Made in The Shade

Natayle Henry

No summer outfit (especially for Summer ’07) is complete without a killer pair of shades, yet finding the perfect pair of sunglasses can sometimes be a rather daunting task. Finding the right fit for your face as well as a becoming color that will complement your skintone, can be almost as tough as finding the right shade of concealer! But fear not, Solstice can help. I recently interviewed the Senior Public Relations Coordinator of Solstice, Dori, to understand just how to find the perfect pair of shades for the season.

1. What are the biggest sunglasses trends for the season?
Safilo (Solstice) sees six trends for the season; red hot, military chic, bare essentials, modern glam, logo noveau and artistic elements.

2. How should one go about choosing the right sunglasses?
You should always pick a comfortable style, one that accentuates your good features and that you see yourself using as an accessory for the face. The frame size should be in proportion with the size of your face. Smaller sunglasses are best for smaller faces; larger sunglasses for larger faces. Additonally, the frame shape should be the opposite of the shape of the your face.

3. Can you give examples?
Sure. If your face is round, you want to make the face appear longer and thinner. Look for frames equal to or slightly wider than the broadest part of the face. Wider angular and rectangular styles will make the face appear longer.

If your face is square, you want to reduce the angles and soften the strong jawline. Try oval, round or cat-eye styles.

A triangular face has a narrow jaw and a wide forehead. To soften the lower half of your face, accent your eyes. Try rimless bottom shades.

For an oblong face, you want to widen and shorten the face. Sunglass styles should not extend beyond the widest part of the face, so round or square lenses are your best bet.

A diamond face shape has high cheekbones with a narrow forehead and chin. Oval and curved square frames will soften the contour of the face. Also make sure sunglasses are no wider than the top of the cheekbones.

Oh and we can’t forget the oval face shape. Basically, anything goes, so have fun experimenting with different styles.

4. How about skin-tone? Do the color of the frames and lenses make a difference?
If you are pale, stick to lightweight frames and lighter colors like as rose or amber. Brown and tortoiseshell frames suit fair complexions whereas black, blue or green frames tend drain color from your face. Medium toned (olive, Mediterranean, golden or Asian skin) might want to try silver, gold or clear frames. How about aviators? Again, black frames may be too heavy. Lastly, dark skin tones are best complimented in metallic, amber and black frames.

5. Do certain hair styles look better with certain frame shapes?
Absolutely. Enhance soft long hair with delicate shapes, rimless frames and translucent colors. Super short hair looks great with bold colors and designs. Try geometric frames. If your hair is extremely curly stick to classic smaller frames which will offset the volume. Don’t forget, if your hair is long and you sometimes pull it back, test sunglasses with your hair down and again with your hair up to make sure they work for you both ways.

6. What designer sunglasses are hot right now?
Tom Ford, Chloe, Gucci, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Jacobs, Valentino, Boucheron, Alexander McQueen, and Stella McCartney, to name a few.

7. What type of experience would one expect from a visit to a Solstice Boutique?
Solstice offers the largest selection of designer sunwear than any one fashion retailer or sunglass specialty chain, with over 1,000 pairs from which to choose. Solstice receives the newest sunglass styles weeks before most other sunwear retailers. Hence, we were the first to receive the Boss Hugo Boss and Marc by Marc Jacobs sunwear collection, which launched this past winter. Solstice prides itself on offering “boutique-yâ€? sunglass brands such as Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta, Boucheron and Stella McCartney, which aren’t widely available elsewhere. We do not keep sunglasses behind a counter or under lock and key; instead, customers are encouraged to touch and try-on as many pairs as they like. Solstice’s special events team has outfitted over 7,500 celebrities at events such as the American Music Awards, Grammy’s, Sundance Film Festival and Critic’s Choice Awards. As a result, Solstice sunwear stylists are always in the know about what sunglasses the celebrities are wearing – especially since many of them (as well as their stylists) shop Solstice regularly.

5. Are there any new lines that Solstice will be manufacturing in the near future?
Banana Republic Eyewear.

6. How many Solstice Sunglass Boutiques are there?
As of the end of April there are now 90 boutiques.

Pictured top to bottom:
Yves Saint Laurent YSL6149/s – $260
Diesel Sister Yes – $160
Amanda Bynes in Marc Jacobs 012/s – $250.00, Unisex adult, oversized plastic aviator
Katherine McPhee in Gucci 2948/s – $230.00, Female adult oversized plastic acetate frame
Giorgio Armani GA512/S – $595
Valentino VAL5534/s- $320

Sources:
solsticestores.com
unitedshades.com