Seems there are more great sunglass brands available than ever before. Savvy distributors know that in the current economy you may not be able to justify another new designer outfit: easier to talk yourself into a pair of head-turning sunnies that may be designed by Zambesi, Karen Walker, Sass & Bide, Country Road, Versace, Prada, Dolce e Gabanna – the list goes on and on.
To help sort the aviators from the teashades*, we asked Style Doctor Jackie O’Fee (www.signaturestyle.co.nz) to recommend styles for some of our most familiar New Zealand faces.
Rachel Hunter: Jackie says “Lucky Rachel has an oval face, she can wear any sunglass shape. I like Alex Perry’s rendition of an aviator for her – it has understated glamour and I think that sums up ‘our Rach.’ Also – her features are actually quite fine, and this style is not too big and won’t overwhelm them.
Dan Carter: Jackie says “I think he would look best with nothing on at all! But in terms of sunglasses – Dan has a nice strong jaw and he’s quite fashion focussed. The rectangular shape of this Zambesi Aeronaut will play up the strength of his features and suit his flat brow line – plus he can wear the mirrored lenses on days when he doesn’t want to engage with his adoring fans.”
Zowie: “Zowie too has angular features and really strong brows, and she appears to like to play them up. She’d wear something fashion forward like this Miu Miu style – she can carry it because of her personality. In this instance we are working with the angular features, rather than trying to soften them.”
Sally Ridge: “Sally has quite an angular face, with a reasonably strong jawline. I would recommend this Cats Eye shape for her – it’s curvy to balance that angularity, particularly in the lower part of the frame. And it’s kind of sporty, it’d look great with a pair of jeans. I don’t think anything with too much fluff would be right for Sally, she prefers a bit of cool.”
Colin Mathura-Jeffree: Jackie says “Colin has a really strong jawline, he’s a beautiful man. But he has that whole flamboyant personality and he could make these Karen Walker sunglasses work. That being said, he loves staring straight down the barrel of a camera lens, so you might never see him in sunnies!”
Boh Runga: “Boh’s all about cheekbones and her face is quite wide across that area, so she needs a decent bit of width. Plus, her face is relatively round so she needs some angles. This Prada frame is quite square and heavy but Boh has the features to carry it. She has the poise to wear high fashion and look credible – a woman who knows her own mind. Strong frames for a strong woman.”
Stockists:
Alex Perry @ Specsavers
Karen Walker www.karenwalkereyewear.com
Miu Miu @ Sunglass Hut
Prada @ Sunglass Hut
Vogue @ OPSM
Zambesi @ www.zambesi.co.nz
*teashades: 'John Lennon', round, wire-framed glasses
– Julie Roulston
In Part II next week: Jackie’s recommendations for David Dallas, Trelise Cooper, Bret McKenzie, Kate Sylvester and Sara Tetro.
Images: The A-List
Rihanna's image: Sunglass Hut
Boh's image: Bohrunga.com