Shades of Cool: What celebumoms are wearing to face the sun – and the paparazzi!

Just when you didn’t think sunglasses could get any bigger, they have! We spotted our favorite celebumoms wearing shades so gigantic, you would think they were trying to protect their whole face – and not just their eyes — from the sun’s glare. “The message here is all fashion,” says David Gonzalez, owner of Fred Segal Eyes in Santa Monica. “The statement is ‘not only do I get it, but I’m hip enough to pull it off!’”

Fashion historians often credit Jackie Kennedy Onassis with making big sunglasses synonymous with worldly sophistication. “They add a bit of mystery to your look, “ says Lauren Griffiths of Selective Eyewear Elements (www.seeeyewear.com), an innovative collection of moderately priced frames.

But super-sized frames are not the only style direction to look for this spring and summer. “Sunglass trends link in with overall fashion trends, taking cues from jewelry, shoes and bags,” says SEE’s Griffiths. “We are also seeing a lot of citrus colors, and big and bold plastic frames, as well as aviators with detailing like leather, wood and horn.”

Bottom line? Look for frames in vivid colors – such as Jennifer Lopez’s Balenciaga shades, that feature the colors of the rainforest – and the return of gold, such as Angelina Jolie’s oversized aviators (oh-so perfect for when this jet-setting mom is helming a private plane).

When choosing shades this spring, keep these tips in mind:

1. Frames right now are mostly huge, but you should still choose styles in proportion to your face. “It’s not attractive to have a frame that is so big that it extends past the width of your face or hits your cheeks when you smile,” says SEE’s Griffiths.
2. Choose a frame shape that is generally the opposite of your face shape. If your face is on the rounder side, opt for a more angular frame. If your face is more angular, round frames can complement your look. If you’re worried you can’t select the right pair for yourself, ask the professional at the sunglass boutique for some help – they’re usually great at matching styles to faces.
3. If mega-sized shades just don’t suit you, don’t worry — your day will soon come. “Big frames have finally hit their plateau,” says Fred Segal Eyes’ Gonzalez. “They will stay a little large but they have begun to come down a bit. They will continue to get a little smaller over the next few seasons.”

Take some inspiration from what our favorite celebumoms are wearing right now:

All these celebumoms’ frames are available at Solstice Sunglass Boutiques (see www.solsticestores.com for locations). For other fashion-forward styles, check out the collections available at www.seeeyewear.com and www.bananarepublic.com.