ISLAND STYLE
Looking cool in shades

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i fashion student Julie Blue, right, models Maui Jim's "Malia" sunglasses with bronze lenses and tortoise0shell frames. Musician/composer John Helm, left, is wearing "Ka'anapali" by Maui Jim, the style that won Outside magazine's 2002 award for Gear of the Year. Thanks to polycarbonate lenses wired together with titanium, "Ka'anapali's" weight is equivalent to that of six paper clips. Photos by Deborah Booker •The Honolulu Advertiser Choose frames that flatter your face The key to finding a pair of sunglasses that flatters is first figuring out what shape face you have. It's all about balance and proportion. If you have a long face, you want wider frames; oval shapes can soften angular features and the right cat's-eye shape can slim down a round face. As much as you may love big Jackie O frames, if you have a small face, they will make you look like a bug. Or, worse yet, like Dame Edna. Faces usually are one of seven basic shapes. Here are some general guidelines for choosing sunglasses: Round face: rectangular frames Oval face: nearly anything works, but wide or oval shapes are best Square face: round or oval glasses Heart-shaped face: Aviators can narrow the look. Pyramid face: balance best with a cat's-eye shape Oblong face: Oversize glasses work. Diamond face: Oval and cat's eye shapes are flattering.

That's the word from Walt Hester, CEO of Maui Jim, the Lahaina-based company specializing in high-tech — and high-fashion — sunglasses. Nearly every shape comes rimless these days: bookish-looking small rectangles, tea cups, wraparound shields, even cat's eyes.

If you gotta have rims, tortoise shell is back, big time, and it usually looks great on blondes, brunettes and redheads.

Of course, we can also expect to see plenty of Ray Bans now that "MIIB: Men in Black II" has hit local movie screens. The stars are wearing the "Predator 2" model seen at Sunglass Hut for about $100.

Hawai'i's water sports enthusiasts have adopted Oakley's "Water Jacket" (around $190 for the nonprescription variety) style for surfing and paddling, as the pukas in the top and bottom of the lenses let the water flow through.

Popular lens colors run the rainbow from grays and bronzes to sunny yellows to soft peaches, sporty blues and effects that are darker on top and lighter on the bottom. Those pale lenses, however, are considered club wear. It's not cool to wear them in the sun. Nor is it always safe.

Safety under the sun

With our constant sunshine, proximity to the equator and killer glare, it simply doesn't make sense to go outside without protective eye wear. Since ophthalmologists have determined that 50 percent of a person's total lifetime UV radiation exposure occurs before age 18, the younger we start wearing sunglasses, the better. Even infants and toddlers need protection.

Roger Yamamoto, dispensing optician for Windward Optical, said function takes precedence over fashion for his clients, many of whom are active water sports enthusiasts, golfers and fishermen.

When helping his clients select the optimal sunglasses for their lifestyles and activities, he asks a lot of questions and takes a wide range of issues into consideration. For example, for a person who drives west to east, such as someone who lives in Wai'anae and works in downtown Honolulu, a dark gray lens would be most helpful, because gray lenses offer the highest glare reduction. Someone who travels east to west would benefit from brown lenses because they give better definition and higher contrast. He recommends wraparound protection for those who drive a lot, but warned that it's critical to ensure that peripheral vision is not compromised.

Yamamoto recommends brown lenses for those who golf in the morning and gray lenses for those who golf in the afternoon.

While polarized lenses are more expensive, Yamamoto said, they're indispensable for people who have to deal with glare off the water, wet roads, car hoods, snow or asphalt. They block glare with a special filter that's sandwiched within each lens, protect from UVA rays and restore color, contrast and acuity.

Seven-layer lenses

Maui Jim invested millions of dollars in equipment to create its patented PolarizedPlus technology. Its seven-layer lenses require 32 manufacturing steps. They come in glass and polycarbonate (a high-tech plastic that's nearly impossible to break, lightweight and safe for sports) and block horizontally reflected glare, as well as glare from above, below and behind. Maui Jim sunglasses retail from $129 to $319 and are available at many retailers, including Shades of Hawaii, Sunglass Hut, Macy's and Neiman Marcus.

For those who don't like to carry two pairs of glasses, Yamamoto said the latest thing is "Transitions," a lens that changes color from nearly clear when indoors to dark, dark brown or gray when exposed to outdoor light.

When selecting sunglasses, it's helpful to remember that glass has the benefits of clarity and durability, whereas polycarbonate is virtually unbreakable but can scratch more easily.

Regardless of style, the key to success in sunglasses lies in protection. Ophthalmologists and optometrists recommend sunglasses that filter out 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays. Many lenses sport stickers, but labeling is not yet standardized, so it makes sense to rely on an eye-care professional or trusted, knowledgeable salesperson.