The first school, the Disposers (ooh intimidating!), believe that sunglasses get broken all the time (true), and should therefore be viewed as disposable and unsentimental. Sit down in your car and hear that familiar crunch? Oh well! Disposers tend to have stockpiles of backup frames stashed in their homes, cars, offices, and anal cavities.
On the opposite end of the spectrum are the Investors. These people spend a chunk of change on good quality sunglasses and good quality sunglasses cases to protect them. Their sunglasses last for years thanks to good care and protection, but in the event of breakage, Investors are often emotionally distraught and unprepared.
I try to play for both teams by buying formerly expensive designer sunglasses at discount stores like Nordstrom Rack or Marshalls. This strategy fulfills my shallow urge to keep a gaudy designer name close to my temple, and my responsible urge to keep a few dollars in my wallet. A girl in one of my classes once tried to convince me that buying knockoffs was the way to go, but as soon as I saw her "Guchi" frames, I knew it wasn't for me.
So, what about you?
Here are a few options to satisfy both teams (because when we look cool and protect our eyes from UV rays, we're all winners!):
For Disposers
People who know me know that I am never without my aviators. Whether I'm piloting a fighter jet (often) or sitting in a movie theater complaining that it's way too dark, it's kind of becoming a problem.$9.99, urbanoutfitters.com
$10.50, alloy.com
$9.50, Delias.com
At $18, they're a liiiiiiiittttle spendy for a true Disposer, but come on, they're pink aviators! urbanoutfitters.comOther shopping options for Disposers: Forever 21, Target, ebay, H&M (note to H&M--please join us in 2008 and get an online shopping feature! Trust me, the internet is really fun! You can send letters around the world without paper! It's a supreme thrill! Think about it, OK?)
For Investors
Aahhh, there's my favorite shape again. In other news, I'm seriously considering getting this haircut solely because of how cool it looks on this model. In other news about other news, if I actually do get this haircut, I will not look like this model, but I will bear a striking resemblance to my uncle Joel. Damnit.Marc by Marc Jacobs, $95
These are amazingly adorable, no?Ray-Ban, $139.
Burberry, $235
So, these Bulgari sunglasses are $530. I don't mean to sound judgmental, but SWEET MOTHER OF GOD! If you sit on these, the bank forecloses on your house. I'm getting nervous just looking at them. Other shopping options for Investors: Major department stores, snooty boutiques, ebay. All investment sunglasses above from nordstrom.com
26 comments:
I am SUCH a disposer. I have my back-up pairs and never pay more than $10. so, if I see nice sunnies for less than $10, I buy them straight away. hence the back-up collection. however, like an investor, I still get emotionally distraught whenever I break or lose my sunnies. I actually had a magical $5 pair that lasted about 4 years, I kept losing them and people kept finding them and returning them to me! they even found their way back home to Australia from Canada once. but alas, one day I couldn't find them, couldn't remember where I last had them, and I haven't seen them since. sad.
I used to be a disposer, but a couple of years ago I was the lucky recipient of a pair of Armani sunglasses, and I have guarded them with my life ever since. I don't think I could go back to cheap sunglasses, but if these ones break I will cry some major tears because they're not cheap to replace!
Like Lesley, I too used to be a disposer. But after getting a pair of unnaturally large Dior sunglasses I have changed my ways. They're pretty much the only thing I wear every single day so I figured I should invest. But I am prepared if one of them happens to break since I have the exact same pair in a different color. Sad, but true.
While it is true that I do break my sunglasses constantly, and thus am certainly a disposer, I am also really cheap. I prefer to spend my money on other things, like shoes or food (mmmm raspberry tarts). I'm really cheap with sunglasses, usually buying at forever21 or H&M and even then when the prices eek towards 10$ I turn up my nose.
This is lucky, since my favorite pair cost my .99$, and I love them. They are cute, more sturdy than most of the ones I've found, and are dark dark dark. Love!
I'm definitely an investor. Sunglasses are like everything else, you get what you pay for. I need to know what the lenses are made of, or I won't buy them. If they aren't UV protective, I wouldn't dare buying them.
I was going to say I'm an investor, but it's not really by choice. I wear glasses, and use prescription sunglasses because I hate wearing contacts (and like to drive and be at the beach and all sorts of things). So mine typically cost a bit, but that's because I have to see... not because I like to spend a lot.
Hola! Found your blog thru Afrobella....
I am sitting on the fence...I usually cycle through my sunglasses...get new ones/change them every 2 years or so....I stick with classic shapes (like your beloved aviator)
Anyhoo...don't overlook the discount spots for nabbing the designer shades...I like Ross and Burlington Coat Factory!
Definitely a disposer, just because I seem to lose everything I touch. I have had the same pair from Old Navy for more than a year now though...knock wood.
I'm definitely a marshalls/tjmaxxer as far as sunglasses are concerned. gottsta have a name shielding my temples (LOL). I bought one pair of more expensive ones at nordstrom and then felt weird wearing them, like everyone was staring at me and I wasn't sure it was in a good way, so now I stick to discounted ones.
I'm an Investor. I was always afraid of touching my eye until very recently, and then I got over it and got contacts. I decided to reward myself with sweet sunglasses and splurged on a pair from Chanel while in NYC. The way I look at it, I've been wearing glasses since I was 8 and I've never sat on them, scratched them, or damaged them (except for chipping paint off wire rims...that's why I went for resin sunglasses when I splurged). I still have frames from when I was in high school kicking around. I wear sunglasses even less than I do glasses, so they should be ok in the long run.
I voted 'other'.
I've never lost or broke a pair of sunglasses. So that shouldn't stop me from investing in one pair I'm completely satisfied with. Instead of having a little pile of cheapies that I give away once in awhile. But I've always bought cheap ones cuz I didn't see why I should spend more for them.
But this year, I bought a pair by Armani Exchange at a sample sale. I know those aren't that expensive compared to other brands, but they were pricey for me.
I'd love to have a pair of Ray Ban aviators instead of always buying cheap knockoff versions, but I always balk at the price. I guess I just don't value glasses that much.
I voted "other."
I guess I'm middle-of-the-road. I only have one pair of sunglasses, and technically they aren't sunglasses but really just dark lenses that magnetize to my regular glasses (I promise they look good and not dorky). So I can, you know, see. I won't buy cheapies because I wouldn't bother with anything that doesn't have real protection built in, but I don't think I would have spent so much on them if I didn't need to have my prescription lenses on at the same time. Sadly, the scratch protection that came on my regular lenses wasn't put on my dark lenses, and because I am a big stupid klutz my dark lenses are getting all kinds of scratched up and may have to retire soon.
It's the one thing that the Mister and I disagree on. He is a Ray Bans boy. And just this weekend I ditched a $30 pair in favour of a $7 pair. I'm a SERIOUS disposer. Let's see if the relationship will last.
I have both inexpensive ones and expensive ones -- I manage to keep both for a very long time. If I lost a pair of glasses it would definitely be an unusual thing, not like "Oh, I did it again." I'm very careful with that kind of stuff.
whoa, winona, since when do you have responsibility urges? dear god, so much has changed!
Disposer, but I manage to not lose mine too often. Every 6-9 months, I'd say? Also from Target, always about the same shape, same color scheme, etc. My sunglasses are boring :(
I voted other, because the snob that I am, I like wearing designer brands on my eyes, but am unwilling to pay for them.
So, I wait for my dear rich friends/family to get bored of theirs and then am kind enough to take them off their hands... works every way!
I'm a disposer at heart but had to give in and get prescription sunglasses this year (this made me feel really old for some reason). Now I'm being super careful to overcompensate for my disposing tendencies.
I'm totally a disposer but have a few precious pairs I try to hold on to... even the precious ones were not monetarily expensive, just irreplaceable. I was inspired to write a little about it here
http://futurelint.blogspot.com/2008/05/cheap-sunglasses.html
[Warning: About to use phrase "In this day and age"]
In this day and age, treating anything as disposable is...well...ridiculous. I bought a pair of Wayfarers two years ago and haven't looked back.
I guess I'm a disposer who acts like an investor. I buy 20-30 dollar sunglasses and love them until they break and cry when they do. Although..my current pair is lost at one of my friend's houses and so I've been wearing my old pair and the lenses are so scratched that I can't really see out of them, which kinda sucks...but uhmm..who's Larry Craig?! (don't laugh at me if it's some huge fashion guy or something)
also, H&M IS SUPREME LOVE! all my friends bitch about how they can never find anything and "oh my goodness, how can you shop THERE!?!"...but I LOVE it. and their "secret garden" video is so cute and the song has been driving me insane because I love it but I don't know what it's called.
..and those pink avs are super cute.
I'm both, I love Nordstrom BP sunglasses, but I also swear by D&G. Mine are securely placed in their case and covered with a dustcloth every time I'm done with them... OCD much.
Also, you are too funny! I laughed for years when I read the thing about your uncle Joel. Yes, years.
Not to rub it in, but Seattle is getting TWO H&Ms!!!!!!!!! Finally!!
H&M actually do have an online shopping feature and have had it for years and years. But not in the US. I have bought a lot of stuff online from them here in Norway. I just hope they start selling online in the US soon as I will be moving there this year.
WHy would you spend 530$ on a pair of glasses. You can get just as fashionable glasses from susie's deals for much, MUCH cheaper
I am not as such an investor in terms of sunglasses but i liked the rayban shades alot and i think that i might invest some fortune on these shades.
Ahh Got to snag one of these Levi’s sunglasses before summer is over. I believe in protecting your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun but don’t hide your beautiful eyes with super dark tinted glasses.
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