Cat-eye sunglasses

Feminine, dramatic and oozing glamor, cat-eye sunglasses have been an essential part of eyewear design for nearly 90 years. First created in the 1930s, they were designed by American filmmaker Altina Schinasi after she discovered a lack of appealing shapes for women in opticians. The shape of the glasses is inspired by Venetian masks and their tendency to peak at the sides: the effect is a sultry style that is also extremely flattering. Their horizontal, stretched element means that cat-eye sunglasses are wonderful at elongating diamond shaped faces which can have a rounded tendency. In more recent years, designers have made geometric updates to the original form and played with materials and colors. Choose from the Miu Miu MU 01VS which comes in an almost leopard print like tortoiseshell or an applique jewel version, or the Saint Laurent SL 213 LILY with its overemphasized, almost bat-like frame shapes. The overriding femininity of these glasses is exactly their charm.