OVVO's enormous and chic Butterfly brings out the open spirit in all of us.
Sunwear runs the gamut from trendy to vintage and conservative to preppie but what about sunwear with attitude? For some patients, that’s what sunwear is all about. We’re talking about styles that are so outrageous, they’ll stop traffic. Here are a few that qualify.
PARASITIC PULL Dare to go beyond the ordinary? Check out Vamp by Parasite Design. This unbelievable style is true to its brand’s positioning—it ties together innovative designs that fuse with the user in sport fashion and science fiction. The look is of a vampire and the feel screams attitude when worn, although the added floral petals hint at a glamorous appeal.
Made of steelskin (stainless steel), the Vamp is carved out with artwork-like designs. The contrasting colors include black/white and pink/yellow. This seductive and extravagant piece is certainly both beauty and beast.
FEMININE FROLIC The temples on the semi-rimless Butterfly sunglass by OVVO Optics resemble the open wings of the butterfly as it prepares to take flight. Butterfly is handmade from fused stainless steel and titanium that achieves an indestructible and high-quality result. And it incorporates patented screwfree technology. Weighing in at only 0.65 oz., this enormous and chic style brings out the open spirit in all of us.
Parasite Design's Vamp has the look and feel of a vampire and screams attitude when worn.
AVIATOR ACTION The ever-popular aviator can have attitude too. It’s all about what else is offered along with the shape that can make the difference. For instance, the Chrome Hearts’ Jewel Box takes this trendy lens shape and makes it appear to pop out. The lenses are set on top of a three-dimensional titanium frame front. Laser-etched Chrome Hearts “plus” motifs mark the points where they attach to the frame front with small screws. A .925 sterling silver “plus” motif caps the temple endpiece and is followed by a cross motif wrapped around the temples at the hinge connection. The streamline braided leather temples are capped with a sterling silver decor for balance and embellishment.
PUNK POSITION Attitude can be conveyed by life-style choices like the accessories we wear, the slang we speak, and the music we listen to. Take the Ramones, for example. This NYC rock band has been entertaining the punk movement since 1974. SPY’s Bowery sunglass was inspired by this. Made of smooth and very tough grilamid, the Bowery makes a punk attitude statement with its 6-base lenses and rock-hard oldies appearance. Bowery is a look so cool you can feel it from East 4th St. to Chinatown.
GIRLIE GIRLS Optician/Designer Francis Klein has been designing eyewear for over 42 years and his styles attract those who look for a fashion statement with attitude. Big and bold with flourishing design, the Flower style grows on both the onlooker and wearer. The exaggerated floral petals on the top and side rims of the Flower are patterned with rosebuds, bows, and swirls of color. It is easy to flaunt a grownup, girlie-girl attitude with this style. Each model is specially made one piece at a time so the wearer can possess an individualized look all her own.
Chrome Hearts' Jewel Box takes the trendy aviator lens shape and makes it appear to pop out.
The Nova style in MYKITA's Mylon Sun collection combines a futuristic look and material.
TWEENS TOO And for the feminine tweens with attitude, check out Moschino Style No. MO625 offered by Allison USA. This flirtatious bow-shaped acetate sunglass is designed to capture the hearts of girls aged 9 to 12. The look is audacious and the feel is individual. Wide tapered temples give an audacious look. It’s designed for the Moschino girl who possesses just enough vanity and attitude and is well on her way to becoming a more mature version of herself.
THE FUTURE IS NOW Imagine hundreds of years have passed. What do you think attitude sunwear will look like? Monstrous, gigantic, cool, or distinctive? The Nova style in MYKITA’s Mylon Sun collection goes for this con-cept by combining a futuristic look and material. The end result is out of this world—check out the expansive front, large front shield, top line, and polygonal lens form. Mylon material is made with poly-amide powder that is finished for a unique visual and tactile appeal.
TEMPLE TIME One of the latest trends in attitude sunwear is giving more attention to temple designs. Style No. 10.03 by Activist Eyewear, for example, combines elements of classic style with high-tech innovation. Split-Fit™ temples actually branch out in two. This innovative and unorthodox system eliminates pressure points by increasing the surface area where the frame contacts the head, thus improving both grip and comfort to provide the best possible experience for the wearer. Temples are constructed of a stainless steel core with an exterior rubber sheath. This soft, sculpted rubber contributes to the frame’s comfort and grip. Even the nosepads are finished with a biomorphic fingerprint texture to help increase the grip.
Check out Jean Paul Gaultier Style No. GL1103 offered by Alain Mikli. These French-born designers understand individual attitude because each possesses it. With its full face-form front and quad temples, this lightweight yet robust acetate style fits comfort-ably. The temples split out into four distinctive ones that fit from the top of the ears to the side of the skull.
Any new pair of sunglasses is enjoyable to have but it’s the ones with attitude that are really fun to buy.
Jackie O’Keefe is a licensed optician and a writer, lecturer, and course preparer in the Virginia Beach, VA, area.
