Slipping into a pair of designer sunglasses can transform anyone. The right choice of eyewear can make you feel like you've changed into an entirely different person without having to change any other part of your appearance. Some of the most famous actors and actresses would be lost without a good pair of sunglasses. Although you won't be blinded by camera flash of the paparazzi you can still feel like a movie star in a great pair of sunglasses. No other item you wear or carry can help change your appearance as quickly as the right pair of sunglasses. People have been relying on sunglasses for hundreds or even thousands of years. Designers have taken to designing eyewear with an enthusiasm that used to be reserved for clothes. They know the value that people put on their image and they know how much the right pair of glasses can augment the wearer’s image. Designers have offered up thousands of styles that will, if you are so inclined, allow you to change your image every day of the year. You have shoes for all the right occasions, purses and handbags to match, and watches to fit the outfit. Now sunglasses have been put in the same category as other accessories such as bracelets, watches, and necklaces. No longer are sunglasses only used to block sunlight but they have become a way to express one's self. No longer do you just keep a pair of all-purpose shades clipped to the visor of your car. You don’t leave home without the right pair of designer sunglasses just like you don’t leave home without wearing the right outfit. A little history about sunglasses: Rome’s Nero used to watch gladiators fight through emerald stones. Chinese judges of the 12th century used to question defendants and witnesses through emerald eyes to hide their expressions and Inuit’s used ivory bands with horizontal slits in them to save their eyes from the sun’s glare off the endless snow and ice. Today you can pick out sunglasses for anything from water sports to mountain climbing. But, fashion and personal branding is what designers have in mind. No, you don’t have to wear, Persol, Polo, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Ray-Ban, Revo, Salvatore Ferragamo, Chanel, Tiffany & Co. or Versace to get the eye safety that good eyewear affords; but, if you want to look good while protecting your eyes, pick out a pair that are designed just for you and enjoy looks and functionality. Researchers claim that the movie stars of the 1930s used to wear sunglasses to hide the redness in their eyes from the super bright arc lamps used in the day. That reason has turned into a trend lasting over 80 years now. Since Sam Foster starting selling his Foster Grants at the Jersey shore in 1929, we have never looked back. Iconic figures like Jackie O elevated fashion eyewear to a whole new level that designers have since fueled with great variety and design. Recent introduction of designer glasses designed for people with big heads (Fatheadz) and for people engaged in hazardous occupations and sports are the latest. Put your eyes behind a pair of interchangeable lens Oakleys with polycarbonate, impact resistant lenses and you’ll be safe as well as good looking on the job or at the shooting range. What is your favorite brand or designer? Gucci Prada D&G Dolce & Gabbanna Persol Oakley Burberry Bvlgari Versace Ray-Ban Polo Ralph Lauren Revo Tiffany & Co. Salvatore Ferragamo Valentino Bolle Juicy Couture Maui Jims Ed Hary Fendi Chanel OtherSee results without voting If you are part of the latest craze that involves going to nightclubs with your shades on, then get a pair of gradient or double gradient lens glasses that have a band of lighter shading in the lens so you can see what you might otherwise trip over. It’s not cool to stumble while trying to be cool. However, never is a pair of the right glasses more important than when you are trying to be who you are. Your own personal brand, your very own image, your style and your personality can all be heralded with the right pair of designer sunglasses. How can we ever imagine Jack Nicholson in anything but his trademark Wayfarers? Just try to picture Ozzy in anything but his teashade style, round lensed spekkies. You can’t. If you really want to be an original, then select the pair of Bollé, Burberry, Bvlgari, D&G, Dolce & Gabbana, Ed Hardy,fake oakleys, Fendi, Gucci, Juicy Couture or Maui Jims that help tell the world who you are. If reinvention is your intention then start shopping. Start with buying the style of sunglasses that you will get the most use out of. Then, as your budget allows, move on to the additional styles that match the look you want to project. Buy your sunglasses with the same care and consideration that you might buy shoes or a watch with. Remember that your sunglasses may be the first thing people notice about you. The designer sunglasses you put on your face are more visible and far more effective at making a statement about who you are. Putting on the wrong pair of sunglasses is like putting on a black suit and wearing brown shoes. No matter how well the suit is cut, you still know something is wrong. 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