5 Summer Sunglasses Styles for Women

Summer sunglasses are a must. I lived in Arizona for six years and I learned first-hand just how important it is to wear quality sunglasses. If you’ve been to Arizona, you know that sunglasses are a non-negotiable with that blindingly bright sun most of the year. Now that it’s summer for the rest of the country, I wanted to share five cool summer sunglasses styles for women.

I personally believe in investing in high quality, classic  sunglasses. I’ve worn the same pair of Chanel sunglasses for a couple seasons now. They are a rounded rectangular shape that is very flattering to my face shape and they are black with the signature Chanel quilting. Classics, that won’t go out of style anytime soon.

But for some people, buying expensive sunglasses just doesn’t make sense. If you are anything like my husband, you tend to break or lose your sunglasses several times a year. In this case, you might prefer a less expensive option. Given these two scenarios, I picked five different styles of glasses at three different prices to fit every budget.

Wayfarer

Wayfarer sunglasses were first created by Ray-Ban back in the 50’s. This style is modern and classic and can suit almost any face shape. When choosing the right pair for your face, make sure to pay attention to the proportions. If you have a smaller face, a more narrow frame will work. If you have a larger face, make sure to find a large enough frame to deemphasize the size of your face.  Here are some other good tips for choosing the right pair of wayfarers.

$ – Vestal
$$ – Ray-Ban
$$$ – Prada

Cat Eye

All the cool kids are wearing cat eyes this summer. Cat eye sunglasses will look best on people with a round or square face shape.  However, there are many different variations of cat eyes, so if you have an angular shaped face, choose a more rounded cat eye. If you want to add more angles and shape to your face, choose a sharp and angular frame.

$ – Urban Outfitters
$$ – Betsy Johnson
$$$ – Alexander Mcqueen

Aviator

Also first developed by Ray-Ban, aviators date back to the 1930’s, first developed for pilots. Just like cat eyes, they were very popular in the 1960’s. Aviators also had a resurgence of popularity in the 1980’s with the release of Top Gun.

Although aviators tend to be more masculine, women can wear them too.  Plenty of celebrities are wearing them, and they are a classic shape. Most women can wear aviators if they choose the right sized frame for their face shape (same rules apply as with the cat eye). If you want them to be more feminine, choose a colored frame, like the light pink ones I chose.

$ – LOFT
$$ – Ray-Ban
$$ – Isabel Marant for Oliver Peoples

Round

Round sunglasses were first made popular in the 1960’s — think John Lennon. They have seen a comeback in the late 2000’s. Proenza Schouler brought them back in 2008, but that style only worked on women with strong jaw lines. Round sunglasses of today have since morphed with larger and more angular styles that work on more face shapes.

$ – Dorothy Perkins
$$ – Kate Spade
$$$ – Lanvin

Printed

If you like to be on the cutting edge of trends and have fun with your accessories, a pair of printed sunglasses is perfect for you. Floral prints are everywhere in 2014, so why not add them to your face?  Floral print sunglasses will look adorable with your boring black bikini or plain sundress.

$ – Full Tilt
$$ – Sole Society
$$$ – Dolce & Gabbana

These are some of my favorite summer sunglasses styles right now. Which style are you wearing this summer?