By Deirdre Carroll: Senior Editor

 
MOODY BLUES POSTER
WHO: The Spring runways of Monique Lhuillier, Theysken’s Theory, Gucci and Costume National, not to mention the recent red carpet stylings of Amanda Seyfried at the SAG Awards and Reese Witherspoon and Daniel Day Lewis at the Academy Awards.

WHAT: It isn’t true that nothing changes. It wasn’t too long ago that fashion law dictated that blue and black never be worn together. Now it may seem we’re in strange times but the Spring 2013 runways took a serious departure from that and set their sights on the new horizons of a blue world. Of course, like with most things, it is a question of balance and many eyewear designers’ own vision of paradise has led them to interpret the trend in a variety of beautiful indigos, navies and blues so dark they’re almost black.

WEAR: (L to R) There is nothing melancholy, man, about the Seraphin Oak optical frame from Ogi Eyewear. It proves that color can be über masculine thanks to a navy so dark it’s nearly midnight. As manly as the Oak is, the Vera Wang Fabienne from the Kenmark Group is equally as feminine; with an oversized lens shape and a slight cat-eye shape, the style is sure to never hide the story in your eyes. Have you heard about the continued success of the Michael Kors stock? Clearly, the man is a genius and living the dream; no surprise when he keeps making things as gorgeous as the MK287 from Marchon. The Robert Marc PL 297 in Jodhpur blue from the designer’s “India” collection features the brand’s signature hinge on tonal pearlescent marbled temples. A gorgeous frame that conjures exotic places? That may be the best way to travel. For the less adventurous, the Spy Optic Felix with a semi-rimless metal front done in an inky, dark indigo with matching acetate temples gives just enough blue without making you nervous.

WHY: Gentler against the skin than black but a little more interesting than classic tortoise, navy and dark blue eyewear is a fresher option for an easy-to-wear, everyday frame. Add to that, that navy is considered a neutral in the world of fashion, meaning it pairs well with a wide variety of colors, and dark blue specs provide patients with an easy alternative to standard blacks, browns and metallics. If you are a retailer there is no point in watching and waiting to see if this trend has traction, it’s easy to incorporate blue frames into any frame mix and there is no question that you could just pull out a few choice frames already in your inventory to create a compelling blue merchandising story.

dcarroll@jobson.com

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