Designers seem to get women’s fashion all wrong, and sunglasses are no exception. With tall and thin models displaying the latest fashions, most high-end designer attire is bound to look off and odd on the average woman (even a celebrity), and accessories for many of these lines have been colored pink or another bright hue and covered in rhinestones, studs, or other embellishments. While a few studs here or there are still trendy, not everyone wants to look like a Jersey Shore cast member, and if A-list celebrities are the barometer of trends, eyewear is taking a back-to-basic approach.

Blake Lively, a star on the girliest of girly shows Gossip Girl, was seen recently in Ray Ban wayfarer sunglasses. But instead of going for a feminine look, such as pink or red frames, the actress seen this year in The Town chose a classic look: a black frame with black lenses. In the case of Lively’s moderately androgynous look in the picture – a fedora and what appears to be a sheepskin coat – the neutral sunglasses fit right in.

Kristen Stewart, who was apparently the highest-paid actress in 2010, was also spotted recently wearing a classic pair of Ray Ban Clubmaster sunglasses. A look that debuted in 1980s, Clubmaster sunglasses have a design concept similar to wayfarers: angular lines juxtaposed with curves. Clubmaster sunglasses essentially have a half-rim look, which makes them seem automatically more masculine and look like something Chris Lowe, the soft-spoken keyboardist for the Pet Shop Boys, would have worn in a late-‘80s music video.

On the A-list for teens, Miranda Cosgrove, the star of iCarly, is seen in Christian Dior oversized sunglasses. Instead of succumbing to a more age-appropriate look, Cosgrove appears to forego the sparkles and bright colors and settles on a classic pair of shades: a black, rounded frame and dark gradient lenses.

Although slightly older and maybe now a B-list celebrity, Ali Larter, best known for television show Heros, was seen recently in Persol aviator sunglasses. Women’s aviator sunglasses, over the past few years, have become more feminine: a pink or red plastic frame with light-colored gradient lenses. Persol, much like Ray Ban, goes for unisex looks, and stars like Larter have added these neutral frames to balance out their overall feminine appearance.

Revamping your brand, known for decades for instant photographs, begins with collaborating with the hottest pop star of the moment. While Polaroid and Lady Gaga started working together a year ago, only recently were their camera sunglasses revealed. Shown at the Consumer Electronics Tradeshow in Las Vegas, the sunglasses function as both a digital camera and, like ordinary designer sunglasses, protective eyewear. An Instant Mobile Printer and Instant Digital Camera (get the “instant” theme yet?) also made at appearance.

While fashionistas may pass up the printer and digital camera, these sunglasses are a curious item. Gaga and Polaroid have released them under the Grey Label Line as product GL20. Although the sunglasses have Gaga’s popular shield-frame look, a camera is embedded in the frame near the nose area, allowing the user to take pictures and videos. LCD screens are added over the eyes, and the user, then, views all pictures and videos instantly on the exterior of the shades. A USB port is added to the side of the frame, allowing the user to put any pictures or videos onto a computer.

A price for the camera sunglasses has not been listed, and the product is not expected to appear in stores until later this year.

Although the camera sunglasses are a confluence between fashion and technology, can Lady Gaga’s presence (she’s Polaroid’s Creative Director) revive the camera brand? Ever since digital cameras appeared nearly 10 years ago, the brand once known for instant pictures has been disappearing along with film and darkrooms. Why would consumers continue to use a product that produces a subpar image and does not hook up to a computer?

Polaroid cameras were convenient up until about 2002, and since then, they’ve become an item with the nostalgic value of cassettes and VCRs. Too cumbersome to carry around everywhere, Polaroid cameras were always a novelty item. While the GL20, too, seems like an expensive novelty product, it could be easier to take around and, maybe briefly, make the instant picture brand relevant again.

The Situation already debuted his clothing line, which looks like an Ed Hardy knockoff, and J-Woww’s Filthy Couture came to a stop, but Snooki appears poised to be the next Jersey Shore fashion brand, according to a story from the New York Post. Not entirely recent news, Snooki was expected to get involved in designing sunglasses with J-Woww back when Filthy Couture was in the works. Instead of being J-Woww’s partner in crime, the pint-sized guidette is going off on her own.

According to the New York Post article, Snooki’s clothing line will, in initial stages, encompass slippers, jewelry, and sunglasses, all blinged out beyond recognition. Clothing, lingerie, handbags, and beauty products may be added later. Brand Happy Feet, known for the large puffy slippers Snooki wears on Jersey Shore, is already beginning to collaborate with the reality TV star.

Although no designs have appeared, what do you think Snooki’s fashion line will look like? We can suspect that she’ll capitalize on her image, going for low-cleavage clothing and brightly-colored, and rhinestone-covered accessories. But, while Sitch’s line looks like cheap Ed Hardy gear and J-Woww took the lace and corset look too far, Snooki could combine these two tawdry trends or go for something completely different.

Snooki tweeted nearly a year ago about creating a line with zip up hoodies and decals, but who knows if she will follow through. As the overly-tanned reality star is doing a book tour at the moment, her fashion line may take a while to hit stores.

Examining her fashion choices, what should we expect? Rhinestones everywhere are inevitable, and her styles will make such Valentino sunglasses seem modest. Her handbags and clothing, if added later, may even out-bling some of the recently popular western handbags.

Blog Styleite recently did a piece about the many sunglasses styles Lady Gaga has worn over her brief period of fame. It’s only been about two years since her debut The Fame appeared, and since then, Lady Gaga must have looted through every designer sunglasses store to find this eclectic assortment of shades.

To follow the Styleite piece, Lady Gaga has often been spotted with a pair of rounded frame sunglasses or, as they call them, Lennon-esque shades. Perhaps John Lennon might have preferred something more modest, but considering the singer sported the style in the “Paparazzi” video and on the street, it’s safe to say that this seems to be her preferred look. The Paloma Picasso frames – a combination of rounded, gradient lenses with an angular frame – is a variation on this. To get your own Lady Gaga look, consider these rounded frames by Ray Ban.

Gaga’s style isn’t always all over the place, and from the pictures Styleite gathered, she appears to go for a classic look on occasion, donning a pair of Ray Ban wayfarer sunglasses. Finding this style isn’t difficult. Everyone from designer eyewear retailers to Claire’s and Target carries this frame. How you wear it, however, may make you look like Lady Gaga – or like a poor Katy Perry imitation.

Shield frames are a common look seen on the singer, but rather than being average club wear, the frames often reflect her unique style. A while ago, we saw rapper Kid Sister in a pair of studded shield sunglasses, and Gaga, similarly, does her own thing with this versatile style. Worn in the “Just Dance” and “Poker Face” videos and in variations in concert, shield sunglasses offer Gaga the largest space for style experimentation.

In fact, outside of the Styleite piece, Gaga has been seen wearing an ‘80s-style pair of cat eye sunglasses.

If you’ve been keeping track, oversized and aviator shades are two looks we haven’t seen Gaga sport. A basic Google search for both of these comes up with little evidence she has worn either out in public. Are they too trendy to be worn by this avant-garde pop star? Maybe she has a few stashed away in her closet for casual days.

Grunge music may not be at the top of the charts (and emo pales in comparison), but a 1990s revival has appeared to be going on. Although merged with many ‘80s styles (off-the-shoulder shirts, skinny jeans, and ra-ra skirts), the looks of the early ‘90s are back on the racks with a modern interpretation. Let’s hope that the ‘70s revival and designer logo overload of the late ‘90s don’t resurface any time soon.

With flannel and skinny jeans everywhere, fashion seems to be considering Nirvana style icons again. Because of this, Kurt Cobain’s Christian Roth sunglasses may be coming to a store near you. If you can recall, Cobain sported a pair of women’s sunglasses that, if you analyze them from a modern perspective, are a cross between cat eye and oversized styles. Silver Lining Vintage, working with style restoration experts, will re-release the sunglasses at Opening Ceremony.

These sunglasses, however, aren’t exact copies of Cobain’s. The frames from the 6558 and 6556 styles by Christian Roth will be replicated, and Silver Lining Vintage has added their own tinted lenses.

Not everyone was a grunger from 1991 to 1996, however, and if you’re looking to capture this ‘90s style, various brands of designer sunglasses offer a few options.

Wayfarer frames, for example, didn’t die on January 1, 1990. Instead, they hung around for about the first half of the decade. Although the style is often associated with the ‘80s, it blends in well with any 1990s-inspired outfit. As flannel, skinny jeans, and Dr. Martin’s (or combat-style boots) are everywhere from Nordstrom’s to Forever 21, why not add a basic black pair of wayfarer sunglasses to your look?

Wraparound styles, on the other hand, are the definitive look of the ‘90s. Now relegated primarily to athletic brands, wraparound sunglasses often had dark or mirrored frames 15 years ago. For an authentic 1990s look, find a pair with a black or silver frame and black or mirrored lenses.

By now, it’s old news, and Katy Perry and Russell Brand have already been married. Nevertheless, when the pop star known for “I Kissed a Girl” and “California Gurls” arrived in India last week, she had on an odd pair of designer sunglasses. With a cat’s eye style, the A-Morir shades had a gold chain hanging from the nose to the temple. Going across the right side of Perry’s face, the sunglasses, in pictures, gave off the appearance that Perry pierced her nose and was wearing a traditional bridal ring – on the wrong side. As Starcasm.net explains, Perry wore the ring in the same place that any “lady of the night” would.

But this isn’t really surprising, considering the several questionable decisions Perry has made with her attire over the past few months. From a whipped cream can bra in the “California Gurls” video to the recent Sesame Street appearance that never aired, Perry’s fashion choices haven’t been the greatest. The pair of A-Morir sunglasses, on the other hand, just made Perry look like she was having yet another fashion faux pas at a distance.

The A-Morir shades, from the looks of it, are right on target with the latest trends. With an angular cat’s eye style, the designer sunglasses have frames lined with small rhinestones. A medium-sized gold chain is attached from the nose area to the temple.

While these sunglasses look like they’re heavily piling on the bling, other celebrities have gone after this same look. Earlier this year, we saw rapper Kid Sister sporting studded shield sunglasses, with rhinestones and metal decorating both sides of the frame. Similarly, Snooki of The Jersey Shore also went for the shield look, and was spotted in a pair of designer sunglasses covered entirely in rhinestones – both frame and lenses.

Not all designer brands can be Gucci or Chanel. Some start, have a short but successful lifespan, and then close. Others, such as Ungaro, appear to be dying a slow death, sped up by the occasional poor decision (hiring Lindsay Lohan to be your creative director, for example). Where does Christian Lacroix, a fashion house that debuted in 1987, fall?

According to an article published recently in The Huffington Post, it appears that the brand has not decided its fate and, instead, continues to trudge on by unveiling a line of designer sunglasses. The article mentions that the fashion house has never turned in a profit in all of its 23 years, and Creative Director Sacha Walckhoff wants to take the brand in a new direction. Their sunglasses, apparently, pave the way for a new future.

Lacroix’s sunglasses will be the first licensed product since Christian Marie Marc Lacroix left. The Huffington Post article gives a preview of Lacroix’s new sunglasses, and although interesting, they offer nothing unique at the moment. At $250 to $600 a pop, the designer sunglasses are somewhat of a luxury item.

Nevertheless, the collection of designer sunglasses is promising. With women’s and unisex styles, the frames by Lacroix are generally oversized and characterized by embellishments: a few rhinestones around the temples, some metal highlights down the side. But as far as unisex styles go, the wayfarer and aviator frames seem nearly indistinguishable from Gucci sunglasses, with the exception of a few embellishments.

Lacroix, apparently, went into administration in 2009, and for the past year, the fashion house, which never really caught on, has faltered, with only 12 employees on staff. Nevertheless, the sunglasses, unlike other Lacroix clothing, have a practical appearance and, if the economy improves, could be a luxury item in the same vein as Gucci.

Style evolution often takes existing trends and improves upon them or changes them. Rarely is a new look introduced that wipes everything out beforehand completely. At the moment, cat eye sunglasses are a perfect example of this trend. For the past decade, oversized has been the dominant look for women. While many designers still keep these in their collections, another look – wayfarers – emerged during this time. Of course, as ‘80s fashions have returned, wearing wayfarers to go with ra-ra skirts and off-the-shoulder t-shirts is simply inevitable. Cat eye sunglasses combine these two trends: the angular frame of the wayfarers with the curves and size of oversized shades.

Style Central gives a basic preview for cat eye sunglasses, but the frames in the image only give one example of this look. WhoWhatWear, on the other hand, gives a comprehensive look of which celebrities are wearing cat eye sunglasses. Of course, it’s many of the fashionistas, from those like Diane Kruger with classic style to the anything-goes boho chic of the Olsen twins.

As you can see by the WhoWhatWear piece, cat eye sunglasses are designed in several styles. For a classic look, the shades often use a color scheme similar to that of your typical oversized frames: a mock tortoise frame with black lenses. Of course, sunglasses don’t always need to be classic, and another common look, one that mirrors many wayfarer styles at the moment, is the black frames with smoke lenses style.

The look of the frames gives the sunglasses a soft or dramatic appearance. Some cat eye designer sunglasses are made entirely of rounded edges; the “cat eye” appearance comes from a swooped edge on top. But, because the sunglasses combine an ‘80s trend with one dating back to the ‘50s, the shades can have all angular edges for more emphasis in ‘80s style.

Rhinestones have been in and out for the past few seasons. On one hand, the trend is vilified, especially after nearly every Ed Hardy design – t-shirt, handbag, pants – displays them and a bunch of glitter. But, on the other hand, various clutches seen on celebrities have used gemstones or had a crystal-encrusted appearance, in particular at the recent Emmy’s ceremony. So, what’s the difference between being classy and a Jersey Shore-wannabe-gone-Myspace Blingee?

First, consider how the rhinestones are presented. Having too much in one space is one factor that has caused many to stop wearing Ed Hardy. The brand uses an elaborate, bright-colored tattoo image on every accessory and clothing, and this is additionally highlighted by a combination of rhinestones, studs, and glitter. The combination of the bright colors, often on a brighter-colored background, and the excessive bling often give Ed Hardy gear the “trashy” label.

But, if excessive rhinestones really are your thing, spending a bit more or having a few quality pieces go much farther than having a closet full of Ed Hardy. This crystal-encrusted Alexander McQueen clutch, for example, does rhinestones just right. All crystals and studs are set on a darker-colored background and, instead of being red, are also dark in color. The small dots of silver, however, stand out and highlight the clutch.

Designer-inspired clutches, such as this rhinestone flat wallet, can be found at Best Handbag Wholesale.

Aside from the background for the rhinestones, with what are you pairing the look? Rhinestones aren’t a pattern – they’re like highlighter. Too much highlighter, and the image looks blinding. Using a few gems as a highlighter is often the right amount. These Valentino sunglasses, for example, give just the right amount. Added to the rose cutouts on both sides of the shades, the rhinestones accentuate the pattern – but not too much. Overdo it, and you’ll end up literally blinded like Snooki.

In a sense, all fashion can be considered limited edition – a collection appears at the start of the season and, after a few months, is gone soon after. In the world of sunglasses, however, some designers hold onto a few tried-and-true designs and keep them in their collections, just as long as the look is in style. But, some looks are here today and gone tomorrow – and others are labeled “limited edition.”

The latter case applies to a recent pair of Max Mara sunglasses that hit the market. These limited edition sunglasses, called “Jane,” are based on Max Mara’s aviator styles but with a distinct old-school appearance. The Jane sunglasses are said to be designed for the women traveler and, considering the history of the aviator style, this is appropriate.

Nevertheless, the features put together for the Jane sunglasses have a distinct early-1990s vibe. And, while not to discredit the style in the same vein January Jones’ dress was at the recent Emmys, the sunglasses look like a style out of an early-1990s sitcom – think of Dwayne Wayne from A Different World. In that case, you can ask yourself, “Do the lenses flip up?”

There’s a reason why some late-1980s and early-1990s styles have (yet) to return. No matter if Max Mara is going for classic style or the nostalgia factor with these sunglasses, they’ll be hard to find in a few months, and they’re only sold through the brand’s boutique stores. Specifically, each pair of Jane sunglasses has a silver or metal frame with round lenses and leather detail on the front. The brand’s name is engraved on the side.

In general, Max Mara aims for a classic look and simplicity with its designer sunglasses. Thicker plastic frames, usually in a dark or mock tortoise shade, have comprised their collection for the past few seasons.