Besides being a blogger, I am a sales consultant at Sunglass Hut in Times Square — the highest-grossing store out of 3,000 Luxottica-owned retailers! Helping people with their style, talking to tourists from all over the world (Mongolia? Check. Nepal? Check. Cayman Islands? Check.), and seeing all the new luxury sunglasses come in is very exciting. Upon greeting a customer, we always let them know that they can try on any of the sunglasses on display. I thought it would be cute to say “Feel free to try everything on!”, meaning that they can look and think as much as they need to before making a purchase, without feeling judged or pressured. When I shop, I make sure to look at every product that meets my needs. It’s simple if I need a belt and there is literally one belt in the store that fits me. What’s more challenging is scouring a store with a great many qualifying products…like, say, a store that has hundreds of different sunglasses when I need sunglasses for summer. And I wondered, could I do it? Could I honestly consider every pair I liked in the entire store?
I can. I went in on June 27, National Sunglasses Day, and spent three hours inside Sunglass Hut trying on every pair I liked. Here are 100 of the pairs I tried on:
Bulgari 6083 $370; Bulgari Serpenteyes, $470; Bulgari 6088, $510
Bulgari 8189, $440; Bulgari 6093, $440; Bulgari Serpenti, $410
Bulgari 8188, $470; Burberry 4241, $215; Chanel Butterfly Summer, $350
Chanel Round Spring, $515; Chanel Pilot Fall, $610; Dior Homme Composit, $565
Dior So Real, $595; Dior So Real Stud, $670; Dior Sight, $380
Dior Chicago, $395; Dior Diorama, $500; Dior Liner, $375
Dolce & Gabbana 2172, $340; Dolce & Gabbana 2169, $340; Dolce & Gabbana 4288, $330
Dolce & Gabbana 6105, $270; Dolce & Gabbana 2173, $650; Dolce & Gabbana 2170, $650
Fendi 0060, $455; Fendi Iridia, $520; Fendi 0133, $380
Fendi 0041, $470; Fendi Hypnoshine, $695; Fendi Rainbow, $545
Fendi 0025, $355; Gigi Hadid for Vogue 5211 in black/pink and white, $140
Gucci 0061, $400; Maui Jim Nalani, $280; Maui Jim Summer Time, $319
Maui Jim Manu 64, $270; Michael Kors Hvar, $139; Michael Kors Evy, $179
Michael Kors Lia, $159; Miu Miu 52RS, $410
Miu Miu 13NS, $380; Miu Miu 52QS, $320; Miu Miu 12RSA, $410
Miu Miu 52SS, $470; Miu Miu 11RS, $410; Miu Miu 05SS, $470
Oakley Tie Breaker, $200; Oakley Elmont, $210; Oakley Frogskins, $120
Oakley Crossrange, $210; Oakley Mainlink, $200; Oakley Catalyst, $160
Oakley Holbrook Ink Fade Collection, $170; Persol 100th Anniversary Collection, $410; Prada 65TS, $420
Prada 16TS, $460; Prada 68TS, $410
Prada 27NS; Prada 51SS, $330; Prada Cinema, $430
Prada 54SS, $330; Prada 61TS, $370; Polo Ralph Lauren 4125, $169
Ralph 5203, $150; Ray-Ban Cats 5000, $165; Ray-Ban Hexagonal Flat Lens, $150
Ray-Ban Gatsby, $185; Ray-Ban Flat Lens, $185; Ray-Ban 4274, $165
Ray-Ban Clubmaster, $175; Ray-Ban New Wayfarer, $155; Sunglass Hut Collection 1003, $80
Sunglass Hut Collection 2001 in red, black, and clear, $80-$100
Sunglass Hut Collection 2005, $80; Tiffany & Co. 4136 in brown and black, $380
Tiffany & Co. 4121, $380; Tiffany & Co. 4134, $390; Tiffany & Co. 3058, $330
Tiffany & Co. 3051, $310; Tom Ford Kasia, $390; Tom Ford Savannah, $445
Tom Ford Arabella, $475; Tory Burch 9046, $195; Valentino 4002, $350
Valentino 4005, $390; Valentino 4013, $290; Valentino 4008, $410
Valentino 2002, $350; Valentino 2004, $380; Versace #Frenergy, $315
Versace 4338, $240; Versace 2160, $265; Versace 4294, $240
Versace Medusa, $280; Versace 2177, $375; Versace 2140, $215
And the winner is…the Oakley Elmont!
Me and my new shades in my favorite corner of the store. Bebe blouse. H&M skirt. Bandolino pumps. Claire’s earrings. Topshop headband. Handbag from my mother’s friend, with no tag inside. Photo by my coworker Baruch.
Before I started working here, I thought Oakleys were for guys. There is a scene in the TV show Workaholics where the protagonists join a fraternity, and upon their initiation a frat member says “Here are your Oakleys,” as if every frat boy wears them. I know that show is basically one long joke, but the impression stayed with me. Until I found a pair of Oakleys that was polarized, had Prizm lens technology, and was feminine enough for even me.
Happy Summer!
Blissful Style 