Made for the Shade

Ah, spring. The birds are chirping, the days are getting longer...and brighter, which brings me to my point: Protecting yourself from the sun! I shouldn't have to tell you that your daytime moisturizer should have an SPF of at least 15 and should be used EVERY day, even in winter, and even when it's overcast out. But I digress: Today, I want to talk about SUNGLASSES! What a fun accessory! I love them. They're cute, they can set a mood, and they protect your eyes, not to mention the skin around them from yucky crows feet! Fashion AND function? What's not to love?

A lot of people neglect the sunglass cases when shopping and just grab any random (and usually unflattering) pair because they simply don't know how to find the right pair. Here's how to get it right:

First, take an old lipstick or a bar of soap and stand in front of a mirror. Using the lipstick or soap (which will wash off your mirror very easily), trace the outline of your face, from your hairline to your cheekbones to your chin. Your face will likely fall into one of the following categories: round, oval, heart, or square. You should be able to tell by the outline you've drawn on the mirror- step away from it to get the best view of the shape. Remember: The most important thing is 100% UV protection! If that's not tagged on the glasses, DON'T BUY THEM! They may be cute but they'll do nothing for your eyes, and the whole point is protecting your vision. Here's the fun part:

If you have a . . .

Round Face: Your face is as wide as it is tall and has rounded edges, so you want to balance that. Try square or rectangular frames to slim it down and elongate it. These rectangular frames from Target are a perfect option for only $14.99!

Oval Face: Your face is considered "ideal" for sunglasses because of its balanced proportions. Your face is taller than it is wide and has rounded edges. You're lucky in that you can choose nearly any style- they'll all flatter you- but you have a challenge ahead of you because there are so many options for you! These, from Forever 21, are only $5.80, and are a trendy, plaid-printed version of Ray Ban's Wayfarer style. So much fun!

Heart Face: Your outline might look like a heart or more like an upside down triangle. You have a broad forehead and a narrower chin, so you generally want to stick with more delicate frames, such as aviators, rimless or shield styles, or even cat-eye styles to balance things out. Avoid big, chunky, or bold frames as they'll draw too much attention to your forehead. Try these aviators from Old Navy, only $9.50!

Square Face: Your face is more angular at the jawline and possibly along the hairline, so you want to try to soften your features. Create a sense of balance by adding curves: Rounder frames or even a cat-eye style will complement your face best. Try this pair, modeled after Jackie O.'s style, for only $14.99 from Urban Outfitters.

Happy hunting! I like to pick up a few pairs of cheap shades to keep in my car, my beach bag, and my purse just in case I forget to grab my regular ones. Plus, I like to mix it up a little- makes life more interesting! If you like to wear higher end sunglasses, try the bargain basements for amazing deals- I've seen amazing designer styles for less than $40 many times! When buying designer, stick to a classic style, like an aviator, Wayfarer, or a plain rectangle, and a basic black or tortoise color so that you'll get the most use out of them. If you want turquoise polka dot frames, awesome, go for it, but don't pay more than ten dollars for them!