Yes. There was still snow spitting down on me two days ago here in Seattle. So what could I possibly be doing talking about sunglasses? Well, I’m leaving for Bangkok and Bhutan in 4 days and I’m busily packing up my gear. Slipped in amongst my Teva sandals and ExOfficio convertible pants are a pair of sunglasses to protect my eyes from the Southeast Asian and Himalayan sun.
Sport 2
On this trip, I’ll be carrying a pair of Cinzia glasses. The company is woman-owned, which always gets my attention. President and founder, Cynthia Shapiro began designing eyewear in 2000 and creates glasses that are both functional and fun. The collections change each year so there’s always something new to check out.
I agreed to test out two pairs for the company and have been wearing them for a couple of months now (yes, we have had some sun in Seattle!). Here’s my take on the ones that I’ve tested:
Sport 2 – The Sport collection is my favorite of the two styles that I tested out. These fit really well on my head, are quite comfortable with regards to not being too tight or loose and the frames are small enough that they don’t overwhelm my (relatively) small head.
The lenses are dark enough so that I’m not squinting in full sun (with blue eyes, I tend to be a little more sensitive to bright sunlight than some people). This might be an odd “feature” but when I sit them on top of my head (which I do every time I walk into a store), they don’t fall off. In other words, the arms are long enough that they catch and sit behind my ear snuggly enough so as not to drop back down on my face or off of my head.
This particular style is low-key enough that I won’t feel out of place wearing them in Thailand or Bhutan. And, for me, having the smaller frames just suits my style so much better.
Beyond – This style comes from Cinzia’s collection that brings together functionality and a bit of artistic flare. The arms have little stars that line the sides. Though it’s not super flashy, I really like that little touch of bling (I’ve had another pair of sunnies for years that have little fake crystals on the arms).
The frames are a bit larger on this pair (compared to the Sport 2) and Jon loves them for this reason. He thinks I look so trendy. I’m not quite as fond of this pair, however, because I think the bigger frames don’t suit my face as well. And, I’m generally not the kinda gal who follows trends. In addition, it’s either because the arms are shorter or they aren’t as tight, but these easily fall off the top of my head if I place them there.
The pair that I own have brown tinted glass and I don’t feel like they give me the same kind of protection as the darker tinted Sport 2. These do come in a darker tint and just might be better for blue-eyed folks.
I will continue to wear these around town (how can you argue with your significant other?) but I won’t be bringing these with me on my travels.
For those who ARE more trendy than I, check out their Redeux Collection (Year of the Cat pictured left) which includes some really fun retro styles.
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Carry-on Bag Roundup
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