Firmoo's Blog - Articles of Eye Care from Our Expert Bloggers

Who look better with brown sunglasses?

May 24th, 2010 by Edward Turner No comments »

Many people can not be sure whether they will look well with colored lens sunglasses, such as brown sunglasses. The background is that modern sunwear manufacturers and designers have greatly extended the variety of sunglass products. All sunwear products were regular, non-prescription ones probably in those early days, while now prescription sunglasses keep stable popularity in the public. While traditionally black or dark sunglasses still stay in most of the local and online stores, sunglasses with colorful lenses and frames have occupied a large portion of the sunwear market. Except for functional and fashion factors, manufacturers and designers have also incorporated different design concepts and related styles in their sunwear products. All these things make it an uneasy task to choose a right pair of sunglasses in the current market.

Taking brown sunglasses as a typical example, these products look quite good regardless of all concerns about common factors. In most cases, such a pair would come with brown lenses and brown frame. Some are made with frames in a similar color. Brands or manufacturers providing brown sunwear currently include Versace, Michael, Tory Burch, Oakley, Gucci, and Ray Ban and so on. Nearly each of the reputable sunglass manufacturers provides this category of typical products. This further increases the difficulty of choosing a personally suitable pair. What is more, basic eyewear styles designed by various brands are usually different. Shopping for an appropriate pair of colored sunglasses requires firstly a comprehensive evaluation of personal features of the face. There are really quite a few factors to be considered.

Here we discussed the case that who look better with brown sunglasses, from which an indication could be interpreted about sunwear selection. The first factor is frame shape. Each person has a basic facial shape, which is the most noticeable feature of his or her face. Basic face shapes include round, oval, oblong, base-down triangle, base-up triangle, diamond and square. Make sure to choose a pair that contrasts your own face shape. The second factor is the lens and frame color. Brown is generally a warm color so that brown sunshades match better with individuals with a warm, yellow-based coloring.

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A variety of gold sunglasses

May 24th, 2010 by Jean Caster No comments »

Gold sunglasses are a wide concept. Since the term “gold” refers to gold color or gold materials, gold sunglasses have some variations: gold frame sunglasses, gold lens sunglasses, gold mirrored sunglasses etc…

The most common type of gold sunglasses may be gold frame sunglasses, which also have different meanings. They can be gold-made frames or gold painted frames. Gold-made sunglasses are rare. Like silver frames, gold frames are expensive and unaffordable for the average people. But these gold sunglasses do have their share in the market. Gold frame sunglasses can also be painted frames using gold-colored materials. This type of gold frame sunglasses expresses similar vision effects as true gold frames. But the painting may fade or fall off as time passes by. Ray Ban Warrior gold sunglasses fall into the first category, favored by Danielle Bux and Kristin Davis.

Another type of gold sunglasses is gold lens sunglasses. These gold sunglasses are mostly tinted or brushed into gold appearance. And the color also has different degrees: light gold, dark gold, rose gold and so on. Unlike gold frame sunglasses, gold lens sunglasses are manufactured by a great number of brands. Brands include Ralph, Nike, Dickies, Wiley-X, Carrera etc…

The third type is gold mirrored sunglasses. One of the perfect examples of this gold sunglasses category is the Porsche P’8499 sunglasses. Actually they are a combination of gold frame sunglasses and gold mirrored sunglasses. The temples and bridge of them are made of 18 carat gold and Pt 900 platinum. And their polycarbonate lenses are mirrored with 24 carat gold to offer optimal protection for the eyes. These Porsche P’8499 gold sunglasses are available in a limited edition that cost as high as $6,670.

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The history of horn rimmed glasses

May 24th, 2010 by Jean Caster No comments »

Horn rimmed glasses are a type of eyeglasses, featuring rims made of horn or tortoise shell, which the name horn-rimmed glass came from, or plastic that simulated the look of either material.

Horn-rimmed glass originated in Europe in the 1800s, the frames were actually made from tortoise shell and were expensive. And in 1910s, horn rimmed glasses became popular in the United States. Harold Lloyd, who was a famous American silent comedian, brought horn-rimmed glasses to the mainstream. He might be the first one who popularized black horn-rimmed glass. What is more, the frames of horn-rimmed glass in United States were made from plastic which was less expensive than tortoise shell. Harold Lloyd always wore a horn rimmed glasses in films, which influenced young Americans to purchase horn rimmed glasses. And horn-rimmed glass continued to be popular in following decades.

Horn-rimmed glass had a bounce back in the 1950s because of the musician Buddy Holly, who always wore a series of large, bulky square pairs of horn rimmed glasses on his album covers and on tour. This kind of horn rimmed glasses remained popular from the late 1950s until 1970s, then replaced by large, steel aviator frames. In the 1980s, round horn-rimmed glass came back to fashion, and was favored by New Wave musicians and fans, then fell out of fashion in the mid 1990s.

Horn-rimmed glass returned to popular at the beginning of the 21^th century; and is still fashionable since. In addition, modern horn rimmed glasses are thinner than the ones before. Many Hollywood characters also made horn rimmed glasses work for them. In the popular American TV series “Heroes”, the guy with a pair of horn rimmed glasses is impressive among audiences. Also, America Ferrera’s Betty Suarez of Ugly Betty takes a pair of black horn-rimmed glass to make the character more vivid. Anyway, horn rimmed glasses will be popular for a time.

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Burgundy sunglasses with an unusual taste

May 23rd, 2010 by Jean Caster No comments »

Creative designers of eyeglasses and sunglasses have developed lots of innovative eyewear products for customers’ enjoyment. While regular prescription eyeglasses accounted for the whole eyewear market decades ago, colorful eyeglasses and sunglasses are now created for additional fashion enjoyment. In addition, safety glasses or goggles are provided for extra eye protection which is needed by workers involving a dangerous environment. In fact, all these additional advancements in the eyewear industry can be divided into two main categories, namely functional ones and fashion-enhancing ones. The first group includes prescription sunglasses and prescription goggles, while the latter group contains colored glasses and colored sunglasses. Burgundy sunglasses are a good example of the latter type. These sunwear products are really a testimony to the great imagination of sunglass designers. It is believable that this color was not applied to sunglasses in a random way. Burgundy is the color of a famous type of wine called Burgundy.

By borrowing this classic color, sunwear designers and manufacturers enable modern customers to experience a particular taste of coloring. Appearing in dark red, it is very likely to create an elite statement. This is quite valuable for most of the ladies with certain social status. Unlike burgundy glasses which have only colored frames, burgundy sunglasses usually take use of burgundy lenses as well as burgundy frames. Anne Klein, Guess, Gucci, Maui Jim and Tory Burch all provide burgundy sunwear through their own distribution networks. And these burgundy products come in considerably different styles. For instance, Maui Jim utilizes thin, metal frames and temples. But Guess makes its burgundy sunwear models in a design with thick frame and temple using plastics.

Except for differences in style, burgundy sunglasses still differ in functionality. Regular sunwear buyers very probably know colored sunglasses can take use of tinted lenses or photochromic lenses. Burgundy sunshades have also burgundy tinted type and burgundy photochromic type. The latter category is capable of adjusting the darkness of the lenses according to the amount of UV rays in the environment.

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Where to get cheap eyeglasses

May 23rd, 2010 by Jean Caster No comments »

Cheap eyeglasses are sometimes a necessity and a great help for individuals who do not have much income. Eye problems like myopia and hyperopia have forced countless kids and adults to wear prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. Until now, Rx eyewear is still the major solution to vision problems, partly because refractive eye surgery in different forms can still not be 100% safe. And contact lenses are sometimes reported with eye infection and other negative conditions. Eyeglasses made according to patients’ prescriptions are the simplest and most convenient solution. With precise lens fitting, an appropriate pair of spectacles can help a person with poor vision “restore” normal, clear eyesight. At least it is possible to manage most daily activities and sports.

What is the biggest problem of prescription eyeglasses? Or which is the commonest concern among Rx eyewear users? It is a widely know fact that kids and young boys and girls who use prescription spectacles on a regular basis will suffer deteriorating eyesight gradually. The use of Rx eyewear can never stop such a process. As a result, they should inevitably discard their old eyeglasses and buy a new pair which will use lenses with a higher power. This problem makes cheap eyeglasses a natural pursuit. If each pair of Rx eyewear costs much budget, the total amount within several years would be unaffordable for ordinary individuals. What’s more, designer eyeglasses made by modern manufacturers usually charge very high prices. All these factors guide or force average eyewear users to choose eyeglasses with lower prices.

Several years ago, most eyeglass users knew that only local optical shops sell prescription eyeglasses. And they did not know that a single pair of ordinary eyeglasses which charged hundreds of dollars was unreasonable. With the emergence of online glass stores, it is possible to get really cheap eyeglasses. The average price gap between these two different sources can be very huge and even unimaginable. Compared with local shops, eyewear stores over the Internet take much less daily expense like house rental fee and maintain fewer employees.

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Who need cheap sunglasses?

May 23rd, 2010 by Jean Caster No comments »

Cheap sunglasses as the most commonly used device for ultraviolet protection are actually needed by people at all levels. Scientific research suggests that kids need UV protection even more than adults, because their eyes have not been completely mature and thus are more fragile to these harmful rays. Sunglasses now come in various types, like ordinary sunglasses, designer sunglasses and performance or sports sunglasses. The first category refers to those sunwear products produced by unknown manufacturers without a noticeable brand. In opposite, the second category is associated with lots of famous sunwear brands like Dior, Versace, Ray Ban and Prada. And the third type is closely linked with specific sport uses. They are aimed to enhance the wearers’ performance during some sports and are usually made with particular features. For instance, some performance sunwear models have changeable lens systems which allow the wearer to use lenses with different levels of darkness.

Except for these great benefits a pair of sunglasses can bring, cheap sunglasses are necessary for different groups of customers. For ordinary individuals, a pair of sunglasses could mean extra burden if they do not have much salary income. Those designer and performance sunglasses are further unaffordable by average individuals. It is true that sunglasses which have both a performance advantage and sleek fashion styling are attractive. But such a pair may cost several times of the price of an ordinary pair. For the majority of sunwear users, it is too luxurious. The most acceptable type is ordinary models, provided that adequate UV protection is ensured. Well, a pair of sunglasses costing little money yet guaranteeing enough eye protection is the best gift for the average.

Some people may wonder why cheap sunglasses are also necessary for the rich. It is needless to say that this group regularly uses designer and performance sunwear products. But another fact is that this pursuit is largely associated with fashion statement. UV protection accounts for only a portion of the overall consideration. And manufacturers and designers recognize this thought well, followed by the continuous new models in new styles. This calls for changing to new pairs frequently. Seeking lower prices for these fashionable sunglasses become a natural practice even for wealthy buyers.

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Benefits of chocolate sunglasses

May 22nd, 2010 by Connie Robertson No comments »

Today, a lot of colors and elements are utilized in the design and production of sunglasses. Sunglasses tinted in green, blue and orange can be commonly seen worldwide. Compared with these regular colors, some combinational colors or variations are also widely used to decorate sunglass lenses as well as frames. Those tinted lenses or photochromic lenses are both beauty-enhancing and functional. Within the latter group, there is a new member called chocolate sunglasses. Never associate it with the food chocolate. They are sunglasses appearing in a chocolate color. In most cases, we refer to chocolate lenses but the frame can also be this color. Sunglasses made of chocolate lenses can satisfy customers in terms of both UV protection and fashion enjoyment. Chocolate tinted or photochromic lenses are capable of blocking all UV rays as well as blue light. This task deserves a first priority.

The second benefit of wearing chocolate sunglasses is to get a fashion statement. Chocolate is almost the same as dark blue. For lots of individuals, this color looks quite comfortable. And thus wearing such a pair will never be boring. For people who like eating chocolate, these sunglasses may be extremely attractive since there is possible an imagination associated with these two completely different things. In a word, sunglasses chocolate in color are favored by many folks because of the unique coloring. This aspect has long been a necessary part of a pair of modern sunglasses. The innovative use of chocolate color helps in diversifying sunwear options.

Besides the mentioned two benefits, chocolate sunglasses can also be used to enhance performance in certain activities. In recent years, performance-oriented sunglasses are becoming popular. Those chocolate in color are just a typical example. They can be used in outdoor activities like mountain biking, snowboarding, rock climbing, skiing, and in-line skating and golfing. This category of sunglasses usually takes use of special lenses like polycarbonate lenses and polarized lenses, each of which has extraordinary optical properties. These sunglasses are supposed to provide the best possible visual acuity during outdoor activities.

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Three examples of classic eyeglasses

May 22nd, 2010 by Connie Robertson No comments »

Eyeglasses and sunglasses can be made by creative designers in various styles. The selection in modern times is very wide. Eyewear users may get used to eyeglass products that come in modern designs. In fact, modern eyewear is considered to focus more on stylish statement by using different color elements. In addition to regular colors, peachy, chocolate, burgundy as well as other unusual colors are widely used to decorate eyewear frames and lenses. These approaches are partly because of the fact that it is hard for modern eyewear designers to develop innovative styles in eyeglass shape or structure. Fortunately, modern customers still have the access to classic eyeglasses that come in classic styles. Once being very popular for years and even decades, they are now sold as retro eyeglasses. This article gives three typical examples.

Popular in the United States in the 1910s and 1920s, horn-rimmed glasses are a classic retro style. They are made of horn, tortoise shell or plastic that simulates either of these two materials. The name of these classic eyeglasses refers to their frame material in original. For a long time, they were standard but they now have changed both appearance and meaning. These glasses do not have nose pads, which is different from most of the other eyewear styles. In the 21^st century, the definition of horn-rimmed eyeglasses has become more flexible. But they were quite unique in the first several decades of 20^th century.

A second example is cat-eye glasses, which reached its summit of popularity in 1950s and 1960s. In general, they refer to eyeglasses with thick frames and arms joining the lenses at the very top corners. This effect is quite similar to the shape of a cat eye, which explains the origin of its name. Designed mainly for women, cat-eye glasses were widely used by celebrities during the two decades in movies. Later in 1970s, 80s and 90s, another type of classic eyeglasses appeared and succeeded cat-eye glasses in the public. They were called bug-eye glasses and were firstly of a square shape, and then evolved into the rounder, larger and more similar bug-eye style in the 80s.

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Tags: cat eye glasses classic eyeglasses classic glasses horn-rimmed glasses retro eyeglasses

Classic cat eye glasses

May 21st, 2010 by Randa Fritch No comments »

Eyeglasses and sunglasses in the modern eyewear market come in plenty of styles. While eyewear manufacturers and designers continue to create new styles and models, some of the old styles remain popular over the years. Historical eyewear includes scissors glasses and classic styles include aviator and wayfarer. Some of these classic styles are mainly for women and some others for men. People with certain experience and knowledge of the eyewear market may have seen cat eye glasses. They are a form of eyewear designed for female wearers. We all know that each style of eyewear has their unique and meaningful name which partly indicates its appearance. Aviator glasses and sunglasses originally developed by Ran Ban come in large frames and two times the eye’s socket can be shielded. Cat-eye eyewear has also its particular feature or appearance. Generally speaking, they refer spectacles that are thick-rimmed and have arms joining the lenses at the very top corners. This classic design makes wearers of these glasses appear like cat’s eyes.

The name of cat eye glasses is quite indicating that an effect of cat’s eye can be achieved. Due to this particular effect, these eyeglasses were extremely popular in the 1950s and 1960s. They could be seen in some of the most favored movies. Celebrities who have ever used spectacles of this style include Audrey, Marilyn Monroe, and Buddy Holly and so on. People in their middles ages now may remember that cat-eye eyewear just preceded the large bug-eye glasses which appeared widely in 1970s and 1980s. Currently, these eyewear products are still widely available in large optical stores and antique shops. This proves its vitality and classic design. A slight difference of these eyeglasses is that they are called vintage or retro eyewear in modern times. And both sunglasses and regular prescription eyeglasses can take use of this vintage design.

To some extent, cat eye glasses are regaining its popularity which reached a summit fifty years ago. For most eyewear users born in 1980s and even 1990s, it can be a completely different experience of wearing a pair of vintage eyeglasses which might be favored by their parents. This is partly the reason why retro styles of eyeglasses still retain their proportion in the eyewear market. Making the eyes look like a cat eye will probably maintain as a long-term pursuit.

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Tags: Cat eye eyewear cat eye glasses

Camouflage sunglasses for different purposes

May 21st, 2010 by Randa Fritch No comments »

Getting tired of regular sunglasses in black color, customers living in modern society can try to experience sunwear products in special designs. Camouflage sunglasses are an unusual sunwear product that is gaining popularity in recent years. Indicated by the word of camouflage, these sunglasses can create a series of special effects according to the users’ demands in different environments or circumstances. But the universal practice or the basic theory behind camouflage eyewear is to hide the wearers in the surroundings. These special eyeglasses enable wearers to unify with the environment easily and be free from recognition and exposure. Of course, any type of sunglasses will be equipped with the basic functionality of UV protection for the wearers’ eyes. In traditional ways, camouflage sunwear devices are used for military purposes. They help soldiers mask their identities and achieve anonymity. In military circumstances, making oneself matching with the surroundings is very important and even decisive before carrying out actions.

Currently, camouflage sunglasses have been utilized by ordinary people for other purposes. Fishing is a common use case of camouflage eyewear in recently years. Sunglasses appearing in water colors like aqua marine or light blue may greatly help fishermen trap one of the most excellent fishes. So, these sunglasses are a significant contribution to this industry. Another use of camouflage glasses is hunting. Sunglasses in various shades of green enable hunters to blend with the atmosphere. This is a necessary work in order to make an attack successful. Moreover, yellow tinted are recommended to treat these sunglasses with an intention to improve visibility. Camouflage sunwear products are also widely used in adventure sports. For instance, people in the rocky or sandy areas may feel excited by choosing sunglasses in rocky or sandy colors. Feasible ones include light brown, rusty brown and light gray. They really help hide in the location.

In addition to those functional and entertainment purposes, camouflage sunglasses can be used for just fashionable and presentable looks. These sun glasses have actually widely selected as a fashion statement. Great stars like Brad Pitt and Justin Timberlake are typical users of these products.