A Dozen Stylish Sunglasses

Nasty Gal’s Gunn Cut-Out style works well for round faces. $22.65, nastygal.com.

Cheap chic: Lightweight rose gold metal frames with lightly tinted lenses. $22.65, asos.com.

See Eyewear (seeeyewear.com and 1261 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202- 337-5988) offers fashionable European-brand frames without the high designer label cost. These modified rectangular shades are handmade in Italy. $99.

Square, wrap-style polarized shades from Ralph protect as well as flatter oval and round faces. $129.95, sunglasshut.com.

These thoroughly modern-looking ’40s-style butterscotch frames are made in France. $99, seeeyewear.com and 1261 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202- 337-5988.

Originally designed for the U.S. military fighter pilots in 1937, this updated version of classic aviators from Ray-Ban (with polarization– a special chemical film that helps reduce glare) are $200 at sunglasshut.com.

Kate Spade specs return a lot of style for the buck, like this retro, exaggerated cat-eye silhouette, Deandra. Also available in mint and black and white. $169, nordstrom.com.

Defy the heat in these Self Portrait – Edition Three round-shaped lenses surrounded by a matte white cat’s eye frame. $125, lespecs.com.

A classic cat-eye shape, Jonathan Adler’s Palm Beach sunglasses come in a sassy red with graphic patterns inside the temples. $128, jonathanadler.com.

Costa Del Mar sunglasses are designed for fans of open water. Each pair is packed with patented technology that enhances colors and eliminates haze and blur. $169, sunglasshut.com.

Slender, slightly rounded “Henry” tortoise shades are made with titanium and polycarbonate lenses. Starting at $195, including prescription lenses, warbyparker.com.

Designed for glider pilots competing in the 2008 World Gliding Championships in Rieti, Loro Piana’s aviators feature ultra-light (6.5 grams) frames in polished gold-plated titanium. The ultra-thin polarized lenses in optical glass (only 1.8 mm thick) contain “rare earth” elements that guarantee clarity and depth perception. $1,375, loropiana.com.

I THINK IT must have been around the time of my 25^th birthday. I had just broken up with someone my parents considered Mr. Right when my mother announced I needed to buy a pair of sunglasses. “You’re getting crow’s feet from squinting,” she said, code for you’re not getting any younger, dear.

Fortunately, that traumatic moment didn’t sour me on sunglasses for the duration. On the contrary, I’ve always loved shades for that soupçon of mystery I feel when I hide my eyes behind them, getting in touch with my inner spy.

In any case, sunglasses, a summertime staple, have year-round appeal as a  versatile fashion accessory. They can cover bloodshot eyes and let you go without makeup. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. A general rule of thumb for shape:  a strong, distinct square frame works best for a round face, while a rounder frame with a softer edge complements a more angular face. Clarity, durability, weight and cost depend on the materials used in the lenses (glass, polycarbonate, or plastic) and the frames. Polarized lenses which reduce glare will add to the cost. All sunglasses should block ultraviolet light, which can lead to cataract development and age-related macular degeneration; if there’s no UV information on the tag or price sticker, look for another pair.

We’ve picked out our favorites for the season that we’re sure will give any look an extra ounce of chic any time of year. They range in price from uber-expensive Loro Piana aviators ($1, 375) to Asos’ River Island round shades in rose gold ($22.65).

—Janet Kelly
Janet Kelly is the editor of MyLittleBird. Her last post was on how to channel Tilda Swinton cool.