to shop / {sale alert} karen walker sunglasses

Karen Walker sunglasses have been around for ages (I blogged about them almost 10 years ago!), but I still like them, particularly the tortoise ones. I’ve been wearing the Alternative Fit Super Duper Strength Sunglasses in tortoise the most lately.

shopbop has had the older styles/colors on sale for months but has slashed the prices again. Enough for me to consider a backup pair. I like that shopbop carries alternative fit which is great for the low bridge crowd. But, shopbop has the items on final sale, which I’m not a fan of. However, shopbop is owned by Amazon and Amazon carries the same items/price without the final sale…

shopbop

Karen Walker Alternative Fit Super Duper Strength Sunglasses

Amazon

Karen Walker Alternative Fit Super Duper Strength Sunglasses

to shop / gentle monster sunglasses product review

Big shades (= more eye protection)? Check.
Asian nose friendly? Check.
Asian cheeks friendly? Check.

Gentle Monster is a Korean import and a favorite of the actresses over there. They have a store in Soho, but I love Nordstrom way more. I ordered a bunch of shades from Nordstrom and tried the Tell Me, Kong Hyo Jin Type 1, 56mm Round, Deborah, and Illusion before settling with the Didi A, which is a diminutive 52mm compared to the other styles (I highly recommend checking the description for measurements). If you prefer to shop online, Nordstrom’s inventory does update here and there, not to mention their amazing customer service! You can also find Gentle Monster at Shopbop and Saks. Scroll down for Note 1 below.

If you are looking for huge shades, something funky, or have similar Asian nose and cheek problems, I highly recommend giving Gentle Monster a go!

to shop / warby parker x maiyet sunglasses

I love these shades from the Warby Parker x Maiyet collaboration. The jet black with pale oystershell is my favorite color of the three available. Best yet, you can fill a prescription and/or Warby replaces scratched lenses for free within a year. They are as wide as my Karen Walkers, but slightly shorter. I’m on vacation (and will definitely be shopping around), so will wait to see if the love for the jet black lasts through the trip!

Oct 25 Update: Black is sold out at Warby but available from Harper’s Bazaar and Maiyet.

Oct 28 Update: Black is back in stock at Warby.

Image: Warby Parker

to shop / summer shades

In general, I prefer plastic, oversized sunglasses over aviators. The weight is more evenly distributed and the more oversized they are, the more sun protection for the eye area! They’re also great for sleeping on a plane. In my opinion, sunglasses are one of the worst things to forget on a trip.

I’ve been into tortoise rimmed shades of late. During the fall, I got these Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses in “Havana” brown (style 213/S) when Shopbop had a sitewide promotion. I have a typical Asian face and Marc by Marc Jacobs (as well as Michael Kors and Forever 21) typically do not disappoint. MBMJ is extremely reasonably priced for the quality.

This style has been out for a while. They are currently sold out at Shopbop and Saks (but I have seen them popback on Shopbop), but available through third party sellers at Amazon.

A funkier rendition is available from Australian designer, Karen Walker (no, not the character from Will & Grace) and made very popular by Blair of Atlantic-Pacific.

Number One ($250), Harvest ($280)

Eaton Trading Company currently has 30% off sitewide including Karen Walker (limited styles), Clare Vivier, and Illesteva.

For more wallet friendly styles, check out Forever 21 (and I snuck another MBMJ in). Although I don’t expect them to last forever, they often do. They’re an easy and cheap way to get through a trend.

F7828 Oversized Round Sunglasses ($5.80), F0365 Round Frame Sunglasses ($5.80)

F6267 Cat-Eye Sunglasses ($5.80), F0339 Round Frame Sunglasses ($5.80)

F3891 Round Sunglasses ($5.80), MBMJ 57mm Sunglasses ($110)

Images from Forever 21, Nordstrom, Karen Walker, and Shopbop.

to shop / warby parker summer crystals

I was in the Warby Parker Soho office for a meeting the other week and checked out the limited edition Summer Crystals collection in the public showroom on the way out. I ended up with the Rafferty Aqua Tonic, which is a unisex style. All orders go through their website and arrive via mail, even if you visit a showroom. As someone who loves sun protection, I still like larger lenses and these are polarized! (Update: Save another 6% with eBates.)

Another candidate that got returned were the Johnny sunglasses from Banana Republic Men. The lenses were too round for my round face.

P.S. The Marc Jacobs 70% off code I posted in June is still live! If you’re a size 7, there is a pair of the band ballerina flats in stock.