50 Shades

If you thought I was going to do a post with 50 sunglasses in it, you're wrong – that'd take forever! Or if you thinking I'm in any way interested that book, you're mistaken.This is a book review, a short one, for 50 Shadesby Lauren Goldstein Crowe.

A super tome it is too; said number of sunglasses on the likes of (top-to-bottom) Jack Nicholson, Audrey Hepburn, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Robert Redford, John Lennon and other massive stars. Each great photograph is accompanied by a quote, sometimes glasses related, from the shades-wearer. It's a book led by its amazing photography, capturing the stars perfectly, but the selection of sunglasses features prominently, even if the frames are mainly unidentified. Those that are attributed to their designers are Ray-Ban, Oliver Goldsmith and Persol. A few others I believe I know include Neostyle on Elvis Presley, Francois Pinton on Jackie Kennedy Onassis, but I can't be entirely sure.

My favourite sunglasses featured in the book are worn by Carole Lombard, not sure who they're by; and perhaps the best quote is, "With my sunglasses on I'm Jack Nicholson. Without them I'm fat and 60."

Hover over images for photo credits, or see below. 50 Shades is available direct from Reel Art Press. More good glasses books here.

Photo credits – Audrey Hepburn: Keystone/Getty Images / Bob Dylan: Jan Persson/Redferns / Diana Ross: Larry Ellis/Express/Getty Images / Jack Nicholson: Giribaldi/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images / John Lennon: Robert Whitaker/Getty Images.

Diamond Jubilee street party: yellow glasses (and cake)

What a weekend it's been! EWG gatecrashed a boisterous (if slightly drizzly) Diamond Jubilee street party this afternoon in Sydenham, London. Undeterred by the gloom, one glamorous local dished out her mum's fab chocolate and strawberry cream cake (remnants of which, note ye, are reflected in the lenses of her yum yellow shades).

Kelis in gold and black Chanel sunglasses at London Fashion Week

Photo: Jill Carin Adams, StreetStyle London

Kelis wore these Wayfarer-like sunnies last weekend at London Fashion Week, but who are they by? With thanks to Jill at StreetStyle London for the image and for her great LFW coverage!

UPDATE – 2 Oct 2011
Thanks to everyone who suggested who these were by. Julia at Gogosha Optique in LA came up trumps with Chanel. I should coco!

Retro Super Future limited edition Liberty print Lucia sunglasses for spring/summer 2011

Last year's Libertyprint collaboration with Italian sunglass supremos Retro Super Future was hugely popular and 2011's Lucia sunglasses, in three iconic Liberty prints, will doubtless be blooming marvellous too. What EWG particularly likes is the combination of round lenses with a square frame shape.

Above is Poppy & Daisy, above that is Peacock, and below are 2010's Elysian. These shades, and a couple more, are available from Liberty's Great Marlborough Street store in London or online here.

Quince Garcia wearing printed blue wayfarer glasses

I got chatting to Quince Garcia, who runs independent production company Roadworks Media, on my way home from London one night. He sourced his specs from Mint Vintage in Covent Garden, and kindly let me take his picture. Great look.

Milan Fashion Week: Angelo in a great bow tie...

...and a great pair of Wayfarers. Photo: Trendycrew

Colab Eyewear's Waybetters - entering the frame name hall of fame

Waybetters from Colab. Great picture and a great, knowing name for a frame. Each Colab frame is limited to a run of 1,000 so if these are way better, they're probably sold out by now.

Blue Ray-Ban Wayfarers with matching hood - sales shopping on Oxford Street

Six months on, my first streetstyle picture. This guy happily let me photo him in his blue Ray-Ban Wayfarer RB5121 glasses. It's great to see people colour co-ordinating their specs.

Oh Betty! January Jones in Moscot Vilda sunglasses

There's much debate about this picture of January Jones, who plays Betty Draper in Mad Men. I can't imagine why.

It seems some believe these sunglasses are by Moscot - indeed GQ captioned another picture from this shoot as so.

But other bloggers have suggested Oliver Peoples.

Moscot Vilda me thinks. Great Wayfarer alternatives...

When is Mad Men back on telly?

Ugly Betty's Becki Newton on Ray-Ban Wayfarers, aviators, Versace and Tiffany sunglasses

I'm saying nothing... Remember, they have to be functional AND fabulous

Cool Ray-Ban Wayfarer 5121 glasses

Ray-Ban Wayfarer 5121 glasses. Thanks to Paolo Màrgari for the photo - a terrific look!

(I think they're 5121)

Ray-Ban Wayfarers, Birkenstocks - and bricks

Ray-Ban Wayfarer glasses, not sunglasses. An advertising image? No. It's by lanuiop. Superb.

The Hundreds Phoenix sunglasses - Wayfarer alternatives...

Phoenix sunglasses by The Hundreds, recently rated the best men's sunglasses in Time Out New York, look pretty good on girls too...

For people who like the Wayfarer but are after something a little different.

"Nerdism" - One pair of glasses, six faces

Sergio Recabarren, a photographer in Santiago, Chile, takes some brilliant pictures, a fair few of which include some great stylish specs.

This set, "nerdism" features the same pair of glasses on the consistent pose of six people. These glasses look great on all of them.

And if you think this is good, check out the white Wayfarers in this pic - class.

Ray-Ban Optical or Orgreen Optics - spot the difference

Now I'm a fan of Ray-Ban sunglasses as you can probably tell. It has a rich heritage which its owner Luxottica knows full well since it paid Bausch & Lomb US$1.2bn for the brand a decade ago.

After buying it, Luxottica decided to take the brand a little further and use it on to side of eyewear where the sun's rays are not banned. I've never been especially keen on Ray-Ban Opticals. Occasionally they borrow from the Wayfarer's or Clubmaster's styling and it works, but they don't do this enough.

Although... what do you think of these?



Not bad, eh? A little powder blue and a temple shape from a summer Wayfarer making its way into the optical collection, a little understated for specs... Good work Ray-Ban.

Oh, but what about these?



Spot the difference! The second one is from Orgreen Eyewear (remember my Molly Sims post?)or more accurately Ørgreen Optics, from its Intruder range in 2006.

“We're not offended, in fact we’re more honoured than anything, but why didn’t they just call on us for help?” Henrik Ørgreen asked after seeing the latest collection of glasses from Ray-Ban.

“Let’s just call it very strong inspiration”, he added. “And let’s congratulate Ray-Ban on their great taste.”

Can you catch your glasses on your face? Me neither.

I can throw a peanut into the air and catch it my mouth, but apparently that's no big deal...

Many of you will have seen this before. Not sure if NeverHideFilms are sponsored by Ray-Ban or if they just love Wayfarers. These are the same guys who did the colour-changing Chameleon film I blogged the other week.

Oakley sunglasses - limited edition Frogskins in yellow

Anyone who thinks all Oakleys are designs from future, think again. The fashion for Wayfarers and all things 1980s made Oakley resurrect tooling from 25 years ago to spawn a limited edition run of Oakley Frogskins, as worn by Conner above.

I love the combination of neon yellow with the "fire" flash mirror lenses. Check out Conner's great photos, including a fair few specs pics.

Ray Ban Wayfarers show their true colours

I've been amazed this summer just how much Ray-Ban Wayfarers dominate London summer fashion. This video is by NeverHideFilms, fantastic film makers and Ray Ban appreciators...

Ray-Ban fish-eye sunglasses make their Mark

Mark shows that Ray-Ban's domination of the classic retro sunglasses - especially its Wayfarers - are not the only thing it can do.

I love these fish-eye shades, and big thanks to Sarah Scicluna for the terrific picture.

Ray-Ban Wayfarers are the ting in Hastings

Tom runs the Optical Lounge on George Street in Hastings Old Town or 'Tings as he referred to it.

He wears some wonderful Ray-Ban Wayfarers - I didn't ask him but they look like a vintage pair.