Sunglass Trends for the Summer

Sunglasses are a must-have fashion item today more than ever before. This summer there could be a touch of the 'bizarre' in sunglass requests from customers who are influenced by the likes of Lady GaGa, Rihanna and Kanye West whose eccentric styles bob up as worldwide fashion inspirations.

Whether your customers follow celebrity trends or not, no-one with a sense of style is totally immune from wanting to cultivate the latest look. Sunglasses are not only the most cost-effective entry point to a fashion brand, but by donning the latest sunnies, your customers will look fashionable all summer.

By investing in the latest sunnies, your customers won't need to splash out on a whole new wardrobe to look fashionable. Throw on a pair of shades and a daggy outfit will look chic.

Take the time to find out what your customer is looking for in sunnies and the sorts of activities they will be using their glasses for in summer.

The golden rule for choosing a style of eyewear to suit your customers' face is to choose a model that has the opposite shape to the contours of their faces. Some customers will seem to suit anything (those lucky people who have a perfectly oval face), but on the whole there will be particular styles that do and don't work on people. For example, if they have an angular face, it is wise to steer clear of the square styles and choose a rounder model. Alternatively, people with a round face are better to get a more angular model like a wayfarer or square sixties style.

So what are the trends we expect to see paraded around the promenade of Bondi Beach and St. Kilda esplanade as the days get longer and hotter? Distributors have told us that there are a huge range of specs arriving... and a style to match every customer's tastes and lifestyle.

The Wayfarer

The wayfarer style, made famous by Holly Golightly way back when she strummed Moon River on her window-sill, is back, baby! Nothing says 'effortlessly cool' quite like the wayfarer style of sunnies. This classic look comes in many bold and pastel colours and complements almost any face shape. It's a style that is universally considered cool. A look that suggests late nights, too many European beers and VIP entry to the hippest venues in town. There is no need to match an outfit to the wayfarer because the wayfarer matches your lifestyle.

Retro

Vintage styles of sunglasses are all the rage. A lot of designers are seeking inspiration in retro styling from specific genres and vamping them up with a modern twist. In particular, 1960s style icons and their eyewear trends are being used for inspiration. Thick acetate frames are back in a slightly oversized square shape in plain black or white, oversized cat's eye shapes and big round glasses. And some designers are borrowing from retro films for their new collections such as an ironic take on the 'futuristic' style of Bladerunner.

Detailing

Icons and temple detailing.... The weirder the better! You'll see a lot of outlandish and OTT details on some styles of eyewear... thanks again to our Ms Gaga and co. Now it seems even the most conservative brands are tying out the style of 'daring' by going wild with diamantes, gregarious patterns, oversized branding icons and even 3D symbols like guitars and flowers. In other words, individualism is in.

Oversized

Big sunnies will be bigger than ever this summer. A few years ago the Olsen twins and Nicole Ricci made large glasses fashionable... but mainly with very fashion savvy folk. Since then, the style has gained momentum and will likely be a big seller again this summer with young women who want that movie star appeal. If this look could talk it would say, "Get out of my way paparazzi!"

Aviators

Have aviators ever been out of fashion? Well they're back again and we still love them. A great fall-back for those who don't know what style they are looking for, because they will always be cool.... and suit pretty much anyone. While aviators never change too much - this year, a lot of designers are putting a subtle retro spin on their aviator styles by making them in thick acetate and playing with daring touches such as a heavy brow line or bold colours such as bright blue or black and white. The re-vamped aviator styles we can see going down well with hip young things, but for the more conservative client, the classic style of aviator is also on-trend.

Gradient Lenses

Gradients are tinted lenses that are darker on the top fading to no tint on the bottom, also known as graduated lenses. This style has been around for several decades, but is set to be huge in summer 2010, particularly in shades of grey and brown. The gradient lens adds a retro look to sunglasses, which is good for the customer who covets the latest vintage trend. These are the perfect lenses to use for driving because they don't dim your view of the dashboard. However, please make your customer aware that if they are an avid beachgoer, this is not the best style of eyewear to choose as, while they will cut glare from the sky, they will not cut low glare such as from the ocean or sand.