Eye-Catching Sunglasses Have Unisex Appeal

With these sunny days of spring, you may be thinking about playing it cool with a new pair of shades.

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Go shopping for sunglasses and you’re likely to see a variety of styles. “The retro look is especially popular, as are the classic round and oval styles,” says Michele Yanchar, district manager of Pacific Eyes and T’s shops located throughout Orange County.

Although you can still find men’s and women’s glasses, there are a lot of unisex glasses on the market today that often appeal to the younger generation, says Claire Loi, manager of Balboa Eyewear in Newport Beach.

When shopping for sunglasses, many people are interested in design and UV protection, says Estella Gonzales, manager of the Sunglass Hut in the Mall of Orange. “They want optimum protection for their eyes.”

Good sunglasses provide 100% UV protection from the sun’s rays, says Laura DuBow, district manager of Sun Shade Optique in the Westminster Mall.

The following are some of the stores that offer a selection of eye-appealing sunglasses that will keep you in the shade:

BALBOA EYEWEAR

This store carries a variety of prescription optical wear, including the Hobie Polarized Rio-style sunglasses. These unisex, small-sized wrap-around glasses come in a variety of frame colors, including black, navy, matte black, brown or tortoise. Choose from gray or brown lenses that offer 100% UV protection ($94).

Also unisex are the L.A. Eyeworks Jimmy Jack glasses. These have plastic frames and lenses, which make them very lightweight and comfortable, Loi says. The frames are a cross between the round and oval styles and come in Tokyo tortoise, amber, black, turtle, red marble or green purple tube matte. There are lenses to match the frames ($125).

The L.A. Eyeworks’ women’s Cornu plastic frame glasses come in black matte, Tokyo tortoise and green pearl tortoise. These have a moderate cat-eye shape and come with matching plastic lenses ($175).

For men, the store has Persol rectangular over-sized frame sunglasses. The plastic frames come in tortoise or black, and the lenses are gray or brown ($160-$200).

710 E. Balboa Blvd., Newport Beach, (714) 723-0783.

DANA POINT OPTICAL

This store carries a wide variety of designer frames, including the Cazal model 955, which are German-made unisex sunglasses. These slightly oversize metal frames come in black, tortoise or gold. The rectangular lenses come in gray or brown and offer 100% UV protection ($300).

The Cazal model 957 glasses are a more conservative version of the 955’s. These metal frames are flat across the brow and come in black, tortoise or gold with lenses in gray or brown ($300).

Another pair of rimless style glasses that often appeal to women are the Gargoyle wraparounds, which have colored mirrored lenses in a variety of hot colors, including pink, turquoise, purple and green ($79-$140).

For men and women, the shop also has trendy Calvin Klein retro glasses, which have small round metal or plastic frames in black, bronze or tortoise. These offer 100% UV protection and have adjustable nose pads ($150-$200).

24845 Del Prado, Dana Point, (714) 661-0850.

EUROPEAN OPTICAL

At these stores you’ll find a colorful collection of feminine round or mild cat-eye plastic Swatch frames with interchangeable plastic lenses. The round glasses come in red/black and yellow, while the cat-eye glasses are a color pattern of orange, yellow, blue and green stripes ($54).

Also for women are the Bausch & Lomb Vogue, a very popular Italian-made pair of sunglasses with a combination of metal and tortoise-shell frames. These rounded-square lenses are gray or brown lightweight plastic and offer 100% UV protection. They have silicone nose pads ($100).

The Persol Italian basic unisex sun-wear glasses come in cat-eye, round or squarish. The frames are tortoise, light brown or black and the lenses are glass, but some do come in plastic. The lens colors are brown, dark gray or mustard ($125-$200).

The shops also carry Mossimo glasses, which are very masculine and come in metal or plastic frames. One black plastic frame is a narrow square, while another is a silver-metal cat-eye shape that fits smaller faces. The lenses are glass ($125-$180).

320 Marine Ave., Balboa Island, (714) 675-4147 and 1276 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (714) 494-6106.

EYECARE OPTOMETRY

Every glass frame this store carries is suitable for prescription eye wear, says optical manager Sandy Blanchard.

The Bolle Edge sunglasses for women and men have a unique metallic wrap-around shield, foam brow, adjustable temples and a removable ophthalmic prescription lens insert. The lens surface is metallic purple, green or blue ($125 with prescription, $90 without).

The store also has Luxottica high fashion European-designed sunglasses for women in plastic or metal frames. The plastic are tortoise or black and the metal are copper, bronze and chrome-silver. They have a thick temple, and the lenses come in blue, green or mauve ($70-$130).

The Calvin Klein for men and women small metal-framed glasses come in black or bronze. The glass or plastic lenses are aquamarine, mauve and rose, which are very restful and soothing colors for the eyes, Blanchard said. They have an anti-reflective coating that reduces glare ($130-$160).

1201 N. Rose Drive, Placentia, (714) 528-2566.

OPTICAL ILLUSIONS

This store carries plain and prescription sunglasses, including men’s Revue shades, which are made of aluminum and are nearly unbreakable, says store owner Jan Manning. These modified rectangular glasses come in black, blue, gray or brown and have plastic lenses in a variety of complementary colors ($100).

The Alpina glasses for men and women give a high-class sporty look with modified wrap-around metal frames, Manning says. The frames come in yellow-gold or white-gold and the lenses are available in gray, brown or green ($150).

For women, Laura Biagiotti zyl (plastic) frames come in styles ranging from dressy to sporty. The angular-shaped glasses have plastic lenses in brown, red or blue. Some temples are wide with color blends ($80).

Also for women, there are Christian Dior plastic frames with wide, metal temples. These large angular/rectangular glasses come in blond, burgundy or black ($127).

17390 17th St., Suite E, Tustin, (714) 838-3652.

PACIFIC EYES AND T’S

These stores carry a combination of T-shirts and a full line of sunglasses. The Ray Ban Club Master glasses for men and women are very small like the glasses Kevin Costner wore in “JFK.” These have nylon or metal frames that come in tortoise or black. The lenses are made by Bausch and Lomb and are a neutral gray ($95-$111).

Another unisex pair of glasses are Pacific Eyes and T’s private label known as the PE2 Classic Style, which Yanchar says are a good quality alternative to Ray Ban. These nylon or metal frames come in tortoise or black. The lenses are a neutral gray and provide 100% UV protection ($35).

The Serengeti Wicket glasses can be worn by men and women but are mostly chosen by men, Yanchar says. These round-style glasses have a metal bar across the top of the glasses, and the frames come in tortoise, brown or black. The lenses are photochromatic, so they adjust to light and dark ($100-$285).

Other unisex glasses are the Sunclouds, which are great for water sports, Yanchar says. These basic French wayfarer rectangular-style shades come in a cat-eye shape. The nylon frames are black or brown with rose or amber lenses. The rose lenses are good for sun-sensitive people ($67.50 for rose; $58.50 for amber), Yanchar says.

1835 Newport Blvd., Suite D-150, Costa Mesa, (714) 631-8544; 24981 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, (714) 493-5300; 4237 Campus Drive, Irvine, (714) 854-1717, and 1100 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (714) 497-8774.

SUNGLASS HUT

These stores have a variety of sunglass styles from many makers including a Ray Ban Classic Aviator all-metal frame in black or gold. These unisex, teardrop-shaped glasses come in a variety of sizes. The gray lenses provide 100% UV protection and can be ordered in other colors ($50-$74).

The Ray Ban Round Lennon-Two style sunglasses are popular for men and women, Gonzales says. They have round metal frames in gold or black and gray lenses, plus silicone nose pads for comfort ($99).

A dressier version of the Ray Ban Round Lennon glasses ($138) have frames wrapped in brown leather. The lenses are tinted brown and are photochromatic, changing according to light conditions, making them ideal for both indoor and outdoor wear, Gonzales says.

The Vuarnet Cat-Eye traditional round glasses have nylon frames in black, brown or blue and are very flexible and almost indestructible, Gonzales says. The glass lenses are amber/yellow toned, which blocks out the harsh glares sometimes often with outdoor sports ($80-$120).

Huntington Beach Mall, (714) 897-7808; MainPlace/Santa Ana, (714) 543-8845; Rigorno, Crystal Court, Costa Mesa, (714) 979-9139; Mall of Orange, (714) 921-9535, and Westminster Mall, (714) 897-4080.

SUN SHADE OPTIQUE

This store carries glasses from more than 50 makers, including the Ray Ban Balorama glasses for men, which give an Arnold Schwarzenegger look. The wrap-around frames are made of zyl (plastic) and come in ebony and tortoise. The glass Bausch and Lomb lenses are gray (on sale at $79).

The Giorgio Armani retro-look glasses are unisex. These gold-dipped wire frame glasses are small and round and have gray or brown lenses ($175).

Of the Vogue Firenze sunglasses made by Bausch and Lomb, the most popular are the d-dipped, wire frame, rimless lens glasses in the cat-eye style. These unisex glasses are very lightweight and have gray and brown lenses ($125).

A favorite among men are the Oakley Sub Zero Sports sunglasses, which DuBow describes as “the ultimate in sports glasses.” These weigh less than one ounce and have semi-wrap-around frames that are designed to grip the head. The impact-resistant lenses look gray straight on and red from the side ($99).

Westminster Mall, (714) 892-0350.