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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sunglasses Getting Smaller, With Fun, Colorful Frames

Shanna Southern Peterson Correspondent

There have been major developments and advances in the design of sunglasses in the 70 years since Bausch & Lomb was first approached by the U.S. Army to develop a lens that would protect soldiers’ eyes from the bright sunlight during desert battles.

Despite the military’s satisfaction with the product, designers at Bausch & Lomb were unsure whether the general public would ever accept darkly tinted glasses. They shouldn’t have worried.

From the early 1950s, consumers have bought scores of sunglasses and related products. They’re not only worn as protective eyewear, but also as essential accessories that complete or enhance a fashion look. This year, size and style will be the top influences in sunglasses.

The hottest size is slightly smaller than in previous years. They’re not tiny by any means, but neither are they huge. The style is all about attitude, a hip urban look that’s the personification of cool. Both elements lead to a very sexy look for men and women in ‘98.

Another important innovation in eyewear is tinted reading glasses for aging Boomers who want to read the latest thriller at the beach, but don’t own prescription sunglasses. Now you can purchase Sunreaders (Liz Claiborne) in a variety of magnification strengths and styles. Also available: stick-on magnifying half-lenses that apply directly to your regular sunglasses then peel off at the end of the day.

For women, the hottest looks this year will be in the plastic frames. They are glamorous, fun styles that simply scream to be noticed. The colors vary from bright reds to cool blues, with a rainbow of hues and patterns in between. Men can expect to find more and more styles represented by the Killer Loop designs. Sleek metal frames shaped into narrow ovals with mirrored lenses will be the street-wise look for this summer.

When choosing the right sunglasses, the first thing you need to do is determine the shape of your face, then find frames to flatter it.

A triangular face calls for emphasis toward the bottom part of the face. Select frames with thin metal, oval or teacup rims that don’t set too far up on the face. Choose rectangular glasses with very dark lenses if you have a round face. This will help minimize the fullness through the cheek area.

A square face looks less severe if you wear glasses with some roundness to them, such as the aviator style. The new cat-eye frames look great on anyone with a long, narrow face. It’s a style that compliments this shape by drawing attention out and up. If you’ve been blessed with an oval face, you already know you can wear practically anything and look wonderful. Try the ultra-chic plastic Hollywood styles in cherry red or icy white.

Prices for these new styles start out quite low and can go very, very high. You can pick up two or three pairs at discount retailers for as little as $8 each - but if you decide to go with a designer label, you’ll pay much more.

Ray-Bans start at around $70 and go well over $150 for its most popular styles. Guess? prices most of its coolest frames around $65, while Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani are at the other end of the scale, coming in around $200 per pair.

Whatever style you choose, be sure to look for lenses that offer 100 percent UV protection. Just as your skin needs sunscreen to prevent harmful ultraviolet rays from causing damage, your eyes need to be protected, too. If the glasses you are considering don’t filter out at least 99.8 percent of the UVB rays they won’t do you any good. Keep looking until you find a style that looks good and is good for you.

MEMO: Shanna Southern Peterson is a Spokane writer and home economist. The Clothesline appears weekly. Ideas for the column may be sent to her c/o The Spokesman-Review Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210, or e-mail shanptr@aol.com.

Shanna Southern Peterson is a Spokane writer and home economist. The Clothesline appears weekly. Ideas for the column may be sent to her c/o The Spokesman-Review Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210, or e-mail shanptr@aol.com.