Beauty & The Beach: Hats & Shades For Warm-Weather Days

Year-round sun protection is the wise choice for a lifetime of beautiful skin. It’s a good idea to have in your wardrobe a hat or two to shield your face, because honestly, reapplying sunscreen throughout the day is not the most convenient process; in fact, it’s beyond high maintenance, and if you wear foundation, it’s going to ruin your canvas.

I have a deep appreciation for beautiful things, and couture hats are no exception. There will always be an occasion for a fashionable hat, but the most important thing that you want to invest in first is a very practical, collapsable sun hat that you can fold neatly in your purse so you are always prepared.

Preparedness is essential to sun protection, because you never know when you might get trapped in traffic while the sun is beating down on your face and chest. And for the sporty at heart, you will value a hat that you can just throw in your gym bag and rest assured that you will always be, literally, covered!

Solumbra garments, made by the ingenious people over at Sun Precautions, guarantee 100% SPF which is built into their fabric due to its special weave. I wrote an article on Sun Precautions here on BSSTW, and I really believe in their company. They have a wide, wide variety of intelligently-designed clothing and smart accessories (such as fingerless driving gloves, hand and face guards, parasols, and of course, their crushable, soft cloth hats.)

At reasonable prices and in endless colors and styles, you are sure to find a great hat for your needs and preferences. Remember, this is your go-to hat for protection, so don’t worry if it’s not entirely chic. This sun hat is strictly utilitarian and will become invaluable when you’re trapped in the heat.

With regard to fashion hats, you really must try them on before you purchase because everyone’s face is unique and you need to evaluate how a color and style will look with your hairstyle, skin tone and features.

This is also true with your shades. There are so many tempting sunglass styles out there available via online only. But the fit of the glasses is critical, as well as the frame size and shape and the lens color, so make sure that if you shop online, the return policy is fair and convenient.

Because the fit and comfort are so important, evaluate carefully. When you are evaluating the fit, be sure to notice whether or not the glasses are going to leave marks on the bridge of your nose or on your cheekbones. This is not a flattering look, so when investing in quality frames, take your time.

Shop high-end brands, it is so worth it. Cheap flimsy sunglasses are easily identifiable even from afar. They will never look chic. Plus they aren’t usually equipped with proper UV protection and they fall apart easily.

Some of the better brands are Tom Ford, Oliver Peoples, Oliver Goldsmith, Cutler & Gross of London, Colors in Optics, Miu Miu, Balenciaga, Matsuda, Chrome Hearts, Versace and Persol. I love Persol sunglasses on men, and they are the choice of both Jack Nicholson, who most certainly knows a thing or two about luxury, as well as the dashing Pierce Brosnan: James Bond, 007.

Personally, I have been searching and searching for a pair of unique fashion sunglasses with a heart-shaped frame, and another pair with a lot of gold, preferably gold frames and a gold mirror lens, but gold aviators look too severe on my face. And as for the heart-shaped frames, well, they always ended up looking cheap or less than glamorous. You must be very discriminating because a trend can go from flashy to tacky in the blink of an eye, all based on the details and the overall execution.

I was absolutely thrilled to find these giant heart-shaped beauties, below, made by Wildfox Sunwear, which combine everything I want in one gorgeous gilded frame.

They are the Lolita Deluxe Frame, $196, from The Trend Boutique, an online retail source for in-the-know fashionistas and countless celebrities, like Kim and Chloe Kardashian, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, and models Cara Delevingne and Kylie Jenner.

Victoria’s Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio wore the Lolita Deluxe Frame to the 2014 Coachella Music Festival. They are handmade from Italian acetate with a flash mirror lens, and look as cool with a nouveau Bohemian outfit as they do with couture.

Two hundred may seem like a lot to invest, but honestly, it is difficult to find anything in the department stores that’s both functional and fashionable for a lesser price tag…That’s why I am so delighted to share with you my new favorite source: The Trend Boutique. I adore this website, a great place for clothes and accessories with Hollywood glam, and at reasonable prices.

It’s run by three perpetually-hip chicks in L.A. These women know where it’s at in the world of fashion, they ship internationally, and they stand behind their merchandise with a friendly return policy. The Trend Boutique carries the coolest stuff–like unique body jewelry, sexy swimwear, and stuff you just cannot find anywhere else. That’s why I love shopping there.

Here are some more of my favorite sunglasses from The Trend Boutique.

Wildfox Sunwear Crybaby Deluxe Frame, $196. A celebrity favorite, this handmade metal cat-eye is a regular in Beyoncé’s summer stash. A glamorous, optical-grade gradient lens looks cool in the heat, and all while providing complete UVA and UVB protection. Now that is smart.

Quay Eyeware 1521 Sunglasses in Blue, $39. Australian-made Quay [pronounced: ‘key’] offers up a delicious daiquiri-blue translucent frame with a recessed red lens. Gwen Stefani, above, clearly covets them, and we are fond of them as well, thank you very much. Worn with a bold red lip, you’re good to go. And this low low price makes sun protection both chic and affordable, too. Love.

Quay Eyeware’s Yibrow Sunglasses in Gold, $43. A perfect circle ensures round-the-clock protection in these Beyoncé beauties, which have their own little golden-gilded hood that protects the lid and the top of the eye especially well. Those sneaky harmful rays that slide right through in other lesser designs will be blocked faster than a Facebook stalker.

Wildfox Sunwear Starstruck Frame in Silver, $174.99, marked down from $249, is a hip answer to stopping squinting. As seen on Selena Gomez, above, the oversized John Lennon-style lenses are embedded with a star design. Smoking hot!

Wildfox Sunwear Le Femme Frame in Black, $169. An exaggerated cat-eye looks fierce on Beyoncé, above. Whether you’re lounging poolside or running errands all day long in the sweltering heat, your orbs will be fully protected, because, like all Wildfox sunglasses, these retro beauties are designed using optical grade lenses that offer 100% UVA and UVB protection. Plus, they look fab on! Oh, the drama!

Wildfox Sunwear Winona Circle Frame Sunglasses in Silver/Black, $149. Miley Cyrus knows what’s up in these prominent rounded frames. Normally priced at $199, this sale makes these specs a steal!

And last but definitely not least are these tiger tortoiseshell shades favored by Gwen Stefani. They are Quay Eyeware’s Kitti Sunglasses, $43. Honestly, The Trend Boutique has some of the best deals going for hip, quality sunglasses at great prices. Compared to your Tom Fords, they are radically lower-priced, plus, and here’s the best part….You won’t go out of the house looking anything less than a celebrity! That’s one perk that’s hard to beat.

I recommend that you peruse The Trend Boutique in their sunglasses section to see what some of your favorite stars are sporting for specs. Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Nicole Richie, Kelly Osbourne and Vanessa Hudgens are all photographed in this gallery, and all while wearing their cool shades from The Trend Boutique.

While you’re at it, you can pick up a breezy lace dress or a cool ring to freshen up your wardrobe. Now that you know about this online hidden gem, easy summer dressing is just a mouse-click away! Gotta run darlings, my agent is calling. Ciao.