Shameless Fixation # 1 - Dita Eyewear and Cazal Vintage 902

I own a lot of pairs of sunglasses and the collection is always growing, but I’m not Old Money, so sometimes I can only pine for what I don’t have. This feeling comes around from time to time and it’s either me personally or my bank which keeps me from buying said item.

Right now my shameless fixation is Dita and Cazal’s collaborative re-release of the vintage 902. Gaze your eyes:

The whole set

This is the sharpest style I’ve seen in a long time. The lines are so slick and incredibly cut. A lot of work was put into this model. Cazal and Dita are both known for their intricate frames and this one is no exception.

Source: Cazal x Dita

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9:12 AM by Sunglasses Guy · View Comments

Super Sunglasses New Release - Retro Again with Ciccio

The Italian brand Super Sunglasses has released another model called Ciccio and it is a bit of a step away from the Wayfarer, but still based on it. Continuing with its success opening the brand with the Wayfarer, there are two versions of the Ciccio, both which have a similar shape and look. There is the standard Ciccio, which is like a fatter-nerdier version of the Wayfarer, but still looks very cool. They come in red, black and jacquard. Take a look:

Ciccio Red

Ciccio Jaquard

Ciccio Black

Ciccio Flat Top Black Chicano

Also, there is the Flat Top (just above), which I need to get a hold of. It’s got an 80’s feel to it, but not Corey Heart 80’s.

If Super Sunglasses consistently brings out new and fresh models, they are going to be huge. You can already spot them on a number of celebrities and many common folk. For being handcrafted in Italy, they are not too expensive. Colourful and incredibly in style, get yourself a pair.

Source: Super Sunglasses

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6:45 AM by Sunglasses Guy · View Comments

Transmission Rates for Sunglasses - What are they?

Transmission rates. An unfortunate name for this part of the unending technology you can learn about sunglasses. This one is quite simple actually. It is what it sounds like. The transmission rate (also called transmittance) is a percentage given which describes the amount (or rate) of sunlight that will go through the lenses of your sunglasses and into your eyes. Being a percentage, they run from 0% (black as night) to 100% (clear as day). All lenses fall somewhere in between there, most being closer to 0%. Each different range of transmission rates also has categories which are organized like this:

Category 0: 80 – 100%
Category 1: 46 – 79 %
Category 2: 18 – 45 %
Category 3: 8 – 17 %
Category 4: 3 – 8 %

I hope this makes sense to someone

Category 0: These lenses are those which allow the most sunlight in and are commonly associated with safety goggles or eyeglasses, or when you need to be completely seeing what you are doing. Other colors in this range are bright yellow and some oranges. They are not really useful in sporting except for night time sports and indoor sports.

Category 1 lenses are more common. They can be used for most sporting events, as they will provide adequate coverage in most conditions.

Category 2 lenses are a lot more common and better suited for sports as they do not allow too much sunlight in as to affect your vision, but allow enough in to let you see what you are doing. Most brands use category 3 lenses for a large percentage of their models as this amount of light just happens to suit sports perfectly.

Category 3 lenses are quite dark. They are used for many different sports, where the light is so bright that you need extra coverage (e.g., snowboarding, skiing). They can be great for a day at the beach as well, and I would recommend them for many sports in daylight. Category 2 and 3 are the most common for everything from sporting to fashion.

Category 4 lenses are so dark that less than 10% of sunlight passes through them. You cannot see the eyes of the person wearing these kinds of lenses, so they are the dark kind the mustached-pervs wear in the park. Kidding. They are designed for conditions in which the sun will be beaming down on you. Some sporting events might require these kinds of shades, but usually they are for fashion, coverage at the beach, or to hide bloodshot eyes from your boss or clergyman. You CANNOT wear them while driving. It is not safe and is in fact illegal in many countries. Ok, enough lecturing for today.

Source: My Brain

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8:58 AM by Sunglasses Guy · View Comments

Tipton Eyeworks - Frames, Film and Fashion

Zachary Tipton has the perfect job. Being able to take everything you have a passion for and mix it in to your work is an opportunity that truly not many people get. His sunglasses reflect his passion, and their originality and uniqueness are unmatched.

There are quite a few styles under the Tipton name and I simply can’t express how cool the Vinylize and Cinematique sunglass lines are. The Vinylize sunglasses are made from old records from Virgin and have such a characteristic look to them. The Cinematique line (my favourite) uses film reel from old films on the temples, and you can see a few scenes in them. The films range from romantic comedies to Godfather, so they each have their own feel. Have a peek at some photos he sent me:

Hitchcock

Kubrick

Chaplin

Apparently the sunglasses are adjustable, as the core is steel, so don’t worry about a bad fit. The biggest trouble you’ll have is going through the experience of people ogling your eyewear (Life is so tough). All of the materials are European, and literally come from all over Europe. Even cooler is the fact that they use recycled materials!

I am far from the only person that’s appreciating the originality and effort put into these sunglasses. Zachary Tipton’s hard work is appreciated the world round and has been nominated for numerous design awards. Take a look at the website for more information.

Source: Tipton

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2:34 AM by Sunglasses Guy · View Comments

Funk Advertisements and Sunglasses

In what is the best sunglasses advertisement (printed) that I’ve seen this year, Funk Sunglasses has taken one of sunglasses’ most under-utilized functions and made two beautiful posters. The function I’m talking about is hiding the evidence of what you were up to the night before, and keeping those bloodshot eyes under some dark lenses. The slogan fittingly is “No One Needs To Know What You Did Last Night”. There is a male and female version of the poster and the depth and detail is astonishing. In both posters we see the two have been up to no good (depending on your perspective) through different scenes in their night.

What did you do last night?

The advertising campaign has won an award at the Cannes Lions competition and this doesn’t surprise me. Someone put a lot of time into making these scenes of debauchery come to life.

The sunglasses themselves pretty much fit the name. They are simple but funky and I’m sure would do a good job to cover up your bloodshot eyes. Check them out at the Funk Sunglasses website.

Source: Funk Sunglasses

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8:11 AM by Sunglasses Guy · View Comments

Chanel 5018 Sunglasses - Impractically Hot

Making one single style of sunglasses this hot can’t be easy, but Chanel has done it with its 5018 style. This is perhaps the most popular pair of shades among high-end fashion conscious women. First appearing on the faces of Nicole Richie, Mary-Kate Olsen, this style grabs your eyes immediately. A friend of mine has this pair, and people are always asking her what they are and where she got them. Behold:

For women only for now

This is maybe the style of the season for women. I’ve heard that it is almost impossible to get hold of now, and people are paying big dollars on online shops and e-bay for them.

While the half-gradation really doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t need to, it looks amazing. Creative, original, the 5018 is just one of a great line of great Chanel sunglasses available this year. Check them out:

Source: Chanel

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6:41 AM by Sunglasses Guy · View Comments

Dolce and Gabbana Sunglasses – Oozing Sexy in 2009

It really doesn’t matter what time of the year it is, or if you are indoors or out. It’s always the right time to wear sunglasses in Italy, and the sexier the better. Nobody can reach sexy quite like Dolce and Gabbana. Sunglasses, shirts, jeans, dress, pants, it doesn’t matter, sexy is there. In general they follow some fashion trends and create a few of their own, and this is the same for sunglasses. Their Fall and Winter catalogue for this year includes a few pairs which are characteristic of the Dolce and Gabbana feel. Have a peek:

Could you rock this jacket?

You can see classic wayfarer and aviators shapes, and even some of the 80’s in this mix. Often DG try to keep a low profile with their clothes, so we don’t have a lot of massive logos plastered all over the place (though they’ve done it before) like you see with most high-end fashion brands.

Dolce and Gabbana is still small enough that you won’t have any awkward moments in elevators releasing that you are wearing the same thing as the person beside you. They do this on purpose and it is tough to find a shop unless you are in a major metropolitan area. If you are sure you want to buy Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses, I would recommend starting with their website, as I don’t trust a lot of the online shops, especially considering how low the price can get. Expect to pay anywhere from $170 - $280.  

Dolce and Gabbana eyewear available at Frames Direct:

Source: Dolce & Gabbana

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7:27 AM by Sunglasses Guy · View Comments