Purchasing designer eyewear shouldn’t be something you do on a whim while at the mall with friends. There is a huge difference, for example, between buying a pair of decent Old Navy sunglasses while you are out looking for a fresh new wardrobe, and spending quality time investigating the perfect sunglasses look for your natural features. Dior, Prada and Versace are well known and respected brands for a reason, they make high-quality products that are lasting in their style, durability and charm. Any real fashion fan knows that mid-level brand eyewear only serves to make you look like a poser.

Rather than picking up a cheap pair of sunglasses next time you happen to be at Sears or Hot Topic, keep in mind that your face is the most important asset you have. You want to make it look as good as possible, enhancing your natural features and complimenting your beauty with style rather than masking your face in fads. A real fashion star is aware of the subtle differences and can distinguish which looks are gaudy and which are godly.

Your first move should be to read some of our past blogs on how to find the perfect sunglasses to match your face. This encompasses how to math your skin and hair tones to your glasses, as well as how to find a style to fit your shape. You’ll also want to spend some time flipping through magazines or online to see what styles you are drawn to. Keep in mind that even if you love a look it might not be right for you, but its good to have an idea of what you really would love. Now, compile them all together and you’ll be able to spend your money once on a designer pair of sunglasses that will make you look like a star.

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Brand Name, But Not Designer

Waking up early isn’t a fun task for most of us, but for those of us with poor eyesight it can be even more of a chore. If you wear glasses, you spend several minutes getting your make up perfect only to mess up the overall look by slipping into your glasses. If you wear contacts, you spend the first few minutes putting them in and then wiping the residue solution off your cheeks. With a busy day ahead, the last thing you want on your mind is how you’ll be dealing with your shoddy vision that day. Here are some quick tips to helping you ease into the work day in style, without taking time out of our routine.

First, soak your glasses in water and soap over night at least once a month. This removes built up oil and grime and makes them easy to clean throughout the month. You’ll also want to carry solution and a cloth with you so you can easily and quickly return to your day should get a smear on your lenses. I have a small lens cleaning kit in my purse (it came free with my eyeglasses when I ordered from Smart Buy Glasses) and it also has a handy tool attached for tightening the tiny screws. If anything should happen to my lenses while I’m at work I have the tools to fix them and carry on.

Some days, however, I just don’t feel like wearing glasses so I pop in my contacts. Since I have dry eyes, I wear ClearVision contact lenses, which help keep my eyes moist. Even so, I carry a small vile of solution to keep my eyes watery throughout the day, a hard task since looking at a computer screen for hours on end ccan be daunting to eye health.

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Eyewear Solutions for the Working Woman

Prada’s latest designer line for a younger crowd is more affordable, more risky and catering a little more towards the future Paris Hiltons of America. So, should MiuMiu be rewarded for filling this niche market with their quasi-designer sunglasses or should young women everywhere avoid the MiuMiu mantra and simply buy the real deal (Prada) or else another brand all together?

When Dolce and Gabbana launched D&G for youths, the market received the new line well. D&G is still going well, but to a certain degree it lowers the overall prestige of the Dolce and Gabbana name. To what extent could Prada actually suffer for launching a lower prestige brand? These questions must have been on the lips of everyone on the board at Prada, and to many in the fashion world it seemed a strange time for Prada to attempt a minor duplicate company.

Are MiuMiu sunglasses even that different than Prada’s already existing line? Is the point simply that Prada sunglasses are unaffordable because of the brand recognition and prestige so Prada decided to corner more of the market by offering essentially the same thing at a lower price—thus reaching younger people (a key demographic in the fashion world, to be sure). If so, then MiuMiu sunglasses are a great buy. You get the same designs but under a different, less well known, name. This makes me wonder if simply adoring anything produced by a single design house isn’t foolish. The value of Prada is only important so long as people pay more for them simply because it is generally agreed that they are important. Miumiu sunglasses offer an identical product under a different name that is not yet deemed important by the market. Indeed the mix of fashion and brand valuations has always been intensely interesting, and Prada’s method of having the cake and eating it too is somewhat admirable.

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MiuMiu – Risky or Bland?

Summer sunshine can make all the difference after a long and wet spring. But once the sun appears don’t take it for granted or wildly jump right in to absorb as many rays as possible before the sun sets. First, grab the perfect pair of summer sunglasses, like a wide lens Prada for women or a beautiful and simple Police design for men. Then you’ll need to lather on the sunscreen, grab a wide-brim hat and a soft towel and head to where the sun is shining.

Some of the best ways for picking summer sunglasses are as follows. First, consider what you want to be doing outside this summer. For active folks, you’ll want a pair of sunglasses that offer extreme protection, comfort, and a few performance-enhancing attributes like anti scratch coatings or anti-glare coatings. If you’ll be lounging by the pool then a wide lens might be more comfortable for reading. Larger lenses, like the famous Jackie-O style sunglasses made popular by Prada, make it easy to read without going blind by the reflection of the sun off the white pages, and also look around without having to move your sunglasses on and off. For casual wear to and from the indoors you might consider a nice Serengeti sunglasses, which look great, are high quality and also unassuming.

Whatever your desired use, first consider what you’ll need and then look for a design that you like the look of. You may love the look of a certain type of glasses, but unless they function well for you then you’ll never enjoy them.

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Pool Party Sunglasses

Many men find it awkward to be too well put together. They fear having people consider them vain or feminine. A well groomed man is one that makes other men feel uncomfortable. But there are still ways to dress well without looking overly preened. Designer sunglasses are the perfect way to give yourself a huge step up in the eyes of women (fashion speaking) without making your male peers mock you. One of the best and most female-pleasing of designs are by Police, whose masculine sunglasses are both highly fashionable without being feminine, and of extremely good quality making them a great investment.

But, men can get away with lots of other eyewear fashions as well. In Europe and Asia, men are more likely to take fashion steps than American men. You’ll often see a man in brightly-colored, oddly-shaped glasses. Italy, especially, has large swarms of men in designer eyeglasses that their American counterparts would not be caught dead wearing. American men need to find a way to be fashionable without appearing feminine. In addition to Police, Nike makes some great athletic sunglasses that are versatile and useful. When in doubt, sporty sunglasses are a good way to go to keep a masculine edge.

For casual wear, Serengeti make some of the best sunglasses. The Serengeti look is especially great for people with laid back personalities. These brown and bronze shades give you a pricewise and exact image as a sort of James Bond character. Even with a suit and tie, Serengeti sunglasses look at home.

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Men and Designer Sunglasses

Summer is in full swing, and with the heat comes a desire to feel more healthy. For those of you inspired by the form-fitted fashions of summer, there is no better time to start a healthy lifestyle then right now. From healthier and hotter sunglasses like those by Carrera, to sunscreens, healthy foods and vitamins- now is the time to turn around an unhealthy life into one that is more rewarding.

1) Protecting your body is one of the most important parts of a healthy lifestyle. When you go outside, whether it be in summer, winter or in between, you should always have on sunglasses. To achieve this, you’ll have to develop a healthy routine that includes carrying sunglasses with you everywhere. Making your sunglasses a fashionable item you love only makes the task much easier. You can also wear a hat and scarf when outdoors to keep the sun off your head and chest. Additionally, sunscreen is more important than many people realize. Skin cancer rates are skyrocketing, and it could easily be avoided with a little cream.

2) What you put into your body is as important as what you put on it. Eating healthy is no easy feat, especially in this day and age of fast food and microwave meals. But a few fresh veggies can go a long way in making your skin clearer, give you more energy and make your hair shiner and stronger. In the long run, if you beauty and appearance are important to you, it’s what people don’t see that is important—aka- the foods you eat.

3) Avoiding plastics whenever possible is a great way to take your healthy lifestyle to a new level. Microwaving anything in plastic releases some of the substance into your food. You are essentially eating plastic. Since you know it isn’t biodegradable you probably shouldn’t eat it. Only microwave on hard dishware.

There you have it, a healthy lifestyle includes protecting your skin and eyes with sunscreen and sunglasses. Great brands for full sin protection are Carerra and Prada, whose larger frames and darker lenses give optimal protection. Eat healthy, quit smoking. Avoid plastics and learn a bit about herbs and you are on the road to a healthier and happier you!

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Five Steps to a Healthier Lifestyle

Former American Idol hostess, Paula Abdul, had an eyewear wardrobe that would rival Paris Hilton’s shoe collection. From Gucci, to Prada, to Valentio, she has displayed quite the collection. In several episodes of the famed show (before Paula was so rudely replaced, that is) our singer/judge was seen in dark sunglasses, somewhat hunched over the judge’s table. Many people claimed this was a result of her drinking and partying habits, and she was thus, in fact, hungover when she appeared on the show. Paula adamantly denies these claims, and is just a fan of fashion.

On a January 13th episode of the famous American show, Paula was seen wearing thick, Aviator style of sunglasses that appeared to be Ray Bans. On closer inspection they more likely were Valentino 1190/U frame sunglasses, which is more up the designer alley Paula so adores.

Not long after that she appeared on screen in Prada 14IV eyeglasses, though we were not formerly aware she needed corrective lenses. Try as we might, we could not discern what type of contact lenses Paula wore on the show.

Finally, Paula may have been wearing elaborate designer eyewear on the show to content with heavyweight judge Randy Jackson, whose love for eyeglasses pushed him to launch his own fashion line after the show became a massive success. Randy’s eyewear have not hit the mainstream as of yet, but his designers are remarkably innovative, fresh and flamboyant—somewhere between Ed Hardy and Alexander McQueen, though more targeting African American fashion trends and fashion than the skaters Ed Hardy attracts, or the upper-class fashion yuppies of Alexander McQueen’s clientele.

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The Many Eyewear Fashions worn by Paula Abdul

Angelina Jolie, star of the current hit film ‘Salt’ has recently been exploring her eyewear wardrobe and found it a bit lacking. To catch up with her hubby Brad Pitt, who is renowned for his casual fashion, Jolie has adapted a bit of his fashionable sense and begun to wear more modern designs. Her long-lasting love for Tom Ford sunglasses helped make this transition easy. In the picture here (taken on the set of ‘Salt,’) Jolie wears Tom Ford Miranda Sunglasses in bronze with gradient bronze lens tinting. They come in four colors, including a very catching steel with light grey gradient lenses that can be perfect for people suffering light sensitivity.

Jolie was, in the past, a fan of the Tom Ford Whitney Sunglasses, as well as the renowned Tom Ford Jennifer Sunglasses. The design looks good on her, though many people can’t pull it off as well. Her small nose and large lips draw attention away from the eyes and thus minimized the so called ‘bug-eye effect’ of these oversized sunglasses. Buying them in a gradient lens option gives a more casual and approachable feel, and makes them wearable both indoors and out.

Jolie, who has adopted several children as well as mothering some of her own with star Brad Pitt, has returned to cinema with ‘Salt’ after a long break. Though she has often said she would like to leave acting permanently, many feel it is a ploy to get fans into the cinema seats. Meanwhile, Brad Pitts break from acting has left him playing stay-at-home-dad, which by all accounts he rather seems to enjoy.

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Sunglasses in ‘Salt’

For summer cruising in the Caribbean there is nothing more fantastic and stylish than a great pair of Dior sunglasses. Once on the ship, you’ll discover that only the cream of the crop need show up on top deck. You’ll need a classy suit, a few good books and a pair of sunglasses to top off the outfit. No good sun outfit is complete without designer sunglasses. For cruising, here are the best options.

Jackie O sunglasses are a great option for cruising because the lenses cover a great deal of your face making it possible for you to read, look around the boat or check out the weather without taking your sunglasses on and off. A great company for Jackie O sunglasses is Versace. Their larger frames are sturdy, beautiful and hold the lenses securely in place. For a summer cruise, its definitely a top choice.

For more options, check out the Dior summer line. You’ll find a wide range of large frames and lenses that are perfect for summer days on the ship. With larger lenses and frames they block more wind—a byproduct of any cruise—which for women can make the difference between having wind and hair blown in your eyes or enjoying your time lounging under the sun.

Get your sunglasses early, and then you’ll be able to pick out a few key accessories to complement your cruise look.

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Cruising the Caribbean in Style

Summer is in full swing and the time for road tripping is before us. So, what are some of the essentials for a perfect, All American road trip? Well, you’ll want a great playlist with all the road trip classics, a cooler full of refreshing beverages, and a pair of sturdy and classic Ray Ban Aviators or another American-made brand.
Driving sunglasses are extremely important for long road trips. On the road, literally every moment your eyes are assaulted with flashing images, hazards, signs, other traffic and attractions. You need to stay calm, ready and attentive without ever getting sore eyes or strain due to sunlight. If you wear prescription lenses, you’ll need to have a pair of contact lenses to wear for long drives so you can take your sunglasses on and off, or else be prepared to switch between your prescription sunglasses and eyeglasses as the demands of the road change.
Some of the best sunglasses for road trips have the following features:
Gradient lenses that allow you to have darker UV lenses and UV protection towards the top for while you are watching the road , and less color in the lenses for when you are changing the radio or checking the map when more light is needed.
Light weight frames are also important. America is huge, and any road trip is bound to cover several hundred miles meaning you’ll be on the road for hours on end. You’ll want sunglasses that are comfortable and lightweight. For driving in a convertible, you’ll also want something form-fitting and preferably non-metallic as metal frames heat up against the skin quickly.

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Best Sunglasses for Road Trips