HIGH CONTRAST POSTER

WHO: After seasons of color blocking, Marc Jacobs, Narciso Rodriguez, Jil Sander, and Céline all showed back-to-basics black and white in their Spring 2013 collections, not to mention the high contrast inherent in Janelle Monae’s entire wardrobe and Robin Thicke’s Beetlejuice inspired suit at the 2013 MTV VMAs.

WHAT: This season eyewear designers have distilled the art of contrast down to make sense for the eyewear category, a place that graphic black and white frames can often look a little too stark, by softening the hues and playing with colors that make sense on the face. By pairing contrasting fronts and temples, eyewear nods to this idea of high contrast pairings in a more universally wearable way.

WEAR: (From top to bottom) The Gant Rugger GR Ollie from Viva International has a warm light brown crystal front with solid black opaque temples. The eco Madrid from Modo adds a little soft color to the mix with a light blue front set against classic dark tortoise temples. The Dana Buchman Vasha from Kenmark Group switches it up a bit by pairing a tortoise front with pearlescent white temples and crystals. The Diane von Furstenburg DVF5049 from Marchon shows that it doesn’t even need to be contrasting colors by using plays on dark and light of the same hue, in this case blue, to accomplish the same distinction. Lastly, the David Yurman DY649 from Legacie sets an antique crystal front opposite wide tortoise temples separated by a cast silver metal detail.

WHY: Often referring to the juxtaposition of black against white, when it comes to eyewear, high contrast is better served by more complexion flattering hues that provide more wearability. Additionally, contrasting frames provide added versatility and visual interest than a traditionally solid frame making them an ideal choice for someone looking for frames that are slightly outside the box without going overboard.

dcarroll@jobson.com