Sunglasses, if you didn’t know it already, are no longer used for the sole purpose of shading your eyes. Sunglasses are now an important fashion accessory, and they go a long way to making a fashion statement. And no, you don’t even need the sun to wear sunglasses!

Choosing the right fashion sunglasses can be a bit of a challenge. There are so many styles, brands, colors and shapes. From this pool of millions, how do you find the eyepiece that is ‘you’? You want to look good with your shades on, but wearing something that does not suit your face and features will have quite the opposite effect. It will detract from your good looks and make you look like a fashion faux pas. That is something you want to avoid.

So, here are a few tips to help you choose the right fashion sunglasses:

• Shape: The sunglasses that best suits your face is one that balances out your face nicely, without calling undue attention to any of your weak points. Many people make their first mistake while choosing the shape of their sunglasses. They go with the shape of their face. This is wrong. Choose sunglasses that are opposite the shape of your face. So, if you have a round or oval face, choose something squarish.

• Size: Many people love over sized sunglasses. They look cool. Besides, almost every star in Hollywood and beyond seem to be wearing them. Well, yes, over sized sunglasses are a rage. But use them only if they suit your face and the occasion. The thumb rule is this: if you have a small face with delicate features, you need to use small sunglasses that gel with the size of your face; and if you are fortunate enough to have a large face and bold features, by all means, choose big! The dramatic effect will be too hard to resist. That said, we see quite a lot of experimentation going on in this field these days. Many celebrities have shown by example that you can draw attention to your small, delicate features by wearing over sized sunglasses. Models do it all the time. They have a square or angular face that looks striking when combines with large square sunglasses. The secret is this: understand what effect you are after and select your fashion sunglasses accordingly.

• Color: Fashion sunglasses come in a variety of colors. There’s black, brown and all sorts of shades in between. At one time, large colorful frames were in. But these were soon replaced by small frames. The latest trend seems to have no frames at all! A simple way to get it right with the latest trend is to watch out for styles in fashion magazines and TV shows. These will feature the latest.

Fashion sunglasses can really help you transform your looks from homey to hip, from the girl/boy-next-door to super cool. All you need to do is choose well and select right. And though it’s fun to follow the latest fashion trends, always consider whether your face is better off with the latest trend or with the classic styles of yesteryears.