Sunday, October 12, 2008

Weekly Feature #5

E is for... EYEWEAR.

Some people can carry off eccentric and/or extravagant eyewear.



Most of us cannot, however; and inasmuch that eyewear accessorizes your most important feature -- your face -- it should be chosen with as much care as, if not more than, your clothing or other accessories.

Flashy designer logos, symbols, etc., are particularly vulgar on prescription glasses, and only slightly less so on sunglasses. My favorite frames for my prescription lenses are a pair of maple tortoiseshells from Persol, with absolutely no logos whatsoever. The hinges are a Persol signature, but there are no rhinsestone studded "P"'s emblazoned across my face.



Obviously, the correct frame for your face is a uniquely individual matter. Personally, I think that extreme styles which draw more attention to the glasses than to your overall appearance should be avoided. Ideally, I would have three or four different frames for different occasions and outfits, but budget considerations aside, I'm so prone to losing and/or breaking things, I've come to the sad conclusion that only having one pair will force me to take good care of them. The reason I chose the maple tortoiseshell was twofold: first, the color harmonizes with my slightly tanned complexion; second, it's a neutral shade that won't throw off any color scheme. I'm thinking of getting a second pair, the same style, in dark, dark green; it's another color which, surprisingly, compliments almost any ensemble, and which flatters my skin tone. They would look particularly elegant yet modern with a black suit.

Finally, a word about sunglasses. As I mentioned before, conspicuous branding is awfully vulgar, and somewhat acceptable on sunglasses, if only because it's so commonplace. If possible, it should be avoided; my favorite sunglasses are a pair of killer Oliver Peoples which, like my Persols, don't have any logos. What is never acceptable, however, is wearing your sunglasses at night, or indoors at any time, unless you are a member of the Secret Service or Karl Lagerfeld.



And even then, it's an iffy proposition.

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