Esquire ran an interesting piece on March 1 (2019) profiling 15 pairs of sunglasses they recommend for the 2019 season. It was an informative article if you are the kind of guy – or even gal, for that matter – whose sense of style is influenced by current trends. And by the way, there’s nothing wrong with that. To each his or her own.
The point of this article is to go beyond mere fashion and learn a few important lessons found buried within the text of the Esquire article. Whether its author intended to make these points or not, they were made and are still salient. They reveal quite a bit to anyone willing to consider them.
Just about Everything is Acceptable
We generally accept spring and summer as the two biggest seasons for buying sunglasses. That is not without reason, explains the people behind Olympic Eyewear. Spring is the time of year when people tend to get outdoors after being cooped up inside for months on end. It is normal to purchase sunglasses in the anticipation of a blooming spring and the summer to follow.
According to Esquire, just about everything is acceptable for the 2019 season. There are no limits on frame size, frame shape, or even lens colors. If you can dream it, buy it. And if you can buy it, wear it. That seems to be the 2019 mantra for designer shades.
What’s the lesson? That just about everything is acceptable at any time. You see, fashion trends are nothing more than an arbitrary decision made by those who lead the fashion industry. If big, white cat eyes look good on your face today, they are going to look just as good at the start of the 2020 season regardless of industry leader opinion.
Brands Are More Important Than Styles
One look at the pictures in the Esquire article reveals that the main thrust of the author was not style, but brand. How do you know? Just look at the images. You’ll see some aviators, some wayfarers, a tortoiseshell, a couple of round frames, etc.
What you will not see is anything new. You won’t see anything oddly shaped or ostentatious. The only difference between any of the sunglasses in the article are the different brand names represented.
What’s the lesson? That brands are more important than actual styles. If it comes down to a brand name pair of aviators versus another pair without brand recognition, the former is going to be purchased more frequently than the latter. That’s just the way it is.
Sunglasses Are Important Year-Round
The third and final lesson is not at all obscure. Esquire made no bones about letting readers know how important sunglasses are year-round. That’s right, sunglasses aren’t just accessories to be worn during spring and summer.
It’s true that spring and summer are when sunglasses are purchased most often. But the sun still shines in fall and winter. And beyond that, UV rays can be damaging to the eyes even on cloudy and overcast days. You don’t have to be in bright sunshine to damage your eyes.
The lesson here is obvious. Wear a pair of sunglasses whenever you’re outside on a sunny day. That’s the bare minimum. If you can do so without obstructing your vision or making it too difficult to see, consider wearing them on overcast days as well.
And there you have it. With these three lessons learned, you are now in a better position to buy your new sunglasses for the 2019 season. Now go out there and get to it.