3 Most Important Things You Should Know When Buying Sunglasses

Many accessories can be used to accentuate the human face, earrings, necklaces, face piercings and makeup. But I propose that nothing quite elevates the facial aesthetic like a pair of sunglasses.

Throw one on and an ordinary-looking face (sorry, we don’t mean that as an insult) stops looking ordinary and starts looking like a Rockstar. I know you can already tell that I love sunglasses, and who doesn’t? Unlike earrings, you don’t have to cause bodily harm to yourself to use them.

Unlike makeup, you don’t have to spend hours trying to figure out if you’ve got the foundation and a million other things right, you just throw your pair of sunglasses on and run out to meet your friends. Sunglasses are easy to use, they exist in a myriad of varieties to suit any face shape and at different budget points to suit all budgets. What’s not to like?

The only snag to using sunglasses is understanding sunglasses, and by that, I mean knowing what is meant by terms like polarized and UV sunglasses, as well as the different types of sunglasses that exist. In this post, I will attempt to break down some of the most common sunglass terms to demystify the amazing world of Sunglasses.

1. What Are Polarized Sunglasses

Polarized sunglasses have an inbuilt filter that reduces glare. That is the reason these type of sunglasses are also known as anti-glare sunglasses. Glare is the light that gets reflected when sunlight hits a reflective surface like a body of water, car bodies or glass panes.

The ability of polarized sunglasses to block polarized or intense reflected light makes them a popular choice among outdoor lovers. If you spend a lot of time boating, fishing, lounging on the beach or hiking. You definitely need a polarized pair of sunglasses.

However, the ability of polarised sunglasses to reduce glare also means they are not great when looking at information on digital displays like cell phones, computers, vehicle driving panels and other technologies that use digital screens to disseminate information.

Because of this, it is important to own a pair of sunglasses for outdoor occasions to be able to enjoy unhindered the contrast and vibrance of nature. Own non-polarized sunglasses for all other occasions where glare is not an issue.

2. What Are UV Sunglasses

UV sunglasses contain a thin layer of coating that blocks harmful UV rays from the sun.

UV (Ultraviolet rays) are a form of low radiation that comes from the sun and pose a risk of sunburn. Extreme or prolonged exposure can lead to detrimental skin and eye conditions. Hence the need to own a pair of UV sunglasses.

If you work or spend a lot of time in harsh sunlight, then a UV pair of sunglasses is a must-have for you.

If you are in the market for UV sunglasses, make sure to purchase a pair that says 100% UV protection or UV 400 protection. Those two basically mean the same thing. That the pair of sunglasses is equipped to handle the highest percentage of UV light a pair of sunglasses can handle.

Note that it is possible to buy a pair of sunglasses that is both polarized and offers UV protection. However, the best course of action is to own a pair of each, so that you can use either one for their strongest suit and when the need calls for its use.

3. What Are The Types Of Sunglasses That Exist

The next quagmire in understanding or demystifying sunglasses is understanding the various types that exist. Note that all the types of sunglasses we are going to look at can either be polarized, offer UV protection or both.

Aviator Sunglasses

Aviator sunglasses were originally invented for the benefit of pilots, to help protect their eyes in the course of work. However, over the years aviator sunglasses shifted into mainstream markets and have now become a fashion staple.

A pair of Aviator Sunglasses have lightweight metal frames and large, tapering tinted lenses that cover the entire frame of sight.

Aviator sunglasses were pioneered in the 1930s by Bausch & Lomb, later on, the style was patented by Ray Ban.  

Wayfarer Sunglasses

Wayfarer SunglassesWayfarer sunglasses were invented as a result of technological progress in the field of plastic moulding. These advances meant that sunglass brands, specifically Ray Ban, could move from metal-framed sunglasses that had been the norm, to plastic-framed sunglasses.

In that sense, a Wayfarer pair of sunglasses is your average plastic-framed sunglasses. Being framed using plastic doesn’t in any way mean that Wayfarer sunglasses are inferior to their metal counterparts.

In contrast, wayfarer sunglasses last longer, they can be painted in all manner of colours, and they offer limitless design options because of the malleable state of plastic.

Because of this, Wayfarer sunglasses are the favourite sunglass choice for most people and the most popular pair of sunglasses in the world.

Wayfarer sunglasses were pioneered by Ray Ban in the 1950s.

Cateye Sunglasses

Cat eye sunglasses were the result of a fashion-forward school of thought in the sunglass industry that decided that the more common rectangular or square-shaped sunglass shape was just too boring. As a result? They came up with what is undoubtedly the chicest sunglass variety that exists.

The Cat Eye sunglass features an upsweep element on the outer edges of the lenses that closely resemble the eyes of a cat. Hence the name.

They may look modern and fashion-forward, but Cat eye sunglasses came out in the 1930s. Fashion has evolved in more ways than one, but the Cat Eye pair of sunglasses is a trend that hopefully stays with us for millennia. Such is the coolness of this variety of sunglasses.

Clubmaster sunglasses feature a thick browline over the top edge of the lenses.

The browline pair of sunglasses came out in the late 1940s and ruled the sunglass game for a decade or two.

When Ray-Ban saw the upsurge of interest in this design style, they released their own version in the 1980s and called it the Ray-Ban Clubmaster. Giving this variety of sunglasses its name.

Wrap Sunglasses

Wrap sunglasses evolved from the Aviator style of sunglasses in the 1960s, and then with the upsurge of interest in glasses that could be used for athletic endeavours like skiing, cycling and running, they gained popularity and mainstream attention.

Wrap sunglasses feature a very pronounced curve in their design that allows them to hold firm the contours of the face and prevent the sung from getting to the eyes in any direction, making them the popular choice among sports people.

Shaped Sunglasses

Shaped sunglasses continue to evolve thanks to advances in the field of plastic moulding. These glasses, as the name suggests, are shaped to resemble their name. Shaped sunglasses come in a variety of shapes including Round sunglasses, square sunglasses, rectangle sunglasses, heart-shaped sunglasses, Butterfly sunglasses, Octagonal sunglasses and even Hexagonal sunglasses.

The key to purchasing any sunglass type in this segment is to experiment with as many shapes as possible until you find the one that best suits your face.

Summary

The world of sunglasses has a lot of terminology and moving parts, but we hope this post has demystified a few of those moving parts and ever-changing goalposts.

Sunglasses remain a valuable addition to any fashionista’s wardrobe and therefore understanding them is a worthy and noble pursuit. Thanks for reading.