Are your SUNNIES-side UP this Christmas?

Sunnies-side Up! (pic from http://purpleisroyalty.tumblr.com)

From my previous post, I mentioned that the watch is an ultimate men’s accessories as it’s one of the very few that is appropriate as a man’s fashion item. However, there’s another that is a very close second and probably even more vital in terms of the styling of a man’s look. Well, guess no more, yes it’s the sunnies, or some may call it sunglasses or shades.

Which suits you the best? (pic from http://www.google.com/)

As in most men accessories particularly in the olden days, the invention of the sunnies was based on men’s necessity rather than vanity or as a fashion accessory. Those days, men used them in their work and during sports with the main purpose of keeping the sun out. But as men become more and more sophisticated, the shades serves both the needs and the wants especially for the modern man.

 

Sunnies in the rain! (pic from http://1000awesomethings.com)

I know that it’s pouring cats and dogs outside and the sky is gloomy in Singapore and for those who are living in the northern hemisphere, autumn days are soon to be over, shifting to the cold and dark winter. In fact according to the weather forecast, we at Singapore will have many more rainy days to come until the monsoon is over. So you may be wondering why am I writing about shades especially at such weather times. Well firstly, the sunnies will be one of your most important accessories to invest on (besides the watch) and secondly, there’ll be great discounts available especially during this time of the year (since not many people will be buying them at this time).

The black plastic Gucci in the "Aviator" design with dark lenses creates a more menacing and butch look!

What I like about the sunnies personally is that you can change your look almost instantly by just varying your pair of sunglasses even though you may be wearing the same outfit. I normally travel with two or more pairs of sunnies and since I am a light traveler, I will recycle my clothes during my trip. So instead of lugging my whole wardrobe to have different looks each time, I wear different sunnies instead. Wearing sunnies will not only shield your eyes from the sun and create different images but also give you different personalities and attitudes with each different ones.

Rounded shaped Gucci sunnies with lighter lense shades creates a friendlier look!

There are so many sunnies in the market nowadays, hence for a newbie, it is really complicated and sometimes even confusing to find the right one that fits your physical appearance and attitude. The first thing on your mind probably will be what’s the best sunnies for me? Nice shades can be really expensive particularly the designer ones. Of course, most of the latter ones will be of better quality, most possibly with better designs that are made to fit your face well. But wearing any designer shades without carefully picking and adopting the right one will probably get you ended up with a mismatch and clashing of style and appearance!

The large size, metal frame, glass lenses, angular Dior creates a trendier look while maintaining the masculinity appearance and balancing the round face!

Size

So the question here is, if you have a bear-like frame or bigger built, what is the perfect shades for you? Most of us who are bigger in size tend to have a bigger face as well. This is probably due to the large amount of food intake and/or our lower metabolic rates that enhance the augmentation of a bigger size face. There’s no rocket science here; the bigger our face is, the bigger the sunnies we should wear, up to the width of your face at maximum. Also, bigger sunnies will give you a slightly more fashionable look as compared to the regular size ones. However, to maintain your masculinity, never go overboard in size cause if the sunnies is bigger than your face, you’ll appear to be more feminine instead!

The grey transparent SUPER plastic frame sunnies with flat straight top and rounded bottoms creates a perfect balance for the round face!

Shape

Next is the shape of our face. For the majority of the bear persons, round will be the most likely for our facial silhouette. A round face will require a more structure and angular shapes of sunnies, so as to achieve a more balance facial appearance rather than boosting the rotund shape of our face instead. On the other hand, if you are one of those who have a more angular face, meaning with chisel jaw line and define chin, sunnies with rounded edges may be a better option. Also note that sports sunglasses can be quite tricky and although some are quite nice, they are most often occasion specific sunnies. But if you really must and want to portray a sporty image then go for the more irregular and angular shaped frame and lenses rather than the beaded alien looking eye option especially if you have a big round face!

 

I am glad that I have a higher nose bridge so that I have more sunnies choices!

Nose Bridge

One of the most important factor to consider is the height of your nose bridge. Asian bears normally tend to have flatter bridge hence getting the wrong pair may end up with the sunnies resting on your cheeks instead. This is definitely not flattering to your face and long-term use of such shades may create permanent lines on your cheeks. To make matters worse, most designer shades are made based on the western facial features hence quite a number of shades will not fit Asian noses. If you are one of those who don’t have a high nose bridge, the best option is to get those shades with separate attached nose pads. Avoid those that merge with the frames i.e having nose pad areas without pad arms. However, if you really want to go for the latter, then remember to get yourself a pair of saddle silicone nose pads that can be added to the existing frame so as to increase the height of the nose pad area and thus push up your shades to sit properly on your face.

 

Coloured and Mirrored Sunnies (pic from http://chicstylista.com)

The colour of lenses

So our nest question is how dark should our sunnies’ lenses be? Well that really depends on where and when you most likely to wear your shades. If you just want a pair of sunnies for the sole purpose of preventing the glare from the sun while driving or those who mostly use the sunglasses at beach or swimming pool, then go for a slightly darker shade instead. Conversely, if you prefer to use it as a fashion accessory and wear more often, a lighter shade will be a more comfortable and better choice. How about the colour of the lenses? Well, this really depends on your personality. If you are more old school, then the black or brown maybe your best choice. However, if you want a more fun and fashionable look, go for the gold, coloured lenses and even the mirrored ones!

 

Tom Cruise in metal frame Rayban Aviator (pic from rongbay.com)

Material and Colour of Frame

There are so many different type of material and colours available in the market hence choosing the right ones depends on the look that you want to achieve. I generally felt that the overall design matters more than the material of which it is made of. The metal ones will give you a more masculine appearance especially the aviators; thanks to Tom Cruise, a fighter pilot who wore the Rayban Aviator in TOP GUN, the movie! The solid plastic and the tortoise shell ones are definitely more fashionable and normally have larger surface area to cover your eyes and part of your cheeks.

Weight

This is really an important consideration when buying a pair of sunnies because if you wear something too heavy, the sunnies may end up slipping from your nose too often. However, this can be compensated with an extended arm nose pads or a separately attached saddle ones. Sunnies are normally heavier especially if they are fitted with glass lenses although they may sit better on your face and nose bridge compare to the lighter plastic lenses. 

 

 A bigger pair of sunnies is definitely manlier in a bigger body and face size person

In conclusion, for bigger face and frame persons like me, remember to always go for a bigger pair of shades with a more angular frame so as not just to create a trendier look but more so to maintain your manly sex appeal as well. If you want to be more fashionable yet still maintaining your masculinity, then go for a structured plastic or tortoise shell frame. In addition, shades are great for masking your tired, puffy eyes and dark circles while wearing them under the sun will prevent premature aging of your skin around your eyes hence reducing the formation of crow’s feet. Definitely a great way to save money on having to get botox jabs!

 

Sunnies or Botox? (pic from www.bankrollmob.com)

Lastly, as sunnies is an expensive wardrobe investment, remember to always try on different sizes, shapes, colours, materials and weights before settling on the one that you like best and fit you the most! Well, we have come to another episode of my blog and until the next time, this is Jimen signing out! Be happy always! Cheers.