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04.01.09

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Phaedra

MADE IN THE SHADE: Actress Zooey Deschanel models her namesake 'Zooey' frames for Oliver Peoples. (Right) The Michael Kors spring runway was all over Aviators.

Style

The Eyes Have It

By Jessica Fromm


DIVERSITY in eyewear is everywhere this season. People are being more playful with sunglasses, and it's easy to stay on trend, whether you shell out $450 for a pair of Tom Fords or buy some cheap plastic drugstore frames for $5.99.

Statement spectacles, like the recent trends of statement shoes, glitzy handbags and chunky jewelry, are big for summer. Last year was all about the revival of the Ray-Ban Wayfarer, and those nostalgia-laced frames are still overwhelmingly popular. Another vintage-tinged option is the Tuxedo by Le Specs. In the style of the old Ray-Ban Clubmaster, these were even the eyewear of choice for Malcolm X. Oliver Peoples also just launched some retro-styled black-on-black sunglasses. Named the Zooey, these classic-looking limited-edition frames were made in collaboration with Hollywood starlet Zooey Deschanel.

Another sunglass trend that started last year and isn't going away is the brightly colored plastic look. Priced high or low, the key is humor, as if the glasses just hopped out of a cereal box. Italian eyewear manufacturer SUPER has been championing this look with the array of neon hues seen in its Viotech Flat 2 and Black Flash frames. Additionally, Le Specs offers some cool space-age shades, like its Rebel, featuring flossy crystal-blue plastic and gradient lenses.

Oversized wraparounds or aviator are also a tempting choice. The Spectator by Dita are big Hollywood-size sunglasses, perfect for blocking the flashes of paparazzi bulbs. The aviator is a unisex style with a suave, sporty flare. Traditionally wire-framed and highly reflective, a la Tom Cruise in Top Gun, the aviator has taken on a thick, Elvis Presley–esque girth this spring in the Michael Kors Majorca Aviator.


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