Sunglasses’ main purpose is to protect your eyes. A century ago men used to wear hats for eye protection. Now only a few men own hats and prefer sunglasses to protect their eyes, representing a perfect way to add personal style to their outfits.

As it’s the case with all accessories, there is a right way and a wrong way to wear sunglasses. They can either protect your eyes and make you look stylish, or they protect you and make you look like a jerk.

Therefore, we thought of giving you a few tips to take into consideration when purchasing a new pair of sunglasses. But first, let’s have a brief look at the history of these daily used accessories.

History of sunglasses

As far as we know, Inuit people would cover their eyes with rudimentary, slitted goggles made from walrus ivory to shield their eyes from the rays of sun. However, it is being considered that the Roman emperor Nero was the first one to wear sunglasses (emeralds placed in front of his eyes) when watching gladiators battle.

It was only in the 1900’s when sunglasses started to be worn as we do today. Back then, movie stars began wearing sunglasses in public in order not to be recognized by their fans. Soon after, sunglasses had become a fashionable accessory, gaining more and more interest from both men and women.

But the world of sunglasses really took off in 1936, when Edwin H. Land invented polarized sunglasses which pilots started to use to enhance their visibility and reduce glare.

In ‘80s Ray Ban capitalized the market with what are now commonly known as “Aviators”, when they placed a pair on Tom Cruise in the blockbuster “Top Gun”. Today there are hundreds, if not thousands, of companies producing sunglasses, however Ray-Bans remained an iconic fashion statement worldwide.

Finding the perfect sunglasses for your face shape

It’s important to know which sunglass frames are right for your face shape as it will help you pick the style that complements your features rather than fighting against them.

1. Oblong (your face is longer than it is wide, and the lines of your jaw and cheekbones are relatively rounded):
   • Don’t wear anything that will make your face even longer.
   • A pair of tear-drop sunglasses might not work for you.
2. Inverted Triangle (your forehead is wider than your chin, which narrows down with relatively straight lines):
   • A rounded lens will play against the geometry of your face, however be careful not to go too heavy on the brow. For example, a pair of Ray-Ban Clubmaster, might accentuate the width of your forehead. Go for a wire-framed, double-bridged version.
   • If you prefer something classic, a tortoiseshell frame with a keyhole bridge should be just perfect for you.
3. Diamond (length and width are pretty similar, but the cheekbones are more pronounced, and the jaw well defined):
   • Classic Carreras will complete your face shape perfectly.
   • Round shapes and rectangular styles might fit you well too.
4. Square (the width and length of your head are nearly identical, and you’ve got a squared off jaw):
   • Avoid wearing anything that is too geometric.
   • For example, you can go for square or rectangular frames, however with rounded edges.
5. Round (quite self-explanatory):
   • Avoid perfectly-circular lenses (ex. John Lenon style) and play with square-shaped aviators with rounded edges.
6. Heart (the shape is similar to the inverted triangle, however a little softer all around. The forehead is still wider than the chin, but the shape is a little rounder around the jawline):
   • Don’t go for any frames that are too wide or heavy. Instead try classic tear-drop aviators which will add a little extra weight to the lower side of the face.
7. Oval (your face is a little longer than it is wide, and the jaw and cheekbones are slightly rounded. Your forehead is also a bit wider than your jaw):
   • You are lucky, because this is the easiest face shape to fit with a pair of shades.
   • You can wear pretty much anything you want.