Top Hawaiian sunglasses brand Maui Jim are now available In-Store at SelectSpecs.  Maui Jim sunglasses really do have to be seen to be believed; it's true what they say – "Not all sunglasses are the same".  The difference between a cheap pair of sunglasses from the local supermarket and Maui Jim's is clear as soon as you pick them up.  Take a look through the PolarizedPlus2 Lenses and you literally won't believe your eyes.

Some designer sunglasses brands sit firmly in the fashion corner of the market – not that there's anything wrong with that… Maui Jim on the other hand puts technology first, thankfully they're fashionable too, but the real selling point for the Maui Jim brand is it's emphasis on technology.

Every pair of Maui Jim sunglasses features the PolarizedPlus2 9-layer lens technology which wipes outs 99.9% of glare – you know the kind that blinds you when you turn a corner while driving and the sun reflects from a shiny surface leaving you squinting and hoping that you're still driving in the right direction.  PolarizedPlus2 lenses also block out 100% of harmful UV rays and amazingly for sunglasses, actually boost colour – while most other brands of sunglasses will just make everything look darker.

Take a look at this video and see for yourself.

Maui Jim Readers

We have many quality Maui Jim sunglasses models available in-store for you to try on, including some very interesting Readers.  You wear them as regular Maui Jim sunglasses making them great for driving and all kinds of day-to-day activities, but hidden at the bottom of the lenses is a bifocal reading add power, meaning you don't need to take your sunglasses off and change to your reading glasses to see the menu at the beach-front restaurant or to enjoy your book by the pool.

Reading add powers are available in +1.50, +2.00 and +2.50

Opening Hours & Where to Find Us

Monday to Friday: 9:00 – 17:00
Saturday: 10:00 – 16:00
Sunday: Closed

Our flagship store is located in Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, UK, close to the stunning Kent coastline and surrounded by coffee shops and bakeries perfect for a nice spot of lunch.  Our store features over 1000 budget and designer frames on display with friendly staff on hand to guide you through your purchase.

Police Sunglasses were the 2012 winner of the Sunglasses of the Year Award for their S8299 – 583B model with blue tinted lenses at the recent Optician Awards held at Hilton Park Lane, London.  The signature piece (below) from Police combines the retro styling and blue lens which helped make Police iconic with some contemporary influences to make it a 'must have' piece of eyewear for the summer.

These Police S8299 Sunglasses are also available in more colours here.

Luke Evans – UK Ambassador for Police

Welsh actor Luke Evans – the star of The Three Musketeers and Immortals – is the current UK Brand Ambassador for Police, following in the footsteps of David Beckham and George Clooney.  Luke is featured heavily in the Police marketing campaign which consists of five sunglasses styles with the iconic blue lenses.

Why not take a look at this Luke Evans & Police video (below), which features a quick interview with the man himself and why he loves Police sunglasses, then scroll down for some more images below.  Enjoy.

More Luke Evans & Police Publicity Shots

With literally thousands of prescription glasses or designer sunglasses to choose from on SelectSpecs, it can be a daunting task to pick out the best of the best.  Thankfully our site allows customers to give product reviews and star ratings to anything we sell.  Hopefully with the help of other customer reviews, you may be able to make an informed choice when selecting which glasses or sunglasses you should buy.

Alternatively, you could do your good deed for the day by rating and reviewing any products you have purchased or already own yourself.  Why not pass on your personal experiences of of those wicked sunglasses that you can't leave the house without, or even tell us which ones to avoid..

If you love your glasses, tell us here, and tell us why you love them and what makes them so great.  If you hate them, then let us know in your reviews and tell us why you don't like them – remember that different customers have different needs, so even if you think a pair of glasses are not that great in a certain area, that might be exactly what someone else is actually looking for.

Reviewing products on our site not only helps other customers but it also helps us to determine if particular models have a problem so that we we can try to avoid stocking future models which may experience the same problems.

If you want to add your own review to any of our products, why not take a look at the helpful little video below from our series of "How To…" videos designed to help you find your way around our site, buy glasses or sunglasses and best of all, save lots and lots of money.

Make sure to head over to the SelectSpecs YouTube Channel to keep up-to-date with all the latest video updates and future tutorial videos due over the coming months – and don't forget to subscribe.

Our goal is to give our customers – both online and in-store – the best choice of budget and designer prescription glasses and sunglasses available.

Updating existing ranges with the latest models and colour options is only the beginning, there are also price changes throughout many of the ranges and the removal of literally thousands of old or discontinued products each month.  We have also added 4 NEW BRANDS to SelectSpecs.com

Here is a summary of the range updates to SelectSpecs for April 2012 alone: -

As we move ever closer to the release date of James Bond: Skyfall the more movie set pictures we begin to see from the media and fans close to the filming action (we actually caught some of the filming for Die another Day at Manston Airport, Kent back in 2002!).  We reported back in December 2011 that Daniel Craig would be kitted out in Tom Ford clothing and accessories, now thanks to the media and fans we can see what Tom Ford sunglasses James Bond will be wearing in Skyfall.

James Bond in Tom Ford Sunglasses

We believe that Daniel Craig is wearing the Tom Ford Marko (FT0144 Colour 18V) in the below on set stills.

Tom Ford Marko – FT0144 in Colour 18V. Available for £224.35 from SelectSpecs.com

Unfortunately there's no trailer for Skyfall just yet, but a quick search of YouTube reveals some footage and a quick interview with Daniel Craig (wearing the Tom Fords!) on location in Istanbul.

Opening Hours & Where to Find Us

Monday to Friday: 9:00 – 17:00
Saturday: 9:00 – 16:00
Sunday: Closed

Our flagship store is located in Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, UK, close to the stunning Kent coastline and surrounded by coffee shops and bakeries perfect for a spot of lunch. Our store features over 1000 budget and designer frames on display with friendly staff on hand to guide you through your purchase.

Not only that, the virtual mailbag has been overflowing with entries to our online competitions to win the Police and Ray-Ban sunglasses.

Here’s a selection of some of the best photos we received:

It was a tough decision to choose the winner of the Ray-Ban designer sunglasses with so many fantastic and creative entries, but the glasses are on their way to Sophia Kearnley for her imaginative pose.

And the winner is…

Sophia Kearnley for this fun and clever use of perspective.

Twitter Competition Winner…

The Police sunglasses for our RT to enter competition on Twitter go to @HarshCryJukebox.

Well done to both of you, and thank you to everyone who took the time to take part.

Being at the heart of all the latest fashion eyewear here at SelectSpecs, we’ve looked at how you can use glasses to accessorise some of the key looks from this season’s catwalk.

The best part is, all of this is affordable, with cheap prescription glasses and cheap designer sunglasses, it’s guilt-free shopping to achieve your statement looks.

Pastel trend 2012

One of the most talked about styles at the moment is the pastel trend 2012. Powdery, soft colours floated down the catwalk in hues of pale pink, cloudy blue, primrose yellow and subtle spearmint green. Perfect for a spring or summer’s day, a pastel inspired outfit would look great with a pair of contrasting Karoi glasses in black (or a colour for each day of the week at £6 a pair including prescription lens!)

Inspiration from the team GB Olympic kit

So the Olympics is coming and Stella McCartney has unveiled her Team GB Olympic kit. Whether you’re a fan of the new kit or not, the Olympics has inspired a wave of track and field outfits on the catwalk with a series of monochrome looks to ensure an elegant feel with no gaudy, fluro fabric in site. Designers including Lanvin and Hakaan showcased loose tailoring with silky pants at the spring/summer 2012 catwalk shows.

To complete your look, try a pair of sports glasses; perhaps some cheap Oakley sunglasses for an active day, or some of our ever so cheap ray ban wayfarer shades for a full on-trend look.

Cool in cat’s eye sunglasses like Kourtney Kardashian

The final look that caught our eye recently is the prim and proper, uber sassy 1950s American glamour style. All over the models on this season’s catwalk, with glossy leathers and perfect red lipstick a la Valentino, they just needed a pair of cat’s eye sunglasses to complete the look, as seen on one third of the Kardashian trio in recent weeks. Get the look with this cat’s eye inspired pair:

Choose from our own brand prescription glasses (starting from just £6 including prescription lens!) or designer glasses to achieve a host of looks at an irresistible price!

Have you heard about our new store? Check it out – Selectspecs.com on the high street for the first time!

The expansion is part of an upcoming trend to combine online content with an engaging in-store experience. We will be offering offline customers the same great value cheap glasses and cheap sunglasses as online, however, the store will allow people who aren't confident in purchasing online to try before they buy.

Here’s a sneak-peek of the new store:

The two worlds will be connected with in-store computer terminals showcasing the extensive online range, and frames not available in the shop can be called in for customers to try.

In addition, there will be:

• Fully trained staff on hand to offer advice
• A simple ordering system with delivery direct to the customer as opposed to in-store collection
• The opportunity to allow us to store your prescription and frames details for extra convenience should you place repeat or additional orders online
• An optometrist will be available in store offering a comprehensive eye examination using the latest technologies.

David McMillan who founded online spectacle and sunglasses giant, Selectspecs.com in 2005, said: “The decision to open a shop on the high street stemmed from our observation that digital content has reached a new level of consumer influence. To stay ahead of the competition our future growth strategy had to combine both clicks and bricks; a multi-channel approach rather than a pure online offer.

"Building brand equity online has been our key objective, with huge investments in SEO, PPC, marketing and PR to improve search results and drive traffic to the site. But channel-hopping is becoming the ‘new normal’ for today’s Internet-savvy shopper so we envisage a high proportion of high street sales coming from this consumer sector as they will use the store as a showroom for online purchases. The intention is to increase brand exposure and sales by making the shopping experience more enjoyable and convenient than ever, both online and in-store."

This type of activity has already been witnessed by leading consumer brands, Hotel Chocolat, Amazon and eBay, and is supported by Professor Joshua Bamfield, Director of the Centre for Retail Research.

He said: "This is a reasonable strategy as a significant proportion of online retailers are likely to have a high street presence over the next three to four years. Multi-channel retailing is now seen as part of the upcoming trend and SelectSpecs will be at the leading edge of this growth strategy."

David continues: "With the convergence of bricks and mortar with online and mobile channels, there is a new era of retailing. Customers are using both online and offline channels and our business structure must keep up with the pace of change and continually strive for better."

Pop down to see us in our new Kent store!

We’re looking forward to offering our ‘offline’ customers the same great savings on designer and own brand glasses and sunglasses that we’ve been retailing for years via our website.

In addition to great prices, and let’s not forget, the cheapest glasses in the world (including prescription lens) at just £6, we are also giving away two pairs of designer sunglasses to support the launch of our new store!

Prize One

Unisex Ray-Ban White Aviator Sunglasses with Crystal Grey Gradient lenses worth £120!

To enter: We want your funny sunglasses snaps!  Send us a photo of you and your sunglasses to competitions@selectspecs.com.  Funny glasses, funny poses, funny situations; it’s up to you.  Send us your photo and we’ll enter you into our prize draw to win these super trendy Ray Ban Sunglasses.

Prize Two

Unisex Wraparound Style Police Sunglasses with Shiny Dark Havana frames worth £96.

To enter: Are you on Twitter?  Simply follow Selectspecs.com on Twitter and retweet our competition tweet!  You’ll automatically be entered into our prize draw to win these popular Police shades.

Full competition terms & conditions can be found on our website.

If you're lucky enough to be going to the games just like me, you might want to consider picking up a Union Jack to wave from the stands and a pair of Limited Edition Team GB Oakley Sunglasses.

Team GB Radar Path

Oakley Team GB Radar Path Sunglasses – London 2012 Olympic Games Limited Edition.

These Oakley Radar Path Team GB sunglasses feature the dark blue colour of our favourite athlete's kits with red ear socks, Red Iridium lenses and the Union Jack in the Oakley Icon on the temples.  They also come with a Team GB branded soft cloth bag to store them in when not in use.  Me want!!!

Team GB Flak Jacket XLJ

Oakley Team GB Flak Jacket XLJ Sunglasses – London 2012 Olympic Games Limited Edition.

The lightweight Oakley Flak Jacket XLJ Team GB sunglasses, also have the blue of our athlete's team colours, but this time have white highlights on the temples and ear socks.  These feature grey polarized lenses, so will block out any glare from reflective surfaces such as water if watching rowing or sailing events, or just after some light rain has fallen on the race track.  Just like the Radar Path, these also feature the Union Jack Oakley Icon and the Team GB branded soft cloth bag to store them in when you're not wearing them… which for me would never.

I'll take both of these sunglasses please.

We have just uploaded our second Sneak Peak video (above).  I guess the secret is out by now; we just can't keep our mouths shut about this one we are so excited.  Yes, we will be launching our first high street store later this month in Westgate-on-Sea, Kent.  There is so much activity going on right now, so we shot a little bit more footage of the work that is being done right now.  In this new video you can see some of the progress being made from the previous week as the workmen have now fitted mirrors around the store and can be seen fitting new glass shelves to display all our budget and designer prescription glasses and sunglasses.  I must say, it is looking damn sexy already and it's not even finished yet.

We'll be keeping you up-to-date with more news and videos as soon as we can, so make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all the latest developments.  Don't forget to keep an eye on all our social channels for all the latest by following us on facebook or twitter or generally keep checking our blog right here.  

If you missed our first Sneak Peek video, you can see it here: -

Things are crazy busy here at the SelectSpecs Towers in Westgate-On-Sea, Kent at the moment.  We are very busy working on some exciting new projects for our business; I don't want to say too much right now as we'll be making more official announcements soon, but you can take a look at our Sneak Peek video above or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest developments.  

In the video above you can see a new company logo and general branding (coming to our website at some point to be determined this year).  But the big thing you will see in this first video is a "Work-in-progress" for our first high street store, selling budget and designer prescription glasses and sunglasses.

We'll be making more announcements soon, so keep an eye on our social channels for all the latest by subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on facebook or twitter or generally keep checking our blog right here.  There'll be more videos coming soon, we can't wait to show you guys.

Former double Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso was seen wearing these cool Oakley Sunglasses at the Malaysian GP last weekend during interviews and while walking around the paddock.  Alonso and his Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa were expected to struggle this weekend after their poor pre-season testing and general lack of performance in Melbourne, Australia. 

But the Ferrari team were over the moon after Alonso pulled off a surprising victory in rainy conditions, which were bad enough to red-flag the race after only 9 laps of racing.  When the race resumed, and after a round of pits stops, the Ferrari driver held a genuine lead, but the race win was never certain, for Sauber driver Sergio Perez was driving the race of his life in second place.  The mexican driver was catching Alonso at an incredible rate, bagging fastest lap after fastest lap.  It was a nail-biting second half to the race, as Perez eventually caught-up to the back of Alonso's Ferrari and looked set to take his first GP win. 

Sadly it was not to be and Perez ran wide at the difficult penultimate corner giving Alonso just enough margin to win the race in a less-than perfect car.  Perez came home in a well deserved second place making him the first Mexican to stand on the podium in 41 years.

Alonso's Oakley Sunglasses

The sunglasses worn by Fernando Alonso (above) were the Polarized Oakley Jupiter Squared model in Matte White, with black trim, black Oakley logo and Black Iridium Polarized lenses.  These sunglasses are available in multiple colours in both polarized and standard lens options from SelectSpecs.

John Bishop you are a legend, you really are.  The 23-25 March 2012 is Sport Relief – there is no way you can miss this, as its all over the telly box right now and with good reason.  People up and down the country have been, or will be taking part in all kinds of sport related challenges this weekend for charity.  Some of those challenges will be big, some will be small and some of them will be personal mountains – such as comedian Frank Skinner who will be facing his biggest fear on live television in front of millions tonight; for Frank Skinner will not only be getting into a swimming pool, but that pool will also be full of water!!!  Frank will then attempt to swim 25 metres, a challenge that will test Frank Skinner to the limit of his character.

It doesn't matter how small a challenge you take on for charity this weekend, if you are putting yourself to the limit of your own abilities and raising good money you should be very proud of yourself.  Needless to say, good luck Frank, we'll be glued to our screens tonight to cheer you on.  If you want to donate money to Frank Skinner for Sport Relief you can do so though the official site.

As for John Bishop – The popular comedian from Liverpool recently completed his "Week of Hell" challenge covering 295 miles from Paris to London under the power of his own will and the countless people who had already sponsored him.  John had to cycle from Paris, row the English Channel and then run more than 3 marathons from Dover to London all in five incredibly painful and tiring days.  Quite frankly he looked shattered and I honestly don't know how he did it.

You can see John Bishop's incredible challenge on the BBC iPlayer and also see John's experience in Sierra Leone to see the amazing work that can be achieved by donations from Sport Relief.  I urge you to head over to John's official Sport Relief page to donate.

As a side note, we couldn't help but notice that John was wearing Adidas Supernova Pro sports sunglasses on his challenge.  As a second side note: we were lucky enough to meet John Bishop at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010.  We bumped into him in the street and said hello, shook his hand and told him we would be seeing his show (The Sunshine Tour) later that day… He replied with "Oh thanks, it's probably gonna be s***!!!".  But it was absolutely brilliant.  We salute you John.

And good luck to anyone else out there who will be pushing themselves to the limit for charity this weekend. 

Get a pair of glasses

First off, the right pair of glasses is critical. Everyone knows that people who wear glasses are considered more intelligent (and sexier, but I digress). So start your poetic journey with this pair of Emporio Armani glasses. Round and owlish, just like real poets, right?

Get the clothes

Whatever you wear, and however you choose to wear it, you can’t do any worse than Dolly Parton. I bet you didn’t know that she was also a poet, did you? Well, she is.  And as everyone knows, Dolly Parton oozes class.

Blokes, get the professor of poetry look from actor, Viggo 'Lord of the Rings' Mortenson, also a poet and proud owner of his very own poetry publishing company, Perceval Press.

Get the attitude

Being a good poet is all about drama. Take it from Charlie Sheen, original bad boy and – believe it or not – poet. His book of poetry, A Peace of My Mind, was published in 1990. Here are a few lines from his poem, A Goat in My Ass.

There's a goat in my ass,
Living mainly on grass.
They say the creature was stolen,
Yet he feeds on my colon.

If you’re more into depression than bad boy drama, take a boat trip down the River Thames and mooch your way all through the journey wearing these John Lennon style Police sunglasses, designed to protect your sensitive, poetic eyes from the pressure of it all.

Get the right books

Establish your credentials as a street poet by carrying a copy of The Rose that Grew from Concrete, rapper Tupac Shakur’s book of poetry.

Or you could get Alicia Keys’ Tears for Water. We think Alicia has got the poet look down to a fine art.

Get a similar look with this Ray-Ban Aviator prescription glasses:

My glasses poetry

‘My, what beautiful glasses you have,’ he said
‘All the better to see you with,’ I said.

Yes, I know. It’s awful, awful poetry – that’s if you can call it that. But if you think you can do better, why not join the Poetry Society.

I don’t know how she does it

In between saving the world as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, winning an Oscar and being one half of quite possibly, the world’s most famous couple, Angelina Jolie manages to ooze effortless cool by simply donning a pair of sexy shield sunglasses.

Fortunately, you don’t need to have Angelina’s bank balance to get the same style of sunglasses as the ones above.  Check out this pair of Mykonos aviator sunglasses from Blue Bay, perfect for that yummy mummy effortless look.

A trip down memory lane

But enough about Angelina! It’s Mother’s Day; let’s talk about real people – our own lovely mothers. Glasses are all about personality and I think these sunglasses (above) would look great on my mother.  She was born in the 1940s and these BE689 Benetton sunglasses really take me back to that era.

Cat-eyed sunglasses are all the rage at the moment.  Salma Hayek sported a pair at Paris Fashion Week recently.  However, they really came into their own in the 1950s. 

If your mother was a 1950s kid, take her on a trip down memory lane with these FT0173 Nikita cat-eyed sunglasses by Tom Ford.

Talking about a trip down memory lane, get an eyeful these retro ‘60s sunglasses sported by Twiggy.  Something about them just screams free love, groovy festivals and Mini Coopers. 

You could try this similar style MJ 367/S sunglasses by Marc Jacobs in Aqua Pear.

We love the way the Olsen twins are channelling 1970s cool with their own line of vintage-inspired sunglasses.  Get your mother a pair of flares and let her release her inner ‘Charlie’s Angels’ with these similar style sunglasses from Dolce & Gabbana with added bling.

If it's prescription glasses you're after, to help vamp up your mother's style, she can go from ‘70s funky mama to bohemian cool with these KK2610 Kiss and Kill prescription glasses.

We love the excess of the 1980s. The hair! The clothes! Get a load of it all with Deirdre Barlow.  On second thoughts, maybe this isn't the look we should be encouraging.

Happy Mother’s Day everyone!
 

Ommetaphobia (also Ommatophobia), is fear of eyes. This phobia can be experienced in a variety of ways, and while for some this can occur at the thought of touching one’s eyes, for others the fear is experienced just by having to look into someone else’s eyes.

As with all phobias, the degree of fear and discomfort experienced by the sufferer can vary, but anyone suffering from ommetaphobia, will feel extreme anxiety, which manifests itself as shortness of breath, dizziness, shaking, palpitations, excessive sweating, nausea and panic attacks. Some people can also have obsessive thoughts about eyes, leading to a constant feeling of heightened anxiety.

The degree of fear experienced by an individual is often dealt with by avoidance strategies, e.g. not having to touch one’s eyes, or avoiding eye contact with others, and while avoidance strategies can be maintained by an individual, the containment of their phobia can be a stressful task impacting on their health. Such a fear as ommetaphobia can also become a problem when an individual has to seek medical help for their eyes and the thought of having to undergo medical procedures on their eyes can be an overwhelming source of distress. It is often at this point that an individual will seek help for their phobia and ommetaphobia can be treated well using hypnosis.

As a hypnotherapist in Kent, I offer tailored hypnotherapy solutions to your problem. If you are experiencing ommetaphobia, then please feel free to contact me to discuss how hypnotherapy may help you overcome your fear. My web address is www.fernberry.co.uk. I'm based at King Street Therapy Rooms, West Malling, near Maidstone, and can be contacted by email on kim@fernberry.co.uk, or by phone on 07788 767 966.

(Photo from Fotolia – ‘Oeil de profil, iris multicolore’, by Delphimages)

Oakley Legend Rory McIlroy became the new World Number One after winning The Honda Classic in Florida by two strokes at the weekend.  It's incredible to think that this Golf genius from Northern Ireland is still only 22 years old.  Rory McIlroy had to withstand the pressure coming from a late charge by some guy called Tiger Woods… Whoever that is?  But it was no worries in the end for Rory, dropping only one shot in the final round for a 12 under-par total.

We found a couple of videos by Oakley featuring Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter, talking about their Oakley Sunglasses and other Oakley accessories or apparel.  They're all well worth a watch, especially the outtakes video, so we've included them in this post for you to enjoy.

Oakley Fast Jacket Sunglasses

In this video, Rory talks about the Oakley Fast Jacket sunglasses – his frame of choice for the golf course for their light weight, superior comfort and easily hot-swappable lenses thanks to Oakley's trademarked Switchlock technology.  Watch the video to see for yourself.

The Oakley Fast Jacket Sunglasses with Switchlock interchangeable lens technology from SelectSpecs.com.  Not only do these look really cool, but the switchlock allows the wearer to easily change the lenses to suit the conditions of the course, while at the same time holding the semi-rimless lenses securely in place.

More Oakley Videos

This video is especially funny as Ian Poulter attempts to talk about Oakley sunglasses…  All we can say is – don't give up your day job Ian – needless to say these are the outtakes.

This time Oakley's Ian Poulter gets it right and tells you all about the Fast Jacket Sunglasses, I wonder how many takes it took him?

Here Rory McIlroy talks briefly about the Oakley Golf Apparel brand and how he finds Oakley sports clothing so comfortable to wear when he's out on the green.

And we don't stop there, we're also looking to update our existing ranges and products with the latest prices to give our customers the best deals possible all the time.  For example, last month we reduced the price of our entire Ray-Ban Optical and Ray-Ban Sunglasses collections by a whopping 10% across the board – an offer which is still live on our site as this post goes out today, so be sure to snap up a deal while you still can.

Here are some stats from the last month of updates (1st February – 29th February 2012): - 

• 5167 - Total new items added to site
• 4734 - Approximate product images
• 2095 - Old or discontinued items removed from the site to make shopping easier
• 69 - Different ranges updated with the latest models, colours and prices
• 2 – New designer brands
• 1 – Designer brand re-introduced

Why not check out some of our recently updated ranges, which include: -

• Arnette
• Burberry
• Bvlgari
• Oakley
• Prada
• Ray-Ban
• Diesel
• Calvin Klein
• CK by Calvin Klein 3D Sunglasses
• Fendi
• Jil Sander
• Lacoste
• Michael Kors
• Nautica
• Sean John
• Animal
• CAT

…to name but a few.

Remember looking at Nicole Richie a few years ago and wondering if her head might just turn into a giant pair of sunglasses? (It came pretty close.)

Well, it looks like that trend is finally reversing itself, as we've begun noticing smaller and smaller frames on our favorite celebs' faces. Even Nicole looks to have moved past her giant-sunglasses phase and has recently been seen with more modest shades.

It looks like giant frames may be a thing of the past, although we're not quite ready to call it yet. A trend that big (get it?) doesn't go away quietly.

2. The Return of the Horn-Rim

One trend we know is officially on, is the return of horn-rim glasses. These frames, first made popular in the '60's are popping up everywhere. Men, women, athletes, actors – you can't look anywhere without seeing a pair.

Our prediction for 2012 is that we'll see a greater variety of styles. Right now, horn-rimmed glasses mostly come in black and tortoise, and are generally a standard size. But soon, we bet they'll come in all kinds of colors and sizes as designers push the envelope.

3. Aviators Remain Cool

The undeniable cool of the aviator is one of the few constants in American fashion. Made iconic in Top Gun, and still stylish nearly 30 years later, the aviator has proven its staying power. Modern-day celebs love them. Mila Kunis' style sense dictates almost non-stop wear, in fact. She even wears them to the gym!

4. Colors Are In

Finally, as foreshadowed earlier, we think color sunglasses are bound to take a big leap in popularity in 2012. Red, blue, yellow – celebs aren't ones to be bashful! And they can only wear those black and tortoise shades for so long before they feel the urge to become more adventurous.

So there you have it, four big trends in eyewear. Are your eyes ready?

Briana Michelle is a writer for Worn This Week, a celebrity fashion site that shows you what the celebs were wearing and where you can get it.

Any Question Time fans out there? David Starkey was present on last nights (1st March 2012) show rocking a cool pair of round style specs similar in style to the Persol PO3002V frames (below).  While many may not agree with his open minded opinions, we do think this frame style suits him remarkably well and goes go to show that being in your 60's is no reason not to be adventurous with your choice of frame style.

The Persol PO3002CV

The Artist was the big winner at The Oscars 2012 in Hollywood, Los Angeles last night.  The French film by Michel Hazanavicius took home 5 of the little golden statues, from its 10 nominations.  If you visit our blog regularly, you'll know that we LOVE movies here at SelectSpecs and are always taking advantage of Orange Wednesdays – We'd be broke by now if we didn't.  I've been trying to get in to see this film for weeks now, but every time I go to our local cinema round the corner – The Carlton – it's is completely sold out, without fail.  I wasn't going to miss out again this week though, so I booked my tickets over a week ago and will be seeing it this Wednesday and I can not wait.

Every year on the Red Carpet, the burning question is "Who are you wearing?" but we thought we'd just take a look at some of the famous faces on the red carpet and see who was wearing glasses or sunglasses – just for the fun of it.  Needless to say, Michel Hazanavicius (above) was the big one – so to speak.  He wore his iconic fashionable round frames to pick up his Best Director and Best Picture Oscars for The Artist.

Berenice Bejo and Michel Hazanavicius wearing his now iconic glasses which resemble our Savannah 2249 frames on the Red Carpet at The Oscars 2012 – Both nominated for The Artist which won 5 Academy Awards.  Very well done indeed.

Best of British, Gary Oldman on the Red Carpet at The Oscars – 2012 – wearing glasses.  Gary Oldman was nominated for Best Actor for the first time in his career for his part in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Although Martin Scorsese didn't win Best Director, his 3D film Hugo did pick up 5 technical Oscars.  Here, Marty is snapped at the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in his familiar thick-rimmed plastic prescription glasses.

Sacha Baron Cohen At The Oscars 2012 – came dressed as his new film's character – The Dictator, wearing Sunglasses.

Nick Nolte at The Oscars – 2012 in wrap-around shades on the Red Carpet.

Woody Allen was a no-show at The Oscars as usual, despite winning Best Original Screenplay for his film 'Midnight in Paris'.

Arianne Phillips wearing unusual sunglasses on the red carpet – Nominated for Costume Design for the film W.E.

American skiing sensation Lindsey Vonn achieved her 50th World Cup victory earlier this month in Germany.  Lindsey Vonn is one of the biggest names in Alpine Skiing and has won events in Downhill, Super G, Slalom, Giant Slalom and Super Combined, making her one of only five women to have won World Cup races in all five disciplines of Alpine Skiing.

At work, the lovely Lindsey Vonn will always be seen wearing Oakley Goggles (below) to get the job done; but even when she's not bolted to two planks and plummeting down the slopes at break-neck speeds, she'll always be faithful to her sponsor. Lindsey can often be seen wearing various models of Oakley Women's sunglasses. 

Lindsey is the current cover girl for the Oakley Women brand on Oakley's own website (as pictured above).  Here she is seen wearing the Oakley Women Beckon sunglasses model in a smashing Crystal Turquoise colour frame with Black Grey Gradient Lenses – OO912502.  Just like Lindsey herself, these Oakley frames look absolutely stunning.

Hollywood actress Sharon Stone is one of a growing list of celebrities who can now be seen wearing Ed Hardy Sunglasses.  Don Ed Hardy is an American artist who is best known for his work in the tattoo world with incredibly intricate and detailed designs.  Ed Hardy has branched out into the fashion world to include some of his best work as the main focus on apparel and accessory products such as Sunglasses. 

Here, Sharon Stone is seen wearing the Ed Hardy Sunglasses – EHS001 Skull and Roses, which features a Skull on one side and Roses on the other (seen in this photo).

Kim Kardashian and other Ed Hardy Celebrities

Other celebrities who have been seen wearing Ed Hardy Eyewear include Dennis Rodman (above wearing EHS006), David "The Hoff" Hasselhoff, Kim Kardashian (below), Ludacris, Mickey Rourke, Vanessa Hudgens, Jordin Sparks and American Football Quarterback Eli Manning.

Why not check out this interesting brand on SelectSpecs if you're looking for something completely different.  Ed Hardy eyewear is also available as prescription eyewear.

So, is it really moving or not?  Well if you’re reading this, you’ve probably worked out that it’s not, that it’s just an optical illusion, created using perspective and colour to disorientate your mind and trick your senses into believing that it is really moving. In this instance, our mind’s eye, or our sense of perception alters what we are seeing by what we believe to be true, but our mind’s eye can also refer to our own internal perception of ourselves.  Our internal mind’s eye gives us our sense of what we believe to be real about ourselves, how the world operates about us and how we are perceived by others.  This sense of internal reality differs from one person to the next giving us our own perception of what sort of person we are. Our internal perceptions can be referred to as self-beliefs. Beliefs that we hold to be true about ourselves: I’ve never been good at maths; I have no confidence; I find it difficult to motivate myself or alternately, I’m a really good mathematician; I have overwhelming confidence and I’m extremely motivated and determined. 

Our internal perception is largely laid down in childhood, but does go on to be influenced by our experiences as we progress through life.  As a child we pick up on what other’s believe to be true of ourselves and this happens so much that we take that view to be true and defining of who we really are; for instance if someone is always commenting on what lovely hair you have, you will no doubt grow up thinking you have fabulous hair.  Unfortunately though, the negative is also true, if someone always comments on how chubby you are, the chances are you will truly believe that you will always be on the tubby side.  Our self-beliefs are also self-perpetuating, if you constantly believe you aren’t good at something, you are more than likely to feel overwhelming fear and failure regarding that issue, which further thwarts your attempts to overcome your difficulty, further emphasising that you weren’t meant to succeed in that area of your life. 

However, as a hypnotherapist in Kent (UK), I believe there is a way to overcome such limiting self-beliefs through the use of hypnotherapy and mindfulness practice.  Hypnotherapy uses the power of your mind’s eye to imagine and visualise, helping you make life-enhancing changes. Mindfulness practice also frees you from past self-beliefs, encouraging you to live life in the present moment, enabling you to experience the world with fresh eyes, giving you clarity of who you really are and what a truly beautiful world we live in.

If you are interested in experiencing how I practise hypnotherapy in Kent, then please look up my website on www.fernberry.co.uk.  I'm based at King Street Therapy Rooms, West Malling, just 6 miles from Maidstone, and can be contacted by email on kim@fernberry.co.uk, or by phone on 07788 767 966.
 

Kim Carmen Walsh (Dip Hyp CS, Dip CP) is a qualified hypnotherapist and counsellor based in West Malling, Kent, at Fernberry Hypnotheraphy, Kim can help you quit smoking, lose weight, deal with stress, grief and loss as well as anxiety and panic disorders.  Kim can be contacted for a consultation by email at kim@fernberry.co.uk or by phone on 07788 767 966.

(Photo from Fotolia – ‘Black Hole. Optical Illusion’, by Valerijs Kostins).

Rimless Frames

Rimless glasses are held to the ear pieces and the nose pieces by tightly-strung, nearly invisible wire, giving the glasses an airy, almost floating look. When you want the absolute minimum interference around your face, these are the frames for you. They make any makeup that you wear more obvious, and they can be worn by people with any face shape. You’ll discover that these glasses are perfect for someone who likes a minimalist look.

Cat’s Eye frames

Cat’s eye frames are oval in shape and slightly up-tilted at the outer corners. This gives you a rather feline look, and these frames are a fantastic choice when you want to complement a round or an oval face. People with triangular faces may want to avoid them, as the can make the top of the face seem wider and the bottom of the face seem even narrower. When you want a very playful feminine look, choose cat’s eye frames that are colored red or pink, and which have a few sparkly attachments on the frames and on the ear pieces.

Semi-Rimless Frames

Semi-rimless frames are for people who want less hardware around their face but still don’t mind a hint of sparkle or a glint of steel. These frames are partially wired, leaving the rest of the frame present. Depending on the glasses, the metal frame may cover the top, the bottom or the sides, leaving the other parts wired. These frames have some fantastic potential when it comes to pairing them with a retro-futuristic look or even when you want an ironic, hipster look.

Circular Frames

It takes a certain face shape to pull off circular glasses; most people who can, have angular faces, but if you can get away with these, they make a fantastic statement.  With the current trend for Victorian-influenced fashion and media, these glasses give any face a retro, scholarly appeal. You will find that these frames are available in both plastic and metal varieties; metal has a more classic feel to them, while plastic frames offer you a great way to add some color and variety to your clothing.

Tortoiseshell Frames

For the person who loves a classic, choose tortoiseshell frames. These frames are lovely, with a hint of orange and red in the brown faux tortoiseshell, and they add a little bit of weight to the set of glasses as well. If you want to make sure that you make a subtle, sensual look, choose these glasses. Pair this look with a modern, sensual librarian style of dress or with a comfortable casual outfit.

Jeweled Frames

If you want to make sure that you are getting plenty of attention with the most flash frames around, look for thicker plastic frames which have small rhinestones embedded at the other edge or on the bar of the ear pieces. These frames are perfect for someone who is planning to go all out this spring, and they add a touch of pizzazz to any outfit. You may choose gems that are clear and sparkling like diamonds, or even gems that are a mix of colors. Think about what kind of colors you like for your outfit, and choose frames with gems that match.

Narrow Rectangle Frames

If you are looking for an interesting set of frames for this spring, why not look into the ultra-narrow rectangular frames that are currently in the offering? These frames suit a wide variety of face shapes, and they have a classic touch all their own. It is important to remember that these frames may take some getting used to if you were using taller frames for a while, but the fashion statement that they make is typically worth it!

Octagonal Frames

When you really want to stand out, try some octagonal frames. These frames give you a vintage touch without going overboard, and whether you are filling out your auto insurance forms or heading out for a night on the town, these frames will suit any outfit. The octagon is typically squashed, and despite the edges, it remains a fairly subtle shape.

Square Frames

When you want some serious weight at the top your face, consider purchasing a pair of square frames. Square frames tend to be chunky and blocky, and they are usually made out of fairly thick plastic or metal. These frames are a great choice when you are thinking about acquiring a more retro or vintage look, and they are a perfect choice for both men and women.

Horn-Rimmed Frames

For someone who is interested in a very masculine, very fifties look, there are horn-rimmed glasses frames. These frames have a small segment where the glasses end and where the ear pieces hook to the glasses, giving the frame a more angular look. These glasses are perfect for people who are looking for a style that is playful and that does not take itself too seriously.

When you are ready for a new look this spring, consider how your glasses frames can give you what you are looking for. You wear your glasses all the time, and they definitely add to your look whether you think about them or not. Choose frames that suit your face and your style, and remember that you can always switch them out at need!

This guest post was written by Jessica T. from the USA who works in Auto/Car Insurance and helps people to fill out their SR-22 car insurance forms.

SelectSpecs Glasses Style Tip

We just thought we would add, that it goes without saying that a Wayfarer style frame will always be in our minds when it comes to fashion, but this is only a Top 10 and Wayfarer glasses would always be near the top of a list like this, so it's nice on this occasion to give some other style frames the chance they deserve.  After all, you probably already have a Wayfarer frame by now, don't you?

The New Year might be well under way now, but it's not too late to get a new look to go with it, that's why we've created a page of specially selected prescription glasses to help you stand out from the crowd in 2012.  Why not try something completely different this year, make a statement about the way you look, or simply dare to wear something crazy like it's your last year on Earth.

Here are some great examples of styles that are a little more attention grabbing or just a bit different from your average pair of glasses.

Antares 3006 feature an interesting Australian theme with the Sydney Oprah House and Kangaroos on the transparent arms, available in four different colours.  These are made from TR-90 plastic which is an incredibly lightweight and strong material with just enough flex to survive some pretty serious day-to-day abuse, making it a great material for people who are especially active or sporty.

Similar to the Antares 3006 with the Sydney Oprah House above, these Antares 3031 also feature the lightweight and flexibly strong TR-90 plastic, but with an interesting urban cityscape vibe and parkour runners soaring through the air as they free-run their way around these awesome glasses.  It's as if they were made for Free Runners or something.

Be loud and proud with these Antares 3109 prescription glasses, which come in three bright colours that will lift anyone's spirits for 2012.  These are a fashionable and popular style frame shape this year, which is not too dissimilar from a Ray-Ban Wayfarer style frame.

Antares 1188 are an assertive and bold Wayfarer style frame shape available in several colour options, some of which feature a tartan plaid pattern on the semi-transparent arms making them quite unique indeed, just like you

You can make a real statement with these fun Antares 26860 frames in colour C38 – Transparent Red.  Featuring the extreme lightweight and flexible TR-90 plastic, you wont even feel these frames on the bridge of your nose.  The interesting colour and patterns on the arm make these a rare kind of frame that should suit anyone with an outgoing and fun-filled personality.

If you like metal frames, these Semi-Rimless Stainless Steel Stellar F189 prescription glasses are an ultra-modern, almost futuristic design with sections punched out of the metal arms as if to save weight.  These lightweight Steel frames are also available in bright red or traditional black, if you would rather a slightly more conservative look.

Stand out with this bold square rimmed frame available in various bright colours from The SS Collection – Model 910.  You could even mix it up a bit and wear a different colour frame every day of the week – just to keep your work colleagues on their toes.  There are no rules here, you can do what you like.

Novus 1002 are a stunning square-rimmed frame with Bamboo arms that will look especially good with that new hairstyle you promised yourself.  Why not check out some of these other Bamboo or Wooden prescription glasses too.

These thick-rimmed acetate Orion SD2033 glasses are a popular frame shape and style right now, but you can bet no one has seen them looking like this before!

If you've ever seen anyone wearing anything like these semi-transparent Orion 26880 frames before I'll eat my own gym kit after a spin class.  With these unique and lightweight TR-90 sport frames you'll be the centre of attention at your local health club and you won't even know you've got them on.  The lightweight and flexible TR-90 plastic of these frames is deceptively strong, making them perfect if you need to wear glasses during a gym class or general workout session.

The Orion 3038 is a brilliant little wayfarer style frame with some great extra features.  Unlike the standard heavy wayfarers, these are made from lightweight TR-90 plastic making them tough with just enough flex to withstand the odd accident or two – especially for those who are musically inclined or in a band.  You know how it is, moving all your amps or drum kit from one venue to another.  This frame, with music themed imagery is available in a couple of different colour options and is an absolute bargain at under £20.

These metal Orion 3177 semi-rimless glasses will be sure to turn a few heads with their intricate pattern and styling.

Cat-Eye style glasses are in vogue right now, so why not try something like these Giorgio Armani GA 873 prescription glasses.  Other brands such as Tom Ford also seem to "own" the Cat-Eye style frame which is making an impressive comeback and it's damn sexy too. 

If you want to change the look of your frames during the course of the day, without actually changing your frames, then these Juicy Couture Berkin glasses are probably perfect for you.  Simply rotate the temple pieces to change their colour.  Got an important meeting or interview?  Just rotate the temples back to black and you're away.