Where Are the Wild Things?

Now I totally understand when you are too hot to do anything even remotely creative or otherwise potentially heat generating. In fact, at lunch today all I could think about is how good it would feel to dump my chilled asparagus soup over my head.

Which I managed not to do, but I still think it would feel good.

Anyway, one of the things I usually love best in New York City is watching the sunglasses go by. Checking the scene out, I get information on trends and confirmation that I kind of understand what’s going on style-wise.

But two days in the city this week didn’t blow my mind. Oh the looks were good. Timeless and stylish. But not moving fashion forward in any way. The streets were filled with lots of simple oversized black frames for the ladies.  Oakley’s and wrap looks on the guys. Wayfarers and aviators for everyone. (Including me. Yes, I’m still loving my gray leather Tod’s aviators. It’s the first aviator I’ve tried on that didn’t give me a mean bug look and I’m absolutely reveling it.)

So my point?

Turns out I have two.

People don’t quite seem to be pulling out of the financial prudence cycle in terms of getting impulsive, sassy sunglasses.

People really should start pepping up their sunglasses again, even if they have to do some bargain shopping. Which are totally possible (like the sale at Robert Marc’s stores this week!). 

So while I’d never encourage anyone to buy sunglasses from the black market types…I’ll go off on that at some future point…I am strongly encouraging those in the fashion capitol of the U.S. to step it up with the sunglasses.

I’m warning you, New York. If you keep this up, I’m going to do a weeklong tribute to the awesome sunglasses designed in California. Or Europe. Or BOTH!

Watch it.

Here's an Italian fashion forward look...fashion design and planning students in Florence highlighted X-Ide's styles with Casentino Felt. Not exactly suited for the streets, but it's definitely a new twist! (And it might help absorb sweat! Thusly solving yesterday's problems!)

A Twist of Leather

Some people love leather…whether they’re weekend or daily bikers, admirers of Italian craftsmanship, or into a little…ahem…rougher way in their personal lives.

Some people fear leather…they think it’s hard to maintain, don’t feel like they can pull it off, or maybe it's even just a little too 80s heavy metal.

And then there is the place where both sides can meet: sunglasses!

I’ve been sporting Tod’s leather aviator sunglasses in a pearly silvery gray this summer (white shown here) quite happily. In fact, the leather seems to have a softening influence on the aviators, which are something that can be very hard to pull off for moi—a woman with a chubby face and a Donna Reed-inspired dress sense (yes, twin set are cute, shut up!). 

These are classic and sassy. Classy. Is that where that word originated? Hmmm.

But I know that a full sunglass o’leather just isn’t for everybody. Sad but true.

Then today I got a little note about a new collection of “Twisted Leather” sunglasses from Alviero Martini 1A Classe (best know for great luggage and bags with antique-map patterns).  

They’ve got a flattering acetate front and a temple that blends metal and leather for a really luggage-y feel that provides the hipness of leather without the maintenance issues of having the material resting against your cheeks all afternoon. 

In short, they are smart as a whip.