasses to your sunglass chains can help give your overall look a subtle and functional accent.
