Now more than ever, sunglasses are a year round accessory. If you want proof that men’s and women’s sunglasses do a killing in the winter time, all you have to do is watch a couple of minutes of the Winter Olympics coverage. Not only are the athletes fully decked out in shades (or specially designed goggles that cost more then you could imagine paying for some head gear), but everywhere you look people are wearing shades to protect their eyes from the harmful rays of the sun. And, as they are probably thinking, while they are protecting their eyes why not look good with designer shades that will make them stand out from the crowd.

Skiers have known for years that sunglasses are important tools for snow play. Besides protecting your eyes from “snow blindness” (an actual medical term), sunglasses can also help skiers better see the course and those who surround you. When snowboarders began to rule the slopes, they brought their own style with them. Gone were expensive designer sunglasses and in were new, “cooler”, sometimes just as expensive counter-culture sunglasses. Now, as counter-culture has become mainstream, skier and snowboarder styles have become relatively similar and both enjoy rather similar tastes in shades. While they might not agree on everything, skier and snowboarders all seem to don the sunglasses of their choice.

Now, it seems like everyone is wearing sunglasses in the winter time. And not only when it’s sunny and snowy, but also when it’s cloudy and overcast usually for fashion reasons. Why else would people now be wearing sunglasses indoors (check out your next awards show). Just scanning over the crowd at Olympic venues you can see many people wearing sunglasses even when it’s not sunny out. It’s just become such a part of people’s daily dress that the fact it’s not even sunny out doesn’t really seem to matter anymore.

When picking good shades for the winter time, it is paramount to consider what conditions you are going to be using them in. If you’re using them for snow play such as skiing or snowboarding it is good to get something that will block out as much of the UV’s as possible. This will help you not only stave off snow blindness, but also see things clearer on the slopes. If, on the other hand, you’re using it just to look cool, well, you can just go with your typical summer sunglasses. You might want to go with something that doesn’t block out that much light if you’re going for merely fashion in the winter time. That way the world won’t look dark all the time.