We may be experiencing monsoon weather at the moment and the sun may have taken his hat off and disappeared but it won’t be long till he returns. So now is the perfect time to look for the perfect pair of sunglasses.

Whether you prefer the biker look that Ray-Bans provide or if you prefer to draw inspiration from Jackie Onassis, there is the perfect pair of sunnies for every single one of us. However, if you struggle finding the ideal design, don’t fear MFN is here to help, we have done all the hard work for you and sought out advice from a top professional.

So here are some top tips from sunglasses expert Matt Roberts who works for David Clulow at Selfridges. Listen up fashionistas and take note…
 
What should you look for when picking the perfect pair of sunglasses?
Colours are always important. If you’re blonde, browner tints don’t always look as harsh as black.
You should always ask what styles the Sales Assistant recommends for you as professionals they take into account your face shape, hair colour as well as your colouring and consider what would be best for you. Also, know what sort of branding you like (subtle or more obvious). Do you want block lenses or graduated? Finally a price point at which you’d like to stick to.

Visor style Bvlgari £279

What shapes, frames etc generally suit everyone?
A visor shape is very versatile as it has a curve on the lense so tends to adjust to people’s natural face shape. The aviator is a classic shape and is stocked in 55mm, 58mm and 62mm therefore no matter what face shape/size you have there should be a size to fit you.

Rayban Aviators £99

Are there any golden rules when picking a pair?
Each face shape has certain styles they should steer clear of round faces don't tend to suit rounder styles, narrow faces don't tend to suit flatter un-curved styles.
However, with many brands stocking different sized frames there isn't necessarily a 'golden rule'. If you feel comfortable in the style you're wearing and it's providing the correct protection for your eyes there is no reason why you shouldn't be wearing that style.

Are tinted lenses better?
It depends on what you are after from your sunglasses. If they are needed for sportswear or driving a polarized lens is usually recommended (A polarized lense will sharpen objects and also acts as an anti-glare factor).
However if you are after glasses for fashion/day-to-day wear a graduated tint is a big trend this season. Lighter lenses will still provide 100% UV protection and look fantastic. A prime example is a frame in the Gucci range this season. A very slim, gold frame, with cut off lenses on each side and an almost transparent gold lens. Teamed up with big 80’s hair it is a great look this Summer.

Lighter Lenses - Oakley £80

Are there any other styles you would recommend for this season?
As I just mentioned the graduated tint is being used in most brands this year.
Prada are manufacturing frames with a block lense as well as a graduated lens, and graduated lenses look much softer on the face. Ray Ban, as always, is a big must have for this season. Not only does it carry that classic look but the 80’s influences fit into the clothing trends at the moment. Chanel have brought out three trends this season. One is the two-tone, using a mix of two sharp colours in a frame (tan and brown, black and grey, black and pearl.) The second trend is bows, which can be seen on the optical as well as Sunglass range. This is proving to be very popular. The third and final is the mirror look. In some frames Chanel have used a thin strip of mirroring on the side of the frames with Chanel etched in black. 

Designer - Tom Ford £219

Why should you buy a designer pair over say a cheaper pair of sunglasses?
First and foremost you get a warranty with a designer pair of sunglasses. This means whatever happens to your glasses it can be fixed if you keep hold of your warranty. Also, all designer glasses (no matter how light the lens) have 100% UV protection. They are also more durable. Finally most frames that we stock are handmade in Italy.

Interview by Siobhan Holt. Images courtesy of Selfridges.

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