Bond's Accessories: Persol

It has been a while since I last wrote about sunglasses, but I have in the past mentioned my love of Italian sunglasses manufacturer Persol, and in an unrelated post, discussed the refined, insouciant character offered by a lighter colored pair of sunglasses than basic black. Today, I combine the two. Persol sunglasses, and tortoise-shell frames.

Persol calls their tortoise-shell colored frames "Havana". Call them what you like, the lighter colored frames catch more attention and can better compliment a colorful ensemble than black frames. Black is unimaginative in most cases- granted a black suit and shoes would probably cry out for black sunglasses, but in other scenarios, a lighter frame accents the different color hues in most clothing.

I personally have been blessed/cursed with a fair complexion, light hair and skin tone (yeah, that's me on the right), and tortoise-shell frames break the stark contrast that is achieved when I wear all black frames. Conversely, individuals with either olive, brown, or reddish skin tones will have their complexion complimented by the different shades of brown and amber present in a tortoise-shell frame. Everybody wins, you see.

My newest aquisition are these Persol 2720-S sunglasses, which were worn by Daniel Craig's James Bond in the 2006 film, Casino Royale (see picture, below). I opted for the brown lenses while Bond wore frames with green lenses, but I like the way that the Persol brown-orange lenses block out all the sunlight without making indoor lighting seem nonexistant (for the times when walking indoors briefly after forgetting your phone at home or dropping something off at the post office or making a bank deposit... not when gong out clubbing and trying to look cool by wearing shades indoors... you actually look like a douchebag when you do this. Trust me).

I have quickly fallen in love with this pair of shades. My wife tried to "adopt them" and I told her she'd better start trying to come up with a way to bump me off if she wants to inherit them. Like Charleton Heston said, "...From my cold dead hands." They're mine. I offered her my Ray Bans. She refused.

For those who are unaware of the history, Persol comes from the Italian words per il sole, meaning, "for the sun". The brand was founded in 1917 by Giuseppe Ratti. Its trademark is the silver arrow, and several of the company's glasses feature this symbol.

Persol was a heavy influence in the production of sunglasses. The company developed the first flexible stem.
Persol was introduced to the United States in 1962. Its first boutique opened on Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles in 1991.

Steve McQueen popularized two Persol models: the 714 folding sunglasses and similarly styled 649. He wore a special pair of 714's with blue lenses (now avaiable as a Steve McQueen Special Edition model at http://www.persol.com/) in The Thomas Crown Affair and was often photographed wearing the 649 model.
One of the most iconic images of Persol sunglasses can be seen in the movie Divorce Italian Style where Marcello Mastroianni wears a pair of black 649s; Mastroianni also has a pair of Persol sunglasses on in almost every scene in the movie La Dolce Vita.

Persols can be seen on celebrities as frequently as plastic surgery. Jack Nicholson, Jake Gyllenhall, Jay-Z, George Clooney, Sharon Stone, Pierce Brosnan, Bill Murray, and a slew of others are seen wearing them regularly, but that's not to say that celebrity iconography is what makes them worth a damn.

Persols are durable, stylish, and fit like a glove, thanks to the brand's patented "Meflecto" cylinders in the arms, which hug and flex comfortably around the wearers temple to provide a custom fit. The lenses are made of high-impact glass rather than plastic, and resist scratching better than any other sunglass lens on the market. The lenses also provide unsurpassed clarity. Each pair is hand-made in Italy and no two pair are absolutely alike, like a utilitaritan piece of art that one can wear on his face.

Upon reflection, I don't know exactly what the purpose of this post was, whether it was to plug Persol, make a James Bond reference, promote tortoise-shell frames, or just to say, "Hey, check out my new toy." Maybe it was a bit of all of these reasons, but I can guarantee you this: each reason was in the service of style. After all... that's why we're here. Isn't it? 

Cheers.

-Paul

The Pocket Peek

The casual nonchalance of sprezzatura rears its magnificent head again in this posting...

I have often seen this little style tidbit in pictures of well-dressed men in Europe and there is no reason we shouldn't do it stateside. The breast pocket of your jacket was designed to display a pocket square. Really. That's what it is there for. One would never think to carry their car keys in the jacket breast pocket. Nor your cell phone (although in the days of the bluetooth, we sometimes carry a phone in a shirt's breast pocket), nor your cigarettes... you get the idea. It's for a pocket square and pocket squares are becoming widely accepted and used again among stylish men of all age groups.

The thing is, your breast pocket also serves as a great home for your sunglasses when not in use, and no matter the time of day or night, the silver arrow of a pair of Persol sunglasses dancing atop your pocket square looks great (Click on image at Left for larger picture). I love this look for two reasons... first, it adds a little bit of flair to your ensemble; there is a new dynamic to your outfit that draws the eye of those around you. Second, this is a clever way of displaying your superb taste in eyewear while at the same time not looking like someone who is flaunting. Persols aren't cheap. That's a fact. But when displayed in this fashion you don't look like a jerk saying "Look what I have". You look like a guy who's been wearing his sportcoat

or suit jacket all day who has retired his sunglasses to his pocket. It's that simple.

Is style something that you can purchase? No. That's fashion. Stylish men look great in clothes from Kiton or clothes from Target, and can't buy the panache with which they dress. Does this style tip cost some bucks? Yes (if using the brand that I endorse). This look is not quite as effective with a pair of Foster Grant shades (although the right shades will still look good if the details are right). I think that because of their trademark looks, Persols really shine in the breast pocket peek, allowing a beautiful glint of light to project from the silver arrow when the angles are right. It should be understood that the pocket peek is not going to be missed if it's not there, so don't get caught up on it. If it is present, however, the peek will get noticed.

Until next time,

Cheers!

-Paul

Shade from the Sun

Welcome back!

There are some things that can be skimped on or found for an amazing deal here and there. There are things that can be thrifted and tailored and still look like they were made just for you.

Today, in fact, I am wearing a brand new cashmere sportcoat that could have only been mixed in with somebody's thrift-store offering by accident. I don't know how it got given away, but I found the same jacket online- with a retail price in excess of $700, the five bucks I paid for it seems a drop in the bucket! We get lucky like that every once in a while.

One thing that definitely falls into another category all together are your sunglasses. You'll never find a handmade pair of Italian sunglasses at a thrift store. Shades that have been made with such high-quality crystal and polarized to protect and assist one's vision are an indispensible accessory that one literally wears across one's face.

Someone can tell almost as much about you by the lenses that reflect his face back to him when he talks to you as he can by reading your soul through your bare eyeballs. Your choice in shades says a lot about who you are.

I don't care who wants to argue with me, but the best sunglasses are made in Italy. Italian-made Ray Ban sunglasses have been iconic eyewear for years. As for me, I love my Persols (pictured), which literally means "for the sun" in Italian. Steve McQueen wore Persols. Jack Nicholson wears Persols. They work for me. The frames are crafted by hand in Italy and every edge that comes into contact with one's skin has been rounded to feel smoother than a bar of soap. It's like wearing a work of art on one's face. And I think we all deserve that luxury!

I'm not saying to go out and rack up a couple hundred bucks on a credit card to get some svelte shades today. But save up for a good pair. Do some research into the brands and styles that you like. Try on a bunch of frames at a Sunglass Hut and see what looks best on your face. Your eyes will thank you, and you'll feel better all over.

Just remember: the Italians do it best.

Cheers!

Paul