It’s summer all year round on our tropical island, which means that the sun’s always out, and so are the UV rays as well. For the busy working woman who’s always shuttling to and fro appointments under the unforgiving sun, its vital to get proper protection from the toxic rays that are harmful on our eyes. But we do that in style, of course.
Sunglasses might be a small accessory, but they make a big impact on the overall style and feel of your outfit. Many of us might be guilty of going with that snooze-worthy pair of black sunglasses just because they’re convenient or hassle-free.
However, a brand new array of new silhouettes and styles have surfaced on runways this season, like refreshing lens colours that range from the adventurous neon green to safe whites. And not to mention, the era of upgraded wayfarers, aviator shapes, and cat eyes are upon us.
With our roundup of affordable sunnies from Zoff’s 2019 Sunglasses Collection that offer up to 99.9% UV protection and water repellent coats for easy maintenance, there’s no reason to shy away from picking up a new pair — or two.
READ ALSO: THE BUSY GIRL’S GUIDE TO EVERY STYLE OF SUNGLASSES (AND WHAT SUITS YOUR FACE SHAPE BEST!)
Step aside microscopic shades that were all the rage last summer. This SS19, more is more. Enter oversized ’80s retro style-inspired square frames. These large statement-making shapes kill two birds with one stone – elevating your outfit to one that’s fashionably chic, and shielding your face on days when you just can’t deal with makeup.
Brands like Burberry, Dior, and Boss are making us spoilt for choice with their offerings this season. Dior has got us literally looking through rose-tinted glasses with their chunky acetate monochromatic blush take on this trend, while Burberry’s versatile nude pair is a perfect mashup of this eyewear trend and the season’s most coveted colour: beige.
Photo: Burberry
Albeit it resembling a giant eye mask or protective eyewear made for science labs, this monochromatic lavender purple pair is actually pretty lightweight and doesn’t cause discomfort on the nose bridge after wear.
Photo: Zoff
READ ALSO: 9 MICRO SUNGLASSES TO WORK THE 90S-INSPIRED COMEBACK TREND
You know what they say? Two’s a party. And we can definitely get behind this party of two-tonal lenses. Especially when two summer-appropriate shades like hot fuchsia and neon green are right on top of the guest list at Emporio Armani. This bi-tonal phenomenon also materialises itself in the option of ombre lenses – as seen on Miu Miu and Elie Saab’s runways, where the transition from one colour to the next was more gradual and subtle with olive green hues.
Photo: Emporio Armani
This pair doesn’t stray much from Emporio Armani’s version – since it features the same pink-green pairing, but at a fraction of its price. Need we really say more? The vibrant pink and green tinted lenses add a pop of colour to your all-black or all-white outfits and channel OTT vibes with its double cat eye frame. Wear it on days where you need a little spice to break the workday monotony.
Photo: Zoff
READ ALSO: 9 MICRO SUNGLASSES TO WORK THE 90S-INSPIRED COMEBACK TREND
Here’s one for those who don’t fancy sharp edges and angular cuts, but rather prefer something more understated that’s suitable for easy day-to-day wear. You can never go wrong with a pair of timeless circle frames. ‘Timeless’ isn’t synonymous to ‘boring’, as the designers at Emporio Armani show us. Take the evergreen wire-frame glasses, put a futuristic spin on it, and voila. The living coral tinted lenses are also a plus point in our opinion because we get to don Pantone’s 2019 Colour of the Year.
Photo: Emporio Armani
Similar to the previous two-toned lenses, this sky blue to transparent ombre effect makes it the ideal eyewear choice for a day of relaxing by the beach. The arms of this pair allow for it to be compressed till its flat, so you don’t have to worry about bringing this on your travels or delicately caring for this pair, as it’s meant to withstand pressure on its temples without breaking.
Photo: Zoff
READ ALSO: 9 MICRO SUNGLASSES TO WORK THE 90S-INSPIRED COMEBACK TREND
If you’re a bona fide fierce femme, you are highly possible to have eyes for this sunglass shape. Not only does it exude tough empowered woman vibes, but it also creates an illusion of a much slimmer face and sharper cheekbones – making it perfect for anyone who has a round-shaped face.
Spotted on Miu Miu’s runway: an eclectic pair of orange cat eye sunnies that is an upgraded version of the basic cat eye silhouette, thanks to its irregular shape and its browline half-frame. At Michael Kors, the cat eyes were given the classic black-and-white treatment.
Photo: Miu Miu
Every woman needs to own that perdurable pair of black sunglasses that sit among her handbag essentials, and this is our new favourite elevated piece. One that is not too showy, not too plebeian, and goes with pretty much everything. It’s khaki coloured lenses gives it an extra rugged look.
Photo: Zoff
READ ALSO: 9 MICRO SUNGLASSES TO WORK THE 90S-INSPIRED COMEBACK TREND
Regardless of whether they had precise edges like that of Self Portrait’s or boast of slightly rounded perimeters like Off White’s (as seen on the right), rectangular frames are always polished and sophisticated.
Photo: Off White
This pair has got our vote simply because its the perfect balance between angular upper corners and rounded bottom corners, in the form of a fun feminine pair. Whoever said that you can’t have the best of both worlds have not seen this rectangular one.
Zoff’s 2019 sunglasses collection is now available at all Zoff stores in Singapore. Prices start from S$98.
Photo: Zoff
READ ALSO: 9 MICRO SUNGLASSES TO WORK THE 90S-INSPIRED COMEBACK TREND