Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

I know I'm picky with fashion, but I had no idea I was an ACTUAL DIVA until it came time for me to go shopping for sunglasses. There were times even I wanted to smack myself upside the head for acting like such a spoiled brat. My sincerest apologies to everyone who had to deal with me these past few months as I searched for a pair of sunglasses.

Let's start from the beginning. Ever since I got contacts last year, I needed non-prescription sunglasses. I have been wearing my mom's obnoxiously massive shades, and although they do endow me with quite the sassy disposition, they don't actually provide much in terms of sun protection. Being someone with eyes sensitive to sunlight, I was in desperate need of sunglasses as the summer months approached.

Over the years, I've come to realize the classic aviator complements my face shape the best. And if you're going to go with aviators, there's really only one way to go: Ray-Ban. I've tried aviators from other brands, but absolutely no one makes them as good as Ray-Ban. The shape, the frame, the lens...Ray-Ban has the formula down pat. So brand was a no-brainer for me.

The issue was colour.

Ray-Ban has a vast array of colour options. They have multiple frame colours, a selection of lens finishes, and a rainbow of lens colours (like literally, they have rainbow lenses). At first, things started off easy. I knew I wanted a gold frame, and I thought I would just choose between the classic brown, green or blue lenses.

Things were supposed to be simple.

Until I actually tried on the sunglasses and all my plans fell apart. The traditional brown, green and blue lenses looked awful on me. They washed me out completely. The lenses were also more transparent than I thought, which I didn't want because I was looking for sunglasses that could hide my eyes (I don't want you seeing my eyes, okay). I suddenly felt like I was dropped into the middle of the ocean - an ocean with an endless selection of sunglasses. I thought for a second maybe I could get bright blue mirror lenses, but I couldn't shake off how they reminded me of snowboarding goggles. Not to mention, it's a bit much for day-to-day. Luckily, my mom threw me a lifeline when she pointed out a pair of Oakley aviators with purple/red lenses. Huh. Purple lenses. I must say I haven't seen a lot of that around.

And you know me, I'm a sucker for things not everyone has (I know, you're rolling your eyes at me). Purple lenses struck me as something a bit more unique. So I went to the Ray-Ban section in Nordstrom, and found they had two purple lenses: a darker violet (left), and a lighter lilac (right). Both came in a mirror finish, which was perfect for shielding my eyes from view.

I just had to figure out which one I wanted. I bounced back and forth between the two numerous times. My gut leaned towards the lilac because it had a more intense mirror finish, and its sweet pastel shade appealed to my feminine side. However, I had to admit the deep violet suited my complexion more, and I did like that it came with a tinge of blue mixed in, which revealed itself in different angles and lighting.

I had my sights set on the violet...and then another curveball was thrown at me. The optical store I usually get my sunglasses from couldn't order the violet lenses with a gold frame. They had a limited selection of colour combinations I could choose from, and if I wanted my particular combination, I would have to custom order it off the Ray-Ban site - thus forgoing the discount the store was willing to give me. Great. Just great.

So I looked on the store's website, and the only frame that came with purple lenses was the bronze/copper frame. I'll be honest, it wasn't the best colour. It wasn't shiny like the gold frame; it was a dull, dark bronze. But what could I do. I had to accept my fate. And if you're sitting here thinking this is already complicated enough - guess what? I managed to find three different versions of purple lenses to choose from: Grey Mirror Purple (left), Lilac Mirror (Centre), and Grey Mirror Lilac Polarized (Left). Greeeeeaaaaaat.

Look, I don't know how Ray-Ban keeps track of their lens colours, because I have no idea where the 'grey mirror' part came in. But whatever. I got the store to order all three for me to sample. Once again, I constantly bounced back and forth between all three. I legitimately got anxious trying to figure out which one I wanted.

To add another variable to the whole equation, one of the pairs was polarized. Polarized lenses are made to block out glare, which can be useful when driving or in the snow. On the other hand, mirror lenses are made to darken all light in general. I thought polarized lenses would probably be better functionally, but turns out they weren't dark enough for my liking. My eyes were actually more comfortable with mirror lenses because the overall brightness of the sun was dampened.

Also, when I tried on the Grey Mirror Lilac, I really didn't like how flat it looked against my skin tone. My pale skin and dark hair just did not work with the solid lilac lens. Objectively speaking, those are gorgeous and unique lenses. I can see them looking beautiful on girls with blonde hair, but unfortunately, I'm not a blonde beach babe.

So I was left with two options. I truly thought I was going to go with the Purple (aka. violet) as I had initially planned. Yet when I wore it, it didn't feel as special or glamorous as the lilac shade. It began to feel typical, and I was starting to be uneasy with how it was more transparent. It still looked good on me and would probably be the most versatile with different outfits, but it just didn't speak to me anymore.

The only pair I developed an attachment to was the Lilac Mirror. When I put on the Lilac Mirror, it felt right. Instead of being a pure solid lilac, it had a bit of blue mixed in and was very reflective of other colours in its surroundings. Out of all three pairs, its colour was the most dynamic. Depending on the lighting, it could range from a pastel lilac to a darker taro. Thankfully, it also turned out to be the best at blocking out the sunlight and giving my perception of the summer sky a warm, comforting overlay. I considered it a great balance and compromise between the other two options.

Ew, a car selfie. I'm ashamed of myself.
In case you're wondering, my shirt says "I Have Nothing to Wear". #relatable

So there you have it. My quest for a pair of sunglasses, which turned into a several month journey through stress, which at least finally turned into a good ending (minus the fact I couldn't get gold frames, but deep breath in, deep breath out...). I feel satisfied with the sunglasses I have chosen, and hey, maybe down the road I'll nab myself a violet pair too. But for now, I'm back to being calm, cool and collected. I'm back in my zen zone.

Just don't tell me you thought they all looked the same.

Image Source: BeLighter,Covering the Bases, Glamour-Zine