Know Your Sunglasses Parts and Pick the Perfect Pair
A pair of sunglasses is a simple device with a few moving parts. Choosing the right pair that will look best on your face may depend on choosing a pair with specific measurements that will flatter the shape of your face and complement your personal style.
Here are some of the common terms you might see in a description of a pair of sunglasses:
Bridge: The span between the lenses that sit over the nose and bear the majority of the weight of the sunglasses.
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Temple: Many people call the part of the frame that sits over the ears the "arms" of the sunglasses, but officially they're called the temples.
Earpiece: At the end of the temples sits the earpiece that curls around the ear and helps hold the sunglasses to the wearer's face. The earpiece is often made of plastic.
End Piece: The part of the frames that reach toward the temples to connect the lenses to the side of the pair.
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Hinge: The area at the corner of the sunglasses that allow the arms to fold inward when a pair isn't sitting on the owner's head.
Lens: The easiest piece to identify on a pair of sunglasses, the lens is the part of the glasses through which the eyes see when the sunglasses are worn.
Nose Pad: The part of the sunglasses at the inner side of the frames that help the pair to sit comfortably on the nose. This pad might be directly attached to the frames, or it might be attached with pad arms.
Pad Arm: As stated above, pad arms connect the nose pads to the frames in certain pairs of sunglasses.
Rim: Sometimes called the "eye wire," the rim is the part that surrounds the lenses.
Screw: The temples (or arms) are held to the frames with screws. If the pair has pad arms, screws are often used to secure the nose pads.
Top Bar: At the top of the frames in the center sits the top bar. This feature isn't present on all sunglasses, and their presence usually depends on the size of the lenses and the overall frame size.
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Choosing the perfect pair of sunglasses will usually come down to knowing how these parts work together and how differences in shape and size may impact the final look on the wearer's face. Sunglasses are not only chosen for how they look on a wearer's face, but also for their function. Sometimes a pair of sunglasses is purely for show and won't have darkly tinted lenses. Another pair might be sturdy and made for a bright day on the ski slopes.
One common way to choose a pair of sunglasses is to choose them based upon face shape. For example, a woman with a round face would look beautiful in a pair of aviators or some butterfly-shaped sunglasses. On the other hand, a man with a face that's shaped like a heart might look best in some wayfarers or sunglasses with large lenses.
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In addition, there are also some decisions to be made on the size of the temples (arms), and whether connected nose pads or those that use pad arms might be best. A person who is particularly active might not want to wear a pair of sunglasses with pad arms because the nose pads could be a little too delicate for active lifestyles. There are also the ear pieces to consider which, if they're too short, could make the glasses too tight on the face.
Another feature to compare is the frame size of the sunglasses compared to the size of your head. For the best fit, you'll want to measure your face lengthwise and across and compare those measurements to the width of the sunglasses from hinge to hinge. Additionally, you may want to measure the size of your nose where the bridge might sit and make sure that your chosen pair of sunglasses has a bridge that will fit your nose, but which won't squeeze or feel uncomfortable.
An additional measurement to consider is the length of the temples (or arms). You might have a small head which would need short temples. On the other hand, you might have a large head that would benefit from lengthy arms.
Remember that many sunglasses are manufactured to fit most heads comfortably. As long as you don't get a pair of sunglasses that's incredibly small or too large, you'll likely be able to find a pair that fits nicely. Each feature of a standard pair of sunglasses needs to be considered so as to provide the best look and function for the wearer. Familiarize yourself with these simple sunglasses features and get the perfect pair for your sunny outing.
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By : Upneet Kaur
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