Eyewear was once seen as a road block on the way to looking good. But those days are long gone. Now, world famous fashion houses like Armani, Gucci, Prada, Dior etc. are bringing out their own line of fashionable eyewear. That fact alone should tell you how much the notion of using eyewear has changed over the years. Now it is a positively cool thing to have eyewear.



Sure some people think that glasses look geeky. But with the right pair of eyewear, you can be the coolest person around. And ever since contact lenses came out, the eyewear game plan has completely changed. Now, people have the freedom to choose between the two. Many like to own both glasses and contact lenses. They keep switching back and forth between the two. So may be, for regular use they use their framed glasses. For a special occasion, they might want to dress up that extra bit. So they go for contact lenses.

And everyone knows how cool sunglasses are. Shades, as they are popularly called, can make you look very ‘chic' indeed. They save your eyes from the sun and also make a fashion statement. It really doesn't matter how much you are willing to spend for them. There's something for every budget. From the discount range to the high end designer range – there is at least one or more that suit your style and budget perfectly.

Currently, the customer is spoilt for choices. There is a huge line-up of frames and lenses, which have a lot of variety. The lenses vary in their material – glass or fiber. There are also colored lenses which can add a touch of glamour. There are lenses which change color when the brightness of the light changes (photo-chromatic). So, if you go out into the sun, they will darken. But once you are back indoors, they will return to normal.

Frames too, come in many different varieties. They can be metal or plastic. The same frame will look different in another material. Frames have different colors, shapes and angles. Some are simple and straight. While others are angled. There are also shapes like round, oval, rectangular, etc. The rims can be broad or narrow. It can be a half rim or full rim. The half rim can be open at top or at the bottom.

So, when you are shopping for eyewear, you have to keep an eye out for a few things.

First you have to look at the material of the frame and the lenses. Remember that metal and glass make for heavier eyewear. And plastic and fiber make the eyewear lighter. But sometimes people don't mind heavy eyewear if they look good in it. So decide which you want.

Pay attention to the color, the shape of the frames and the fit. If your face is round, you will want to go for rectangular frames.

For those of you who have square-shaped faces, round frames will suit you better. Ideally, the frames should make you face look thinner and longer. When you buy eyewear, be sure it fits you properly and snugly. You can ask the shop technicians to help you get a better fit. So, proudly use eyewear and look your best in them.