Shop this Trend: Summer Shades

Sunglasses are summer's number one essential accessory. They complete any outfit and save your eyes from the sun, not to mention they come in every color, shape and size to suit your face. We've put together some of our favorite frames by trend that will definitely add that final touch to any outfit. So go ahead, shop this trend!


RETRO

The '50s and '70s brough us cat eye's and round frames which have remained two of the most stylish shapes for sunglasses throughout the years. Trendsetters from today like Olivia Palermo and Nicole Richie show the perfect way to add these frames into your day-to-day outfits.

1. Illesteva tortoiseshell cat-eye sunglasses, $220; shop now: net-a-porter.com 

2. Illesteva Leonard round-frame matte-acetate sunglasses, $165; shop now: net-a-porter.com

3. Dior retro sunglasses, $325; shop now: nordstrom.com

4. Oliver Peoples Alivia sunglasses, $295; shop now: oliverpeoples.com

OVERSIZED & ROUND

Chic and loved by celebrities, socialites and trendsetters across the globe, oversized and round sunnies add a touch of chic old Hollywood glamour to any outfit. Channel your inner Victoria Beckham and wear one of these favorite oversized frames.

1. Prada baroque sunglasses, $290; shop now: saksfifthavenue.com

2. Linda Farrow Luxe oversized Jackie-O sunglasses, $407; shop now: shopbop.com

3. The Row oversized sunglasses, $445; shop now: net-a-porter.com

4. Vintage Lanvin oversized round frame sunglasses, $160; shop now: americanapparel.net

AVIATOR

The go-to frame for any hip girl, the aviator seems to be year after year the sleekest sunglass around. These "sporty" shades add a different vibe to any outfit. Pair with a sundress this summer and you'll sure to be the cool girl around town.

1. Stella McCartney aviator metal and acetate sunglasses, $250; shop now: net-a-porter.com

2. House of Harlow 1960 LYNN aviator sunglasses, $120 ; shop now: stefanibags.com

3. Olivers People rayford sunglasses, $459; shop now: mytheresa.com

4. Marc by Marc Jacobs oversized aviator sunglasses, $98; shop now: piperlime.com

WAYFARER

Wayfarers have been a long time trend with sunglasses, especially the iconic Ray-Ban Wayfarers. The "downtown" of sunglasses, these frames are cool, casual and classic and look great with any outfit.

1. Barton Perreira Nelson wayfarer sunglasses, $415; shop now: openingceremony.us

2. Ray-Ban original wayfarer sunglasses, $150; shop now: shopbop.com

3. Lanvin Resin wayfarer-inspired sunglasses, $350; shop now: saksfifthavenue.com

4. Marc by Marc Jacobs keyhole wayfarer sunglasses, $155; shop now: redhotsunglasses.co.uk

Photos: Elle.com

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Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations

Next week the Costume Institute at the MET will open it's doors to Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations. An intriguing exhibition that looks into the the similarities of the iconic Italian designers Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada. Inspired by Miguel Covarrubia's "Inspired Interviews" from 1930's Vanity Fair, the exhibit is broken down into seven thematic galleries, comparing similar themes found throughout the two designer's careers. Running from May 10th to August 19th, and preceded by the annual MET Gala on Monday night, this is an absolute must visit this summer!

Waist up/Waist Down Will be a look at Schiaparelli's use of decorative detailing as a response to restaurant dressing in the heyday of 1930's café society, while showing Prada's below the waist focus as a symbolic expression of modernity and femininity. An accessories subsection of this gallery called Neck Up/Knees Down will showcase Schiaparelli's hats and Prada's footwear. 

Wallis Simpson in Schiaparelli, Vogue, June 1 1937/ Prada Spring/Summer 2011

Ugly Chic will reveal how both women subvert ideals of beauty an glamour by playing with good and bad taste through color, prints and textiles. 

Schiaparelli, Vogue Paris, 1927/ Prada Fall/Winter 1996-97

Hard Chic will explore the influence of uniforms and menswear to promote a minimal aesthetic that is intended to both deny and enhance femininity.

Schiaparelli, Vogue, September 1938/ Prada Autumn/ Winter 2004-5

Naif Chic will focus on Schiaparelli and Prada's adoption of girlish sensibility to subvert expectations of age appropriate dressing

Schiaparelli, Vogue June 1949/ Prada Spring/Summer 2006

The Classical Body also incorporates "The Pagan Body," and explores the designers' engagement with antiquity through the gaze of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. 

Elsa Schiaparelli in Schiaparelli Autumn 1931/ Autumn/Winter 2004-5 

The Exotic Body will explore the influence of Eastern cultures through fabrics such as lamé and silhouettes such as saris and sarongs.

Schiaparelli, Vogue, June 1935/ Prada Spring/Summer 2004

The Surreal Body is the final gallery and will illustrate how both women affect contemporary image of the female body through Surrealistic practices such as displacement, playing with scale, and blurring the boundaries between reality and illusion as well as the natural and the artificial. 

Schiaparelli, Harper's Bazaar, February 1935/ Prada Autumn/Winter 2002-3

*Images Courtesy of Metmuseum.org

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Mood Board: Tweed Please

Tweed just isn't for your grandmother anymore. This spring go lady-like with a new twist on tweed; colored, textured, embellished, layered and completely rethought & restyled. Add a bold statement cuff or two to keep your look modern and oh so chic.

Prada tweed flap bag with decorative cuoio leather push-lock and a logo embossed calfskin lined flap, Saks Fifth Avenue; Proenza Schouler SS 2011; Chanel 2011 featured in Marie Claire Jan 2011; Net-a-porter shows off the new twist on tweed perfectly; Coco Chanel sets the trend with her infamous tweed suits; add a statement cuff to any tweed piece this spring, French galalith brass cuff with dark yellow bakelite, worn by Alexis Bledel, House of Lavande

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Mood Board: Stripes Are Back

Calling all fashionistas, stripes are back, and in a bold new way. Whether you stripe it up with an embellished clutch, statement shoe, or must-have cuff, this spring don't shy away from the geometric print. Here are a few of our favorite striped inspirations to help you get ready to go line happy this season.

Jil Sander (left) and Fendi (right) showcase the bold stripe in fresh new ways in their Spring/Summer 2011 collections; Louis Vuitton offers up the perfect embellished clutch for those that prefer to wear the trend subtly; House of Lavande even offers striped adornments, 1950's celebrity signed silver toned cuff with black, cream, and red enamel and two rows of diamante stones, worn by Alexis Bledel; Miucci Prada does it again by setting the trend on the runway and in lust-worthy accessories, Prada runway image from The Sartorialist. Tweet