Sunglasses ... Beach necessity? Fashion accessory? On-a-whim headband? However you see them, shades with 100% UV protection are a must-have, whether you live in Newport Beach or New York City. And this summer, the hottest trend in sunglasses is oversized, plastic frames.
Hollywood A-listers have veiled themselves behind jumbo sun specs for years. Audrey Hepburn wore them. So have stars like Madonna and Julia Roberts. And recently, Mary-Kate and Ashley, Gwen Stefani, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton have all been photographed in them. Shield your peepers with an extra-large pair of mod specs and prepare for double-takes from strangers wondering just who you are.
How large can you go? Enormous! Big is in! And go wild with color, too. If your last pair of sunglasses were tortoise-shell, try black. Wore black last summer? Go for bright red, yellow or pink this season. Feeling really daring? Try an animal print like leopard or cheetah. Add glam with a thin gold nosepiece or arms; add sparkle with rhinestones or crystals embedded into the plastic frames.
Chanel, Oliver Peoples, Dolce & Gabbana, Oscar de la Renta and Valentino have all added fabulous, oversized styles to their current lines. But if you have a hard time hanging on to your sunglasses through Labor Day, less expensive brand names like Zero, Fossil and Anne Klein are also showcasing
the chic, sophisticated look.
So ditch your John Lennon shades-those thin, wire rimmed frames with lenses as small as quarters-and live large this summer with a pair of oversized sunglasses that would have made Jackie O. proud.
