Is there one glasses frame color that will never go out of style? Your best bet: tortoise shell.  There may not be a single more versatile color in the universe. We've all been brow-beaten by our grandmothers to not to mix black and brown, but tortoise shell can mix with anything.  It's brown, it's black, it's got gold and ivory undertones.  It just works.  If you are trying to find a frame that will last for years, and be a glasses-staple in your wardrobe, I always recommend shopping in this color range.

They are called "frames" for a reason.  Glasses can enhance your natural face shape attributes (just check out my posts on the best frames for your face shape to see how).  With a neutral like tortoise shell, you can let the shape of the frame make the statement for your look (and your own natural beauty shine through).  Overtly oversized frames are quickly fading into the past, so skip the extra large frames in the men's section.  2014 is trending much more natural -- look for a frame whose depth, or vertical length, is about two times larger than your eye, and where your eye is well centered in the horizontal width.  Bigger than this was popular in years past, but will look quite juvenile by 2014 standards.



Two: Pop of Gold

Looking for something with a little more punch?  I love pairing tortoise shell with gold for a stronger statement.  Gold is still your metal of choice in 2014, and there are no signs of the gold phenomenon fading any time soon.  Tortoise shell naturally has gold highlights, so the color story flows quite naturally.  Look for a pop of gold in the temples or in a two-tone effect along the face of the frame.

One thing is always true about fashion: we love to recycle the past.  Glasses styles are definitely no exception, and this spring no vintage look is having a bigger moment than horn-rimmed specs.  It is popping up everywhere from Ray Ban's classic Clubmaster shades being relaunched in every spectrum of the rainbow, to ophthalmics embracing a new take on the geek-chic look that has become played out in the oversized trends of years past.

In a world dominated by trendy, oversized plastics, the spring 2014 runways brought a fresh look from designers -- metals.  Gone are the boring, unisex-looking metal frames that made many Americans hate wearing glasses in the past.  This new take on metals has all the power and punch of color of any plastic, but some added perks too.

Australia's Fashion Week street style via

There's no doubt that one of the top trends for both men and women this spring is clear frames.  For sunglasses or ophthalmics, clear plastics are popping up everywhere.  Incorporating this new look into your spring wardrobe may be a little more difficult than previous looks that were more universally wearable from seasons past. Clear plastics can easily look bulky or like safety glasses if you don't pay attention to the details.   But when you take into account your face shape and skin coloring, you can elevate your wardrobe to the next level with this great fashion-forward look.

Pictured to the right is a great example of clear sunglasses gone right.  Sunglasses are going to be much easier to pull off because the darker lens color breaks up the clear plastic to prevent the look from going too washed out.

For ophthalmic frames, it takes a little more forethought to achieve a flattering look.  Here's a breakdown of the best frame choices to incorporate clear plastics into your everyday wear:

Michael Kors MK 832 Color: Sand  via

When looking for clear frames, think about your skin tone.  If you have really light skin, completely clear plastic can really wash out your features.  Ivory tones can be much more flattering for lighter complexions!

Michael Kors 659 Color: Crystal via

But for darker skin tones, you can really pull off anything.  The frame above has clear plastic eyepieces and crisp white temples, which makes for a really bright and fresh look.  I also really love that this frame is a smaller shape -- the oversized frames that are so popular right now can go too safety glasses in appearance when made with clear plastic.  A slightly smaller frame shape can make this look much more wearable, and less like lab-wear.

Jimmy Crystal New York, Style: Engagement  via

Another great way to pull off clear plastics is to incorporate a brighter statement on the temples.  Look for a bright pop of color, or more eye catching crystal work like the frame above.  That will keep the frame from entirely blending into your face if the color of the plastic is matching your skin tone too closely.

via

Or look for an extra pop of interest in the frame shape.  The dark color used on the temples really accentuates the cat eye shape here, adding more visual interest and dimension.  This is really one of my favorite ways to use the clear plastic trend -- pair it with cat eye for the ultimate Spring 2014 look.

Anyone else just sick of winter?  Time to daydream about the eyewear you need when we can finally get outdoors and enjoy some natural Vitamin D.  The runway trend for Spring 2014 was rather consistent across designers:  round is the shape of the season.  Round can be a very difficult and unflattering shape to wear, so I personally have avoided it.  But for most oval or square-shaped faces, round frames can be a visually interesting and still flattering alternative for the season.  Here's a preview:

I'm a little late with my fashion week post, but better late than never.  Here's a glimpse of the eyewear top designers sent down the runway:

Just Cavalli goes futuristic in Milan.  Mirrored sunglasses continued to be a popular trend for designers.

Louis Vuitton frames with widened bridge evoke a sports goggle aesthetic.  It's hard to imagine these being popular mainstream, but definitely breaks the norm!

Burberry Prorsum in London.  While this frame shape can be challenging to wear, the graphic juxtaposition of white frame and dark lens is a definite bold statement.

Charlotte Ronson rehashes the geek chic look - oversize frames re-envisioned in clear plastics.  To me, this takes the trend way over the top, but that's what fashion week is all about.

Marc Jacobs sunglasses in dark plum, giving a harder to edge to the familiar round shape from last season that was seen more frequently in pastels.  I can imagine these darker jewel tones faring well on the market after we were bombarded with pastels and neons for the past few seasons.