The Sun, which gives life and warmth to the body and the soul, has been throwing its rays with unchanged intensity for thousands of years. People sought for ways to protect their eyes from strong sunlight.
Historic documents show that the Chinese used flat panes of smoky quartz to protect their eyes from glare but this was primarily for cult purposes rather than protection from the sun. A similar approach was used by Roman soldiers when they wanted to get some shade. The emperor Nero liked to watch gladiator fights with emeralds. He chose emeralds because the colour green has an ability to filter sunshine.
The condition for the development of modern sunglasses was finding a way to wear them. This happened only in the 18th century when spectacles with ear pieces were invented. Coloured lenses in spectacles first appeared in the early 20th century. The U.S. Army played a major role in popularising these during the Second World War, when the U.S. Air Force ordered sunglasses that would efficiently reduce high-altitude sun glare for pilots. This is how pilot sunglasses became fashionable. General MacArthur, Allied commander in the Philippines, made these ever more popular by giving interviews strictly with his shades on.
The idol of American youth in the 1950s, James Dean, was the first of the Hollywood starts to wear sunglasses on screen and he was followed by a series of divas, including Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. They made shades a common accessory for conquering the opposite sex. Everyone remembers John Lennon’s cheap sunglasses that became symbols of the hippy and pop eras. These days, well-designed and individualistic sunglasses are nearly obligatory accessories for smartly dressed people from spring till autumn.
Depending on the occasion and the lighting conditions, different coloured lenses are recommended. Green lenses are best for everyday use because they are suitable for all lighting conditions and emphasise yellows and reds. The special feature of blue lenses is that they do not emphasise contrasts or distort colours. Yellow lenses are recommended in overcast weather, under altered lighting conditions or sports because they absorb blue light and therefore sharpen eyesight and improve contrasts. Pink lenses are also useful in overcast weather and altered lighting conditions and they also emphasise contrasts. Brown lenses are ideal for driving, in strong sunlight or in slightly overcast weather because they filter out blue light, reduce tiredness and calm the eyes. It is of course also important – actually, the most important, from the point of fashion – what type of frame we use.
Last year’s trends have continued in 2008 and police glasses, large designs and super-feminine pussycat styles have remained popular. The lenses in police glasses remained transparent but the frames – which have also remained thin – come in a variety of colours. The popularity of super big sunglasses is unbroken. They have been made fashionable by Hollywood stars and cover large portions of the face. The giant lenses are usually placed in dark, rounded, rectangle-shaped frames and the glasses are only dark enough to conceal where the eyes are looking at. Finely shaped, narrow-arched frames decorated with shiny jewels first appeared in the 1950s. They can create a beautiful frame around the face. The futuristic shape, crests and logos designed from crystals and gems at the temple line are the most characteristic elements of this evergreen style.
Different styles of sunglasses are suitable for different face types. For a round face, it is best to wear square-shaped frames because they make the face more resolute. Do not choose round glasses. For a square-shaped face, it is best to wear rounded glasses but avoid sizes that would be too large. A variety of designs go well with elongated faces, including round or square-shaped frames and even pilot glasses.
The sides of the frame should never be wider than one’s face and the upper frame should be aligned with the eyebrows.
No matter which model you choose, it is most important to buy sunglasses from specialist shops because these guarantee that the lenses have UV filters on them. As a result, we can wear glasses not only to enhance our looks but also to protect our eyes.
