Celeb-Approved Statement Sunglasses to Shield the Sun in Style

Think about it: Shading your eyeballs from the sun is kind of a no-brainer, but chances are that while you're carefully curating your next-day outfit, the last thing you're thinking about is what kind of fashion statement you're making with your sunglasses. Well, it's time to reprioritize your style goals. Sunnies, after all, are your "most important commuter accessory," according to E! Style Collective style expert Lindsay Albanese.

Need proof? Take a glance at head-turners like Raven-Symoné and Gigi Hadid who top off even the most basic of T-shirt and jeans combos with "over-the-top statement shades that are all about dressing for the element of impact," said Lindsay.

Sunglasses are an essential and very practical element in your wardrobe, and unlike a trendy top or skirt that won't get much mileage, you can pick a flamboyant pair and re-wear them day after day without getting tired of them. "You don't have to consider dress codes or anything like that, so all fashion rules go out the window," insisted Lindsay.

If this is your first foray into statement sunnies territory, "dip your toes in the trend by going with a mirrored lens or a clear frame in a classic retro shape like the cat-eye or wayfarer, easing your way into the more artistic, obscure versions."

For veteran shady ladies, challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and opt for an intermediate style—something that's a little bolder than just a reflective lens, like an out-of-the-box shape or a festive pattern.


Fashion risk-takers in the advanced category know that "the purpose of statement shades is to be artistic and to make an impression," said Lindsay. At this level, candy-colored frames in asymmetrical shapes might seem a bit over the top, but, hey, isn't that the point?

A Pair Of Sunglasses That Simulate LSD Hallucinations

Viewing the world through rose-colored glasses is boring. What about hallucinogenic-, psychotropic-, electric-Kool-Aid-colored glasses instead? 
Wayfarer, meet way out: Hungarian artist Bence Agoston has created a pair of sunglasses that can simulate hallucination. (At least the visual kind.)

In appearance, Mood's 3-D printed frames look like a cross between John Lennon's wire-rimmed ovals and the old maven glasses Elton John sometimes wears in concert. But the frames aren't really the star of the show here: the lenses are. Agoston's sunglasses can be used to simulate all sorts of technicolor freakouts thanks to six special inserts which can be layered over one another. Each lens is based on a different Moiré pattern that filters red, green, or blue light. Three lenses can be placed in front of each eye; by rotating them, different patterns can be created.



"Because each color filters the incoming lights differently, and the patterns can overlap each other or leave blank fields, the new view is completely random and twisted," says Agoston. Not that you have to trip out all the time. "Mood can also be used with clear lenses, for everyday living," he notes.

Asked when you should use his Mood sunglasses, Agoston basically comes right out and says the optimal use case is in the back of a colorfully painted school bus with Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters.


"The ideal situation for use is during travel, when people listen to music, just looking out the window and watching the ever-changing sights, in perfect harmony with the music. The shape is designed with the aim of simplicity and distinctness, as if the wearer belongs to a kind of subculture." Just any old subculture, huh?

Skugga sunglasses tint on command or automatically

Well, that didn't take long. In less than a year, electrochromic sunglasses have gone from being experimental to an actual product, with Dutch startup Ctrl announcing its tint-on-demand Ctrl One cycling glasses just this month. Should you prefer multi-use electronically-tinting sunglasses, however, you might want to get yourself a pair of Skugga shades.
  Electrochromic sunglasses are similar to traditional photochromic transition eyeglasses, in that their lenses automatically switch from clear to tinted when exposed to ultraviolet light. That said, while photochromic lenses take several seconds to make the change, electrochromic lenses do so instantly. Additionally, their users can switch between clear and tinted modes manually – this could be particularly useful in situations such as driving, in which photochromic lenses won't darken because they're shaded from the sunlight.
                   

While Ctrl utilizes "e-tint" technology developed by Ohio-based company AlphaMicron, Skugga has gone with a system from Sweden's LC-Tec. It incorporates liquid crystal filters within the lenses, that darken or brighten in response to the application of a low-voltage electrical current.
  According to the designers, the lenses block 100 percent of UVA and UVB light even at their lightest tint – they do not go completely untinted. Additionally, for people who care to keep track of such things, the app lets users know their own level of UV exposure over time. For users who don't want to be constantly accessing the app, the glasses can be switched between auto and two user-defined tint presets by flipping their right-hand arm.
                   

The glasses' battery is charged wirelessly, with one charge reportedly being good for about 8 hours in auto or 12 in manual. The lenses automatically default to their lightest tint when the battery is dead.

What We're Buying: Pink Peonies Blogger Rachel Parcell's Retro Sunglasses!

Have you bought anything you loved lately? In the PEOPLE StyleWatch offices, the answer to that question is usually “Yes.” We love to

                                                     

share our absolute can’t-miss picks in our gallery, What We’re Loving Right Now — as well as style blogger and jewelry designer Rachel Parcell’s favorite sunnies.
  “Nothing completes a look quite like a glam pair of sunglasses. Currently I’m opting for retro inspired shades that give a vintage-chic flare to each outfit I pair them with. Ever since I picked up these retro Prada sunglasses, they have been on major repeat. I recently spent a few days in the gorgeous mountains of Deer Valley and these sunnies paired perfectly with all of my cozy layers. Now I’m dreaming of how perfect they will look when paired with a floppy hat on a warm, tropical beach!” (Note: June 27th is National Sunglasses Day, and Parcell is also loving these retro styles — shop here, here and here!)

Rachel Parcell of The Pink Peonies is a style and beauty blogger based out of Salt Lake City. She recently launched her first jewelry collection featuring cuffs, rings and necklaces all under $100. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram!

Animal Planet star Sunglass Cat visits metro Detroit

People are noticing the celebrity in Plymouth's Kellogg Park and asking if they can take her picture. Some are even getting to hold her.

                                                         

Sunglass Cat doesn't mind the attention. She's been getting more of it than ever since competing on the Animal Planet special "America's Next Cat Star."

The 2-year-old cat with the bedazzled shades, whose real name is Bagel, doesn't wear them as a style statement or a gimmick. Born without eyelids, she needs them to protect her eyes from debris. In her usual home of Los Angeles, she often hits the beach with her owner, Karen McGill.

A Detroit native who moved to the West Coast about four years ago, McGill rescued Sunglass Cat from a shelter when the kitten was a few months old, and she originally meant for the cat to live with her daughter.

"She stuck her paw out. She was very cross-eyed. We were like, 'This one chose us,' " she remembers.

McGill had to nurse the underweight kitten back to health, sleeping on her daughter's apartment floor and feeding Bagel by hand every half-hour to help with her digestive problems. Then she discovered the eye condition, which led to three surgeries.

Because of those health issues, McGill wound up keeping Bagel at her place. She still has to monitor Bagel's eyes, putting in drops several times a day and plucking out lashes that grow inside instead of a normal lash line. Left unattended, they could scratch her corneas and lead to blindness, according to McGill.