CK Calvin Klein, spring 2004

Once again, the sunglasses are all about the color. The translucent white frames and champagne lenses reflect the colors of the Bead-filled Platform Sandals—it’s an easy (and fun!) way to unify your accessories and pull a look together.

CALVIN KLEIN Sunglasses, CASE Brown Beige Rectangle NEW $39.99

New CALVIN KLEIN Made In Italy Sunglasses Retails $99 $73.00

Popularity: 50% [?]

Technorati Tags: calvin klein, ck, designer sunglasses

Stella McCartney, spring 2005

Okay, I’m exaggerating the star motif by including these Stella McCartney shades, with just a tiny star icon…

Born in London in 1971, Ms. McCartney attended Central Saint Martins; after graduating and showing only two of her own collections, she landed the top spot at the Parisian house of Chloe. She managed to turn it around financially while also making it fun and saucy. Of course it didn’t hurt that she and her famous friends, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss, and Madonna, were live advertising (the best kind!) for her clothes!!!

She departed from Chloe, and with the support of Gucci she again showed her designs under her own name, beginning in spring/summer 2002.

Ms. McCartney has certainly earned her own reputation in the fashion world, but I can’t hear her name without thinking of the Beatles and the fabulous Sir Paul McCartney (her father, in case you’ve been living in a cave) —to me, the real star of the family!  So, over the years, I’ve followed her career with interest and tried very hard to love her clothes, but I just don’t. Air-brushed tee-shirts and pineapple-emblazoned bikinis (very memorable—after all, I’m still mentioning it some eight or nine years later) are not part of my vernacular. But that’s okay—fashion is about personal taste, personal choice, and a personal point of view.

So back to these sunglasses…what drew me to this particular pair (and why I needed another pair of black ones) was, specifically, the pristine straight line across the top edge—very architectural and graphic. This, combined with the elegant oval lenses and delicate scale represent the essence of Stella McCartney’s strong, yet feminine designs.

New Stella McCartney 31/S Black Sunglasses W/Case & Bag $58.99

STELLA MC CARTNEY SUNGLASS STM 23/S IN GREY (PE2) $59.95

Popularity: 11% [?]

Technorati Tags: designer sunglasses, stella mccartney

Prada, spring 2006

Mario Prada established his Milanese leather goods company in 1913 and began producing high quality leather bags, trunks, and accessories. What we know of Prada today is due to the influence of Miuccia Prada (born 1950 in Milan), the founder’s granddaughter, who joined the company in 1970. She gradually revitalized the family business, particularly with the introduction of her now iconic utilitarian black nylon handbags and backpacks—a new definition for luxury, subtlety, and desirability in modern fashion.

I fell in love with these rock star shades at Saks Fifth Avenue, but I avoided rock star excess and didn’t add them to my collection until I found them at Loehmann’s!

NYS Collection Fashion FramesUV400 POLARIZED Sunglasses $11.25

NYS Collection Fashion FramesUV400 POLARIZED Sunglasses $11.25

Popularity: 11% [?]

Technorati Tags: prada, star

Salvatore Ferragamo, spring 2006

A good friend who is an accomplished actress has described to me how, when preparing for a role, she begins by wearing the shoes of her character. This dictates her posture and how she walks, and helps her to become the character. I find that sunglasses can accomplish the same, but in a rather more whimsical way. It’s very easy to assume another persona from behind dark glasses—sort of an everyday version of Halloween. Or to simply become an instant celebrity!

These Italian sunglasses are not for the faint-of-heart! When I wear them I feel I’ve been transported to a very chic, modern version of the races at Ascot in My Fair Lady.

Authentic SALVATORE FERRAGAMO Sunglasses 2168B – 102/3 $188.00

Authentic SALVATORE FERRAGAMO Sunglasses 2168B – 330/11 $188.00

Popularity: 9% [?]

Technorati Tags: designer sunglasses, salvatore ferragamo

Jean Paul Gaultier, c. mid. 1990’s

These hilarious sunglasses are the first thing I bought that was designed by the very irreverent M. Gaultier… and to think I found them at Marshall’s! I always laugh when I wear them, as does anyone who sees them.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Technorati Tags: designer sunglasses, jean paul gaultier