Angelina Makes My Life Easier

ast week, Angelina Jolie continued her globe-spanning. In India, where she is filming A Mighty Heart, she and baby Shiloh caused quite a stir.

[Source: TMZ]

As per usual, Angelina cut a striking figure. I love her Dolce & Gabbana 6006B's. If you are going to shield your eyes from all of the world's cameras, these are the pair to do it in.

Cost: $202
Colors: Red, Black, Tortoise, White, Yellow, Green, Pink, Beige
Retailer: SunglassesItaly

Sweet Monogram, Knoxville

he second installation of the Jackass franchise premiered in Australia last week. The cast was relatively well-behaved for the red carpet and the director revealed that Number Two would be the last film.

"This is it for Jackass, as far as we're concerned... I'm not going to say never but right now we don't have a plan. This is our last hurrah as far as we know."

[Source: Hollywood.com]

Thank goodness! I worry about the safety of Johnny Knoxville's pretty face.

At the premiere, he showed how nice he cleans up and managed to look cool wearing sunglasses to an evening event. Mr. Knoxville put a new spin on the monogram with his personalized aviators.

[Source: GossipRocks]


While there is an entire site (see www.sunglassengraving.com) devoted to this craft, somehow I suspect his Mr. Knoxville's initials were etched by Party Boy in a depraved and hilarious manner.

[That's Why They Call Me Slim Shady] I'm Back, I'm Back

've got some nerve taking an unexplained hiatus like that. I apologize for the lapse, I've been traveling on business and working my little behind off. Let's get back to the shades, shall we?

Eva Longoria was photographed leaving Los Angeles restaurant Cafe Med last week. She appeared to be carrying some sort of child.


[Source: GossipRocks]

Also on her person were a pair of Dior Airspeed 2 sunglasses. These come in an assortment of colors, including the appealingly different purple (as seen below). I think the color looks great and puts a unique twist on an otherwise simple pair of shields.

To make like Ms. Longoria:
Cost: $272.25
Colors: Brown, Grey, Purple, Tortoise, Black, Beige
Retailer: SunglassesItaly

Denise's Day to Day

n Wednesday of this week, Denise Richards was photographed going about her daily errands in Beverly Hills. Her hair looks gorgeous!

As do her Chanel sunglasses.

[Source: GossipRocks]

They are the Chanel 5080 model:
Cost: $373
Colors: Brown, Tortoise, Brown/Red, Black
Retailer: SunglassesItaly

Changing of the (Police) Guard

ondon's Daily Mail reported today that David Beckham was dropped as the face of Police Sunglasses last night. The former England football captain has been replaced by Antonio Banderas.

"Sources at Police - which has been paying Beckham £1 million a year for the past six years - said he was 'less of a commodity' after the World Cup.

"The source at Police added: 'Antonio was seen as more of an alpha male. The brand was also keen to have a personality which meant more to US audiences.'

"'There is no doubt that Beckham has done a lot for Police but it quickly become obvious after the World Cup that he was going to become less of a commodity.'"

[Source: Daily Mail]

Below right, Mr. Beckham wears the Police 8005:
Cost: $143
Colors: Blue
Retailer: SunglassesItaly.com

While I am sorry for Mr. Beckham's loss, I look forward to seeing Mr. Banderas' campaign. Police sunglasses are pretty awesome though -- their Old English "p" logo is totally Flashy Shades.

Kate Flies Solo

ate Hudson, recently separated and romantically linked to Owen Wilson, was photographed on Thursday, October 5th, leaving a Beverly Hills therapist's office. She, her Blackberry, and her Ray Bans then made their way over to the W Hotel.

Ms. Hudson is hardly the first actress to wear the iconic aviators, but they do look quite lovely on her.


[Source: GossipRocks]

The Ray Ban 3025 are especially cool with the gold frames and green lenses.
Cost: $117
Colors: Gold frames with green lenses
Retailer: SunglassesItaly.com

Who Doesn't Have These MJs?

hotographed a week ago in Beverly Hills in black leather boots, jacket and Fendi Spy Bag, Jessica Simpson looked quite biker-chick-chic.

We've seen her shades before.

[Source: SweetKisses]

First there was Lindsay. [See: Lindsay Takes Her MJ's Out For a Spin]

Then came Heidi. [See: Heidi Strolls for Two]

Next in line to model the MJ 016/S shades:
Cost: $151
Colors: Silver, Black, Gold, Brown, Blue
Retailer: Otticanet

Someone at least get them in blue, will you?

Stellllllllllllaaaaa [Spring/Summer 2007]

tella McCartney showed her Spring/Summer 2007 Ready to Wear line in Paris on Thursday of last week. The collection was heralded for its breezy, Californian vibe.

Though there were only a few pairs of sunglasses in the show, they were interesting without bordering on the absurd.


[Source: Style.com]

I think Safilo Group has done a tremendous job with her eyewear collection. The frames reflect her funky, pared down style. Of Ms. McCartney's shades, Safilo's website states:

"The latest Stella McCartney sunglasses collection offers a decidedly sensual feel and vintage spirit conveyed through large frames, harmonious combinations of materials and retro influences, in a perfect seventies style."

[Source: Safilo]

Sir Paul would be proud!

PS - Kanye West was there. With his sunglasses. And his skeleton suit.

[Source: Vogue.co.uk, ThePianoPages]

Robotic Articulation, Car Parts, Droids

n Tuesday of last week, Balenciaga's Spring/Summer 2007 collection was shown in Paris. Designer Nicolas Ghesquiere's inspiration? The Terminator.

"I was thinking of robotic articulation. Car parts. Droids," Mr. Ghesquiere told Style.com.

Janet Jackson, the Olsens and Anna Wintour were on hand to see the future of fashion for themselves.

His collection may have been avant-garde, but what is with the chemistry lab goggles? Were there projectiles on the runway? These safety masks can't possibly offer UVA/UVB protection.

If this is the future of sunglasses, I prefer the past.

[Source: Style.com]

Louis the 2K7

arc Jacobs gave me but one sunglasses look at his Louis Vuitton show in Paris yesterday. One look? One look!


The collection was described as "romantic-cum-sporty, casual-but-pretty" by Style.com, but who cares? It only featuerd one pair of sunglasses! And I'd describe the collection not as romantic, sporty, casual or pretty, but as "grandma-chic." [Source: Style.com]

The lonely sunglasses had funky arms though.


[Source: Vogue.co.uk]

Faux Pas?

s nearly every blog on the planet has reported, FlashyShades included [See: Paris Fashion Week: Chanel Spring/Summer 2007], Katie Holmes and Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham have been cruising around the City of Light, (emaciated) arm in (emaciated) arm.

After posting a photograph of their appearance at Friday's Chanel runway show, I continued to surf the world wide web to identify which shades Ms. Holmes wore.

Who knew her sunglassess would be so easily identifiable? My love for the internet grows stronger with each passing day.

[Source: KatieHolmes.com; What a site!]

Ms. Holmes is wearing the D & G 3003 model:
Cost: $117 - $138
Colors: Striated Blue, Dark Havana, Black (as seen here)
Retailer: Otticanet.com


In the words of my roommate, "They are so dark and pretty. I sweat them."

Pretty, yes. But D & G? To the Chanel show? What would Karl say?

[Ms. Beckham, a sunglasses lover and designer, is often very difficult to pin down. She often wears shades of her own design -- look for the star logo -- which are not available online and have had only two very limited UK-based offerings. Here, her razor-sharp bob covered any logo or tell-tale markings.]

Paris Fashion Week: Chanel Spring/Summer 2007

ary-Kate Olsen will not be remembered as having worn the stupidest sunglasses for Paris Fashion Week [See: Uhhhh.... MK?], if Karl Lagerfeld has anything to say about it. With Friday's Chanel show, the designer paraded high hemlines, ponytails, garments with pill- and tablet-embellishments, and two-tone shades down the catwalk.

But one pair of sunglasses was shown on the runway: curve-armed frames with half-opaque, half-translucent lenses . Questionable as the shades were, they were far superior to the clear plastic platforms Mr. Lagerfeld was trying to sell us.

[Source: Vogue.co.uk]

Though these sunglasses may look silly, they (and other moderately-priced accessories) are serious profit heavy-weights for the fashion house. Mr. Lagerfeld advised customers that the shades are available, but to act quickly:

"The models carried the handbags and wore the oversized sunglasses that are all important for profit margins at luxury goods houses.

'I don't show anything that is not for sale,' said the 68-year-old Lagerfeld.

'Whatever you seen on the Chanel runway you can have it in the show. You have to go early because those things disappear quite quickly and the sales girls have a tendency to hide them for their favorite clients.'"

[Source: NYTimes]

Oh, yeah, and these two were front and center. Nice shades, ladies. Couldn't swing seats next to Anna Wintour? (Who was present, and yes, also wore sunglasses.)

[Source: KatieHolmes.com]

Heidi Strolls for Two

s Project Runway fans gear up for this week's airing of the series finale, Heidi Klum was photographed in Beverly Hills wearing shades by Marc Jacobs.

[Source: GossipRocks]

Given the timing, it would be nice to see her lend support to her fellow judge Michael Kors' eyewear line, however these aviators and their telltale upper left lens MJ engraving are quite popular with the ladies of southern California. [See: Lindsay Takes Her MJ's Out For a Spin]


For the fashion forward MJ 016/S shades:Cost: $151
Colors: Silver, Black, Gold, Brown, Blue
Retailer: Otticanet

Jennifer Goes Synonymous

ow bizarre! How bizarre!


On Wednesday, Jennifer Lopez was unsuccessful in her attempts to dodge paparazzi exiting Hollywood restaurant Orso.



[Source: X17]

Here Ms. Lopez wears her namesake shades, Tom Ford's Jennifer Sunglasses. She wears them well.

Cost: Original retail is $290; only $218 at SunglassesItaly.com
Colors: Pink, Brown, Black
Retailer: SunglassesItaly.com

These shades are dank, are they not?

Uhhhh....MK?

here's really nothing one can say about Mary-Kate's Parisian face adornment. So I'll leave the photo of these Chanels to speak for itself.


[Source: People]

Let us never speak of these again.

Versace: Somebody Stop Me!

ILAN, September 29, 2006 -- Donatella Versace presented her well-received Spring/Summer 2007 Ready-to-Wear collection. The go-go 80s-inspired line was heralded as a "tour-de-force performance" and a "full-on glamour stomp" by preeminent fashion critics.

[Sources, respectively: Style.com, NYTimes]

Donatella, the designer and carrier of the Versace torch, finished off the season's look (proclaimed as "especially polished" by the luckiest woman in the world and The New York Times' fashion critic, Cathy Horyn) with oversized, earth-toned sunglasses that will almost certainly adorn the faces of starlets, celebutards and stylish mere mortals come springtime.

Above: Close-ups of Ms. Versace's models (there you are, Carmen Kass!), in the shades. [Source: Style.com You can also view the runway show's actual clothing, if that's your thing.]

The Versace website does not currently offer this particular pair. I'm sure Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and his super-human female counterparts will be striking in them.

Like any self-respecting runway show, Ms. Versace's show featured brilliant celebrity front-rowers. Here, Prince was the guest of honor and came flanked by two disarmingly identical "Twinz", his back-up dancers. The trio remained shielded by dark shades throughout the show; I am going to go out on a limb here and peg Prince's sunglasses, as well as those of the pretty young things, as the designer's own.



[Source, clockwise from left: PageSix, Vogue.uk, People]

I believe them to be the Versace 2057 model, but man-glass is often a mystery to me. Its also always possible (probable, even) that Donatella sent the Former Artist a flashy prototype or a pair unavailable to the masses.

Cost: $199
Colors: Brown, Grey, Black, Green, Shaded Brown
Retailers: SunglassesItaly.com*

Prince was not content to merely sit on the sidelines and cause a stir: it was reported that it was his custom-made soundtrack the models sashayed to and his "smashing" live performance the after party revelers grooved to. With no less than three reported costume changes, that Prince is a legendary performer, albeit a high maintenance one. Cheers to a well--executed show, Ms. Versace!
[Source: Hello!, Fashion Windows]

The Twinz don't warrant sunglass specifics. Perhaps if they began to dress themselves individually, dropped the "Z", and purified themselves in the water of Lake Minnetonka. Perhaps.

* Sunglassesitaly.com is another site I recommend for the difficult task of online shades shopping. They offer current, really desirable designer sunglasses -- we're talking Tom Ford, Chanel, Roberto Cavalli, et cetera -- that will cost you less (including the shipping from Italy) for less than what you'd spend in Neiman's or Barney's. Enjoy a 5% discount for joining their newsletter.

All in all, quite a satisfy day for sunglasses. More on the upcoming European fashion shows (and those I have neglected to cover in the past week or so. Let me know if you still want New York).

Vive Les Olsens

ary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are taking their derelicte schtick on the road. The girls were photographed looking tres flashtastic while shopping in Paris this week.

[Source: Olsen-fan.net]

My favorite part about this is that they are documenting their Euro adventures on their blog.

Here, Mary-Kate sports Chanel 6013B round acetate frames that evoke "spirit of the 1950s," according to Chanel's site.



For M.K.-chic:
Cost: $209
Colors: Burgundy, Black, Silver, Hunter Green, Brown
Retailer: abs-sunglasses.com


P.S. - Katherine Heigl of Grey's Anatomy has them too.



[Source: Egotastic]

Laguna Washes Away My Sanity

hough Laguna Beach hasn't come close to truly capturing my interest this season -- really, who casted these bimbos? -- I did check in this week to see what the southern Californians are shielding their retinas with these days.

Episode 7, "Hook-Ups and Cover-Ups," began with the narrator and resident lackluster underdog, Tessa, announcing she'd be going stag to the Winter Formal. Below, she wore her Dior Overshine 2 shades while shopping with her male best friend/uninteresting, uninterested love interest.


[Source: lagunabeachonline.org]

Cost: $158
Colors: Blue, Violet, Chrome, White Violet, White Silver, Light Rose, Black Coral, Beige, Shiny Black (as seen on Tessa), Brown, Black Grey
Retailer: Otticanet.com

Tessa's crony, Raquel, is by far the show's most abrasively nerdy character. Here, she begs her boyfriend to attend the formal with her on the beach.


[Source: lagunabeachonline.org]

Check out the Gucci 2562 model. We've seen these horsebits so often that it would have been nice to see Tessa sport a more unique color. I like the green at right.
Cost: $164
Colors: Pink, Green, Black, White, Blue, Rose, Orchid
Retailer: Otticanet.com

I really want to like Kyndra. Its just not going to happen. Where is Kristin? Where, MTV? Here, Kyndra continues the trend of black, logo shields.


[Source: lagunabeachonline.org]

Nice Chanel 5067s.Cost: $245
Colors: Black, Pink
Retailer: Sunglassesitaly.com


Kyndra, it seems, has recently reunited with her nerdbag old boyfriend. Despite assurances of fidelity, she does successfully cheat on him with the dough-faced Cameron at the formal. In front of his sister, no less. Which is unfortunate, as the boyfriend character, Taylor, sports the episode's coolest shades.


[Source: lagunabeachonline.org]

This spray-tanned, scrawny, would-be Stephen is wearing Electric Overdrive sunglasses, which are also available with polarized lenses.

Electric is a brand that's more action-sports than high fashion, but they make high-quality shades that will more than stand up to any and all abuse you dish out at them.
Cost: $100
Colors: Black, Brown, Tweed (which features Jamaica stripes), White
Retailer: Backcountry.com

Electric's website even features a pair with a Swarovski-crystalized lightning bolt logo. Pretty cool.