By James Linda
Have you ever heard of summer sunglasses? They are apparently sunglasses only to be worn in the summer, in contrast to those you might wear during the other three seasons. Yes, summer sunglasses are a real thing. The proof can be found at any boutique that changes out its offerings with the seasons.
This begs the question of how sunglasses can be seasonal. After all, the primary point of sunglasses is to protect the eyes against UV rays and direct sunlight. As far as we all know, the sun doesn’t change the way it shines according to the date on the calendar. It does what it does regardless of the season.
So what’s the deal? How can sunglasses be seasonal? According to Salt Lake City-based Olympic Eyewear, the seasonal nature of sunglasses has nothing to do with function. It is all about matching style to the season.
Summer Fashion
Let’s talk about some of the basics of summer fashion. Bear in mind that summer is the season that facilitates wearing less clothing. For some people, less is definitely more. The less they can get away with, the better they feel about their summer fashion. This actually has a lot to do with summer sunglasses.
A Style Caster article from contributor Lindsey Lanquist refers to summer sunglasses as the “cherry on top of any seasonal sartorial sundae.” That’s a very good description. Lanquist went on in her article to discuss the fact that fashion-minded people will put a lot of time and effort into coming up with the perfect summer ensemble. They do not want to ruin all of that hard work with the wrong pair of sunglasses.
With that in mind, summer sunglasses need to fit with summer colors and styles. That’s why light-colored frames – like white, for example – are perfectly suitable in the summer but out of bounds after Labor Day. It is why frames can be less conventional. It’s why you can wear a pair of sunglasses small enough to fit a chipmunk’s face and still get away with it when you’re sporting a barely-there bikini.
More Look Than Function
Reading Lanquist’s article makes it clear that summer sunglasses are more about look than function. If they were about function only, there would be no need to buy a separate pair of sunglasses for the summer season. That same pair of basic black aviators would be completely acceptable year-round.
Lanquist’s conclusions line up with what Olympic Eyewear says about seasonal sunglasses. They are only seasonal because we have developed the habit of changing our styles based on time of year. During the summer, everything is light and airy. Spring and fall hold on to some of that lightness and airiness but still give a nod toward the heavy. Come winter, light and airy is thrown completely out the window.
Summer Already on Sale
At the time this post was written, Memorial Day was still a couple of weeks away. Even now though, summer is already on sale at nearly every boutique and department store. Now is the time to get your summer sunglasses if you have any intention of buying a new pair. If you wait until the end of June, the best summer designs will be gone. Retailers will start replacing them with fall choices by the time July rolls around.
Do you need a pair summer sunglasses? Not if your only concern is eye protection. But if you want a pair that acts as the cherry on top of your summer fashion sundae, then you may need to look at something new.
Sources:
Style Caster – https://stylecaster.com/summer-sunglasses/
