Prettier Than Everyone Else, Summer Sunglasses Ed.

Enough with the substance (what little I have of it) - let's get back to the superficial, shall we?

As I've mentioned on these Pretty pages before, it's my birthright as a Californian to speak with authority on two subjects - (1) cosmetic surgery; and (2) looking more tan/ beach-y than nature intended.  Given the season & my personal area of expertise, let's dive back into the latter. Having already discussed the right casual dresses here and here, and the proper watches and bags here, I bring you the next essential item - the latest sunglasses.

In addition to completing your summertime look, sunglasses serve a vitally important purpose - a visage behind which you can discreetly observe and judge other beachgoers.  Being that getting judgy is one of my favorite pastimes, we won't be looking at those likely to blow your espionage cover - the clear frames or those absurd Kanye ones that I've started to see actual live people wearing.*

*I thought the point was wearing rose-colored glasses, not shuttered ones?  Either way, just . . . no.

Let's take a look at a sampling of the non-patently-ridiculous sunglass trends:

Starting from the top right corner, working clockwise:

• "MICHAEL Michael Kors Aviators" ($95):  Timeless, yet still very current, and as near a universally face-flattering frame as it gets.  Bonus points for reminding me of "Top Gun", back before we knew Maverick was crazy and short.
• "Topshop Preppy Plastic" ($30):  Attention preps - round frames are back in a big way this summer.  This could not be a less flattering look on my own round face, but those with smaller features & a narrower face can pull these off.
• "Oliver Peoples Sabrina" ($395):  Here's the boho choice with rose-tinted lenses and a larger frame.  Having tried these on personally, I can vouch for their incredible comfort.  A good choice for anyone else similarly large-noggined.
• "Ray-Ban Wayfarer" ($195):  This classic is still omnipresent, but my guess is that these flat-top glasses have been around long enough that it may be headed back out & replaced by those round Topshop frames.  For those who could care less about the trend-factor (and, unlike me, look decent in them), go for it; these are timeless.
• "Fendi Stitch-Effect" ($355):  My favorite & most similar to the giant pair I sport myself.  If you have to ask yourself, "Is she legally blind, or is that a celebrity hiding behind those Pluto-sized frames?" those are the ones for me.  The 2009 change to these oversized, wraparound frames is the lack of the Logo; looks like the label-y "It" sunglass might be headed the way of the "It" be-logoed bag.

Which pair best suits your sleuthing and style needs, pets?