It took a while to get used to the oversized, bug-eye sunglasses I wore over a sunny weekend in suburbia.
The big glasses worked well for Jackie O and even the Olsen twins, but, alas, I don't have a famous face to hide behind dark lenses to protect my anonymity. For me, I actually felt like the glasses had the opposite effect: They seemed so large and unusual among the mostly sporty crowd sitting at the soccer fields that they drew attention to me.
My husband was the first to call into question my switch from classic aviators to the more fashion-forward, Giorgio Armani 552 tortoise-shell sunglasses (retail cost: $240). He didn't say they were good or bad - he told me I looked "odd."
The same played out with my friends, whose comments ranged from "You look like a movie star" to "I didn't notice you looked like a bug - until you mentioned it."
Buggy or not, the look was more glamorous. I don't know if it's because of the actual design of the glasses or because we're used to seeing these kinds of sunglasses on stars, but I'm sure they give off a more style-conscious vibe.
I felt more comfortable wearing them driving home from my office in Manhattan - while still in heels - than I did in my flip-flops in a quaint Connecticut town.
They also felt different on my face. The lenses were closer to my eyes and the contoured frames hugged my temples - a step toward keeping crow's feet from growing. They really kept out the sun.
So I can see why experts recommend this shape as a sun-protection device, but I'm not ready to wear them every day. Perhaps I'll have to buy into the other trend being touted by the sunglasses industry: wardrobing to match your mood.
