Choosing Sunglasses

By Published On: February 16th, 20122 Comments

Choosing the right Sunglasses for Men & Women

Who doesn’t love the sun? And who doesn’t love looking and feeling good with a fresh new pair of shades? Sunglasses should truly be on hand at all times – in your car, your backpack, and your purse. Not only will they reduce squinting (and wrinkles down the road!), sunglasses also protect our eyes from harmful UV rays, eye strain and flying debris. Don’t save them for a day of sipping margaritas on the pontoon either! Even overcast days, especially near water or snow, will feel a lot more comfortable on your eyes with an appropriate pair of sunglasses. The House has a massive selection of sunglasses for you to choose the perfect pair that blends fashion and function. There’s even a huge array of women’s sunglasses specifically designed for smaller facial features.

Protect Your Eyes with Sunglasses

We’re already sold on the idea slathering on some lotion for a day at the beach, but what about selecting the right pair sunglasses? Before investing in a new pair of shades, it’s important to know how and why your purchase could affect your eye health. First off, what’s the deal with harmful UV rays? They are actually a form of radiation made up of three types of rays – UV A, B and C. Sounds scary. Short term inflammation (red eyes) or permanent damage (cataract) can occur with prolonged, unprotected exposure to the sun. The good news is that protecting your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays and reflections is an easy fix with sunglasses.

Sunglasses: Fashion vs. Function


You’re in luck. There’s no need to sacrifice fashion for function with dozens of brands, prices, and materials to choose from with The House’s selection of sunglasses. It wasn’t too long ago that polarized sunglasses meant looking like you dad’s dad. Brands today, like Electric, Oakley, Smith, and Spy are very conscious of keeping the styles fresh as the technology and materials evolve. But let’s be real, not everyone is in the market for a pair of $120 sunglasses. For those looking for that perfect pair of low priced shades to wear to your friend’s art opening, brands like Neff and Vans have you covered. Just don’t bring those babies on your seven day cruise in the Caribbean!

Lens Tints

While one may think that a darker lens tint will provide greater protection from UV rays, it’s actually the coating on the lens that is more important. The tint cuts down on overall brightness, while determining how well you see colors and contrasts. Tints can also compliment your skin and hair tone, so choose wisely!

  • Amber/Orange– Amber and orange tints increase contrast and depth perception, but cause slight distortion of color. They excel on overcast days with moderate, low light conditions making them perfect for activities on snow, fishing, boating, flying or flat light situations.
  • Yellow – Yellow lenses also distort true colors like amber or orange, but they are fantastic at providing contrast and depth perception. They are extremely popular among bikers – both mountain and road.
  • Brown – Brown lenses are excellent at filtering out light and cutting down brightness. They increases contrast and distortion making them an ideal choice for driving, boating and on-snow activities. They excel on blue bird days.
  • Green/Gray – Green and gray are neutral tints that maintain true color characteristics and can be use for most outdoor activities with bright sunlight.
  • Rose/Vermillion – Like brown, rose and vermillion tints provide excellent contrast and filter light. They literally make the world a whole lot brighter and many people find that rose and vermillion tints are the most comfortable tint to wear all day. They’re perfect for driving or hiking in and out of sun or any other low light condition.

Are Expensive Sunglasses Worth It?

Buying the right pair of sunglasses for their intended use and conditions gives you maximum protection and performance. Higher priced sunglasses provide protection from UV rays, intense light and glare. They also eliminate certain frequencies of light, which is where various tints come into play. Like any sports equipment or gear, a higher price typically yields better quality, durability and materials. With low end sunglasses, UV exposure is increased. However, a fashionable pair of $15 sunglasses is sometimes that perfect accessory to spruce up your wardrobe, so don’t be shy!

Polarized Sunglasses

Polarized lenses are a prime example of a higher price being worth every penny. They drastically reduce the glare from water, snow and glass making them the prime choice for boating, skiing and driving. Polarized sunglasses provide better image clarity and increase comfort to the eyes. Those who venture into polarized lenses are typically sold for life.   We have a great article “What are polarized sunglasses?” for further information.

How Should Sunglasses Fit?

Of course sunglasses need to flatter your face, but they should also feel comfortable for hours of wearing. It’s important that they don’t pinch your temples. They should fit snuggly on your nose and ears, while not rubbing or touching your eyelashes. For each style, The House has broken the fits down into three categories of face sizes (small, regular and large) for accurate online shopping.

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2 Comments

  1. Bobby Knickrehm March 30, 2012 at 2:01 pm - Reply

    Thank you for this posting plus the many others that I’ve read in the site. Perhaps you have thought about being a guest author. My modest site could certainly use somebody with your background to post every so often. You truly know your stuff.

  2. MartinDenis June 19, 2014 at 4:31 am - Reply

    When people go out to purchase sunglasses, most of them know the sort of type they want it can be regarding style , brand , colour and trend . Face shapes also matters lot when you are selecting sunglasses . The Aviator shape is my hot favourite .

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