Sunglass Flirtations

Who doesn't want some summer love? If you have your hand raised, put it down...you know you're lying! Today Big and Sunny is guest blogging over at eFlirt expert and providing a go-to dating guide that will help you select your summer love based on his or her sunglasses.

Enjoy getting your flirt on!

Return of the Sunny!

My air conditioning bill would say it's been summer for several weeks now, but my sunglass wardrobe and the calendar are begging to differ. Things are just now ready to get back to Big and Sunny for the sunniest time of year.

For my first sunglass of the season? I'm going super-duper, over-the-top glamazon...Swarovski's Amazing (yes that's the name) sunglasses. Now I went for the icy blue and she went for the blush, but otherwise we look exactly the same. It's uncanny. Sort of. Except for the clothes. And the body. And the body. And the Josh Duhamel. Well now this is going for a happy post to a discontented post!

Anyway, love love love these sunnies. I told myself I was going to go smaller this summer, but clearly there is always going to be a need for supa glamma.

Red Carpet Sunglasses?

So I was talking to a friend today about sunglasses and the red carpet. And he was absolutely adamant that sunglasses do not have a place on the red carpet...a stance which he deftly defended by noting:
1. It's a formal event and gowns are not a natural style pairing with sunglasses.
2. The ladies in particular have perfected their hair and makeup by investing hours and dollars into updos and photographer-ready foundation.

These are good arguments...

So now I might have to add the red carpet on my no sunglass list, joining sunglasses at night.

Men in sunglasses on the red carpet, however, I cannot mind. Just look at Brad Pitt. No reall. Just look at him. When he's in the right sunglasses, with a groomed face and no knit beanie, he may actually be hotter than he was in his youth.

Mykita and uslu airlines Nail It

Sigh. All of yesterday's talk of fiscal responsibility has awakened my inner escape artist. And looking at pix of the hoi polloi frolicking on the beaches of St. Barts hasn't helped the matter. Unfortunately, aside from trade shows, it looks like my travel schedule for the year is restricted to exits off of the NJ Turnpike.

The good news is that the designing minds in Berlin at Mykita are stepping up to take us all away from the harsh reality that there are no legal holidays in the U.S. until February. Mykita's latest launch with uslu airlines are two flight-ready chic sunnies models that you can totally justify as a practical purchase because not only do you get an amazing pair of sunglasses, you also get coordinating nail polish. Which is so sensible as to be borderline frugal. Right?

The styles BOB (airport code for Bora Bora's Motu Mute) and EVE (airport code for Norway's Evenes)  come in "Jet Sets," keen little suitcases with coordinating nail polish in frame hues of gray-brown, lilac, and neon yellow. Now if only they came with actual airline tickets, we'd be in business.

Thanks Tods Sunglasses

I don't know what's going on with the economy. Reading newspapers is just not my bag. Sure that sounds horrible and shallow, but when one is part of the working poor it's hard to feel bad about not reading other people's takes on just how bad things are.

But that's not to say SpinsterMiss has no sense of responsibility. In fact, just last month was the one-year anniversary of credit-card free life.

Yes, it completely sucks.

And yes, I did get a couple of strategic "lifetime" accessories prior to my incarceration in Camp Adulthood, including a "Good Bag" and "Classic Jewelry."

But my favorite item is a beloved pair of Tods leather aviator sunglasses. I've written about them before. They're gray...my favorite fashion color. And they're luxe as hell. Which has been such a help in the tough days of poverty that have ensued over the past year. Even if it was self delusion, wearing those sunglasses helped make my three-seasons-old shoes and Old Navy layerables feel fashionable.

Now some might say that purchases like Tods leather aviator sunglasses were just the kind of irresponsible consumerism that led me to my current life of paying with change, growing my hair out so the dog can get groomed, and coupon cutting. But, in my defense, there was an extremely deep industry discount (for which I am eternally grateful). And I'm totally going to ride on the one-pair-fits-all-so-I-didn't-have-to-buy-a-million-pairs-of-sunglasses ticket.

Moving into 2011, I'm going to try to look at less expensive sunglass options at least once a week. But I sincerely believe that, dollar-for-dollar a great, luxurious pair of sunglasses can bring you through some dark times better than a pair of throwaways from your friend's son's bar mitzvah. Happy New Year!

The New Dark Crystal: Super Sunglasses

So I wouldn’t do a whole posting about something just so I could tie it in with a early 1980s movie Dark Crystal from Jim Henson and Frank Oz. But then again, I might when the lead characters, The Gelfings, look like this...

However, when the new colors for acetate sunglasses from Super feature looks like this, the obscure and potentially cheesy film tie-in is just a side benefit to discussing an exciting option for cold-weather sunnies.

The color: dark brown, the style: People

For winter, these darker crystals from Italian sunglass company Retrosuperfuture are a great way to maintain that see-through look that’s been so hot for the past couple of seasons. But balancing out the translucence is a palette of rich caramel, dark brown, deep blue, and bottle green hues that have a distinctly cold-weather feel to them.

This carmel, when adding a burst of color to this modified keyhole bridge style, has a delightfully fresh feel with a distinctly historic flair.

The color: caramel, the style: Lucia

And the blue and green colors. Would I love them with more color-matched lenses? Yes. Yes I would. But I like that sort of thing, and the lenses super went with are Zeiss, so they're going for a quality thing. And the acetate colors more than adequately handle the aesthetic load.  

Above: the color: bottle green, the style: Lucia.
Below: the color: blue, the style: Andrea

These frames with a hat in a complimentary color and a supersized tube of Chapstick might be all one needs to be happy this winter.

Prada Sunglasses Get Personalized

While I would personally obey Miuccia Prada's design commands...her taste is pretty darn impeccable...it's nice that she's willing to give designer sunglass fans a chance to take a short spin in the drivers seat with a new customizable Prada Private sunglass collection from Luxottica. According to the L.A. Times fashion blog, All The Rage, the collection launches tomorrow exclusively through Sunglass Hut.

While the frames themselves come in a simple color palette of black, white, and tort, each also comes with 45 bits with numbers, letters, and symbols that can be screwed in to a section of the sunglasses' temple.

Perfect for a personal best.

Denzel Washington: Sunglass Rescue

Ok, hold on Denzel...I'm coming to help you!

Denzel must be a Big and Sunny reader. And because I've taken a break lately due to some international travel and highly important bonding time with delightful young men and sweet little shih tzus, he is clearly at a loss for what to wear on his face to prevent squinting really creepily at Boys and Girls Club press events.

Let me give you a hint, handsome: SUNGLASSES!

In a world where D listers are tricked out in the latest shades, can we not take a moment to ensure the nation's thespian treasures are adequately sunglassed.

My recommendation would be something sexy and classic, like himself. A sassy pair of Polo Ralph Lauren sunglasses would not be out of the question. Mr. Washington, you would be ready for your close up for sure. Here's style PH3052...tasty, oui?

I can see I have my work cut out for me...Big and Sunny is back.

Little Girl in Big Glasses

You know you have a teeny tiny head when...

Oh, I'm sorry Taylor. But I guess I'm going to pick up where Kanye left off...Beyonce rocks sunglasses much more successfully than you. Sure you're cute, but when we look back people are not going to be putting you on the top of the sunglass-wearing charts.

If you'd like to get there, stick with cool styles like the Derek Lam's you're wearing...but try to be sure that they fit! It's just the slightest bit ooky to have your eyelashes popping above your sunglasses.

Sure I'm picky. But you're young and there's still time for your to become a sunny powerhouse!

Soothing and Sunny

Most matters of babies—and particularly babies’ style—are a bit of a mystery to the Spinstermiss. But I do have a 14-pound dog who is very well dressed, so I will take the liberty to draw some conclusions about human babies based on my years of caring for and maintaining my hairy, hairy daughter. 

My knowledge pretty much covers the following:

- They’re small.

- They’re cute.

- They’re dramatic, particularly on planes and in restaurants.

- They’re delicate when it comes to stuff like sun exposure and the elements. 

And as a parent/caretaker, I would imagine that one would not only want his or her baby to feel good and comfy and happy, but also to look adorable.

When strolling the halls at Silmo (the Parisian optical trade fair), I think I found something that speaks to all of those admirable goals: Lytot’s new Baby Sunglasses with Pacifier. It’s an all-in-one style booster and baby silencer. Which has got to be a good thing, right?

Now if they could figure out a similar set up for shih-tzus, I’d really be in business!

Sunglass Headlines!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39657684/ns/world_news-americas/

Extra extra...the world is doing my job for me...

Oakley helps miners face freedom safety...and looking hot! The group of miners had some varied interests and managed to make it through confinement the likes of which would freak out the vast majority of us. But with some help from the world, including some sharp Radars to help prevent eye damage during their transition to the above world, they are back in the sun.

Now Oakley's taking a lot of heat for garnering a ton of publicity for their good deed, but I sincerely have my doubts that the gang from Oakley has been planning this out in their board room for the past 60+ days. Even though they are a massive global powerhouse, can't we just give these guys a hale and hearty handshake for a job well done?

Sunglasses on the Runway: DVF SS 2010

Diane von Furstenberg illustrates how a great designer takes a look and makes it truly universal. For her runway show, a healthy number of the looks were topped off by sunglasses in an eyewear shape that can send chills down the spine of the most daring spec lover: rounds.

John Lennon owned that look, and Yoko could borrow it now and then, Janis Joplin rocked them hard, but maybe pretty wouldn't be the perfect description. My point is that round sunglasses can be a tough wear.

But this show made me rethink my fear of the round. Blond and pale? Looking good!

Tawny skin with a dramatic white sunglass pop? A-mazing...

There are a few elements to these rounds that make them so much more wearable:
1. Color. That bright white isn't hiding from anything—it's a creative piece for your face and doesn't necessarily have to try so hard to blend in. So if the round is slightly-less-than-harmonious, it's ok!
2. Mirror...Conversely, a heavy mirror makes the look a little easier to handle because it does fade create a continuity with your clothing, which are being a tad reflected in the surface. Also, the perfect circles are made somewhat imperfect by the play of light.

3. Detailing. Yes, I know that I accused one Kate Hudson of over-accessorizing with a pair of sunglasses that had a brow wire. But she was also wearing a ton of jewelry. And her kitten expression smacked of mutton dressed as lamb. Which never works for me (except sometimes, when it does). These do work for me thanks because the brow wire doesn't pop like crazy, but it breaks up the super roundness in a facially nice kind of way.

I know, I know...the big hole in my logic is that all of these women are models. With professional dressing, hair, and makeup assistance. But if Fashion Week doesn't allow us to suspend our disbelief, then what will? So while I'm not so crazy as to think hot pants are a good idea for my spring wardrobe next year, I might just be rocking myself a little rounder on the sunglass front when the temperature goes back up.

Sunglasses of Star Wars

Today should be all about the VMAs. And I’m going to get to them…tomorrow! For today, here’s a little reflection on sunwear and one of the all-time best films series. Ever. STAR WARS!

Out in space, even a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, humans, humanoids, and other life forces struggled with glare and optical discomfort due to one or more suns. If given the choice, what sunglasses would they wear. Here's my semi-professional and extremely opinionated opinion.

Yoda in Wayfarers.

Yoda is what, a thousand years old? I don’t know, Star Wars experts, please feel free to advise. The point is: this guy is busy being wise, training Jedi’s, and walking the line between tough and huggably cute. So he needs classic sunglasses that can carry him from swamp planet, to desert planet, to spacecraft in style. The enduring wayfarer is definitely going to do the trick. For the t-shirt, visit: http://www.80stees.com/products/Cool-Yoda-Star-Wars-T-shirt.asp?referer=froogle_SWARS211

Luke Skywalker in Aviators

He’s young and sassy, and even though Luke doesn’t know it, his dad is a total badass. So Luke needs something that says, “I might be a patriot or a might cause a riot.” And aviators have plenty of rogue factor to allow for looks ranging from federation hero to lone wolf Jedi. (Shown: Luke Skywalker in rebel fight suit USB cover from Mimoco.) With blond hair and a tan, he'd probably rock these limited edition Michael Kors 22k gold aviators pretty hard (he is a prince by birth, after all!)

Darth Vader's Tough Glam Look

THE ultimate badass. Darth is like a space biker. But rich. Chic. Glossy. He has a fake planet for crying out loud. Yeah, it’s his bosses’ fake planet, but regardless Darth is pretty high up in the dark and tough ranks. Something from Optical Shop International, probably Chrome Hearts, a super luxe line, would definitely be in his sunglass wardrobe. Style Taint might really speak to a fellow who isn’t quite a robot and isn’t quite a man

Once more, with feeling

So yes I've written about BCBGMAXAZRIA's Dream sunglasses, the designer's fund-raising sunglasses, before. But with the Susan G. Komen New York City Race for the Cure coming up this weekend, the message bears repeating. Each sale of these sunglasses results in a donation to the Susan G. Komen folks to aid their support for those with breast cancer and fight against the disease.

I'll be wearing mine this weekend as part of ClearVision's Dream Team (http://www.komennyc.org/site/TR?team_id=41762&fr_id=1210&pg=team). Sorry to those who were drinking something and spit it across the room at the thought of the lovely but not quite...ehem...athletic Spinstermiss doing something so sporty. Even I will make an exception to my pajama Sunday rule for the right cause. And this is one of them.

Plus, I'll be walking the course and have been assured that a makeup crew will be near the finish line and cocktails and snacks will be served shortly after.

Interested in getting a pair for your own wardrobe? Visit: http://www.cvoptical.com/OurBrands/BCBG/BCBGDreamFund_sel.htm

Meaty Sunglasses?

This morning I was looking through the interweb checking out info nuggets, celeb trends, and the latest from the international magazines and saw Vogue Hommes Japan. You should never be able to Google the phrase: Gaga Meat Bikini and come up with something. And yet here we are, in a world filled with pop starlets clinging to fame by any means necessary. Even via filet as hat.

And, to tell the truth, I was feeling pretty despondent when considering the potential trends that may result...especially with Thanksgiving around the corner.

The bright spot in this whole mess? At least she didn't sport and meat sunglasses.

Wonder what cut of meat would best translate into sunglasses?

Endless Summer Sunglasses

Well my holiday weekend was brought to you by the good folks at Nyquil and other cold and flu remedies.  Which means 2 things.

1. I didn't write this week's posts over the weekend for an entertaining jump on the the week.

2. Summer's not over for me. I didn't celebrate it's passing. It's still pretty hot here in the Northeastern U.S. And I'm not quite done.

So when I saw these sunglasses, they looked so summery and fresh to me, I took it as a sign that my thoughts were headed in the right direction and I can keep on wearing my flip flops for at least one more week before breaking out the boots.

A Cruel Choice: Emmy Sunglasses or Cocktails

Oooh. 

Hello.

You’ve caught me packing for the holiday and shaking my first round of martinis so they're ready for the crack of noon. (Don't worry, I won't be doing the driving!)

And where is the Emmy blockbuster wrap up that I had hoped to run this week? That’s an excellent question. It’s a question that I intend to ponder over cocktails this afternoon.

But for now, my thoughts are of getting on my tracksuit, putting on some great sunglasses, and indulging in a 72-hour trip to abandon. In fact, on the way I could work these retro Nike Vintage 73 sunglasses worn by Emmy-award-winning (YAY!) actress Jane Lynch channeling her character Sue Sylvester.

While the glasses have a comedic touch in this situation—Jane Lynch just makes everything a little bit funnier—they’re a smart pick for a woman of a certain age: Especially if that age is over 40. The red acts as a blusher element on the face, bringing a little spark to your look.

That’s my sunglass beauty tip of the day: If you don't want to wear a face full o'makeup, let your sunglasses do some of the heavy lifting.

For those of you trapped in the office for the remains of the day—or, please be careful, those who are riding out the hurricane—and longing to look at the red carpet sunglass looks of the stars. Please take a look at an entertaining and star-studded rundown of Emmy night sunglass look at the Eyecessorizeblog. 

While checking it out, think about the following question: Are those wearing sunglasses doing for sun protection, style, or to protect some very expensive and high quality face work they’ve invested in with some of the finest plastic surgeons in the world? Regardless, some strong sunny choices!

http://eyecessorizeblog.com/2010/08/31/sunnies-shine-at-the-emmys/

Have a great weekend…cheers!

The future's so bright?

It is with very mixed emotions that I write about La Lohan. She is a hot mess and it seems vulturish to write anything about her. And that particularly resonates when you see that she's made some smart recovery steps like running a red light to try to get to a club straight out of rehab or solemnly and appropriately (huh?) wearing short shorts and thigh-high stockings to her first post-incarceration court date and in a slightly less hmmm....style forward?....outfit for a meeting with her parole office pictured at www.x17online.com...

It just does not bode well for this young thing. But hope springs eternal and she at least gets a little credit for continuing her devotion to sunglass style. One of her first shopping stops was the high-end optical boutique Destination: Sama in West Hollywood, where she tried on cute styles before her court date. And since then she's been rocking the Sama's on a regular basis, which is just the right thing to do since they are pretty glammariffic.

As a guilty lover of all things celebrity schadenfreude (thank for the "gum" bindle, Paris!), I will express the hope that LL has soaked up some of the clean living vibes put out by the charity organization founded by Sama designer/owner Sheila Vance, The Sam Vance Foundation. And that she paid full price for the frames—a portion of Sama Eyewear's yearly sales take goes to support the anti-drug and humanitarian efforts of the eyewear manufacturer.

But I won't be surprised by anything short of her entry into a cloistered nunnery. Actually, even that would make a bit of sense.

If nothing else, at least she'll look stylish as she goes down in flames.

Not Beer Goggles, Pub Sunglasses

Fashion crossovers and sub-collections are so amazing these days. This week Big & Sunny looked at the Star Wars and Stella McCartney projects with adidas, and I longed for adidas eyewear to kick into geektacular gear and step up with a Star Wars sunglass. (Fingers crossed!)

Now here’s another great opportunity. The editors at Dazed Digital wrote about a new sub-collection in the New Balance line that brings some young to that collection. Now I’m a huge fan of comfy walking, but I long for some style, too! Now the sneaks are younging it up with trainers named after popular UK pubs.

Here's the story from: http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/8229/1/New_Balance_in_Da_Pub

New Balance might not be a UK-born label, but that makes their British production site even more special. Manufactured in Flimby, the trainer brand has, since its incarnation in 1906, been synonymous with stylish US design and British quality. But now, in conjunction with the 20th anniversary celebrations of the NB 576 style, the location of its factory isn't the only red and white aspect of the brand. Three styles - all named after popular UK pub names - are offered as extra value to the 576's already confirmed iconic design and well-documented quality. The King's Head, The Red Lion and The Royal Oak are the chosen ones, and they have each been given colour coding (navy, tan and burgundy), tongues with individual pub artwork and Union Jacks on the heel. Ahead of tonight's launch at the Red Lion pub on London's Hoxton Street, Dazed Digital spoke to trainer expert and Crooked Tongues maestro Gary Warnett to get his point of view on New Balance and their new pub range...

Would love to see a fairly solid and staid brand of sunglasses like New Balance get a little goose (or tipsy as it were) with a youthful grouping like this.

Here’s to that!

How I Met Your Sunglass List

It seems sad that someone who has genuine TV cute like Rachel Bilson requires a fairly old reference in the title of this blog entry. But she was good in the role on How I Met Your Mother (which did just have some success at the Emmy's, hello timeliness!) and at least I'm not citing her for her serial dating of almost-were actors.

As Sunglass Hut’s resident celeb “Style Director,” Rachel Bilson has come out with her recommended hit list of stylish eyewear, Rachel’s Collection. There’s something just plain adorable about Rachel, but I was pretty skeptical about her determining sunglass styles for the nation.  I mean, sure she was a judge on Project Runway, great. But so was Sarah Jessica Parker, who completely lost my fashion respect with her infamous SATC premiere flowerpot hat to top a list of crimes against design.

But I like to give the benefit of the doubt—and RB usually looks like she has her own fashion drummer keeping a pretty decent beat—so I looked at her picks at Sunglass Hut’s website:

 http://www.sunglasshut.com/sgh/collectionDetailPage.jsp?collectionId=rachelscollection

She plays it pretty safe, which makes sense for her first time out of the gate. Of course the Ray-Ban Aviator and Wayfarer topped her list along with several other takes on aviators. They are produced by Luxottica (owner of Sunglass Hut), and they are classic and maintain their cool and the two styles cover the lion’s share of many people’s day-to-day sunglass needs.

The other picks continued safe with sporty Maui Jims, which I am sure are a huge seller for the Sunglass Hut chain, but I don’t really buy as a top-10 pick for a girl like Rachel who was rocking it out in Chloe sunglasses just last summer. Maybe she has a secret golf addiction that I don’t know about.

Another puzzling choice was a Bvlgari frame. Please don’t get me wrong…I LOVE Bvlgari sunglasses—I’m Italian! I’m from Jersey! I’m a little more…ahem…mature…than Rachel. So what? Don’t judge me!

And back to my point: Rachel is just a little young for some of the choices on the list. It’s puzzling that you can select a pretty cute but fairly conservative Persol model and one of the “If you like this you might like….” items is the Mosley Tribes sunglass style Patterson (with which I had a passionate love affair last spring. Call me, Pat! Sigh.) That’s the kind of look I suspect Rachel would rock in “real life.” So why isn’t that on the list? WHY?

Yes I am aware that Rachel herself probably didn’t choose “Rachel’s List.” That might be the real shame of the list. The Featured Trends on the website, Geek, Hollywood, and Retro Prim, are also attributed to the new style director’s choices but they reflect a much cuter look and are way more age-appropriate. And, best of all, they show that the style director may actually have some personal style.