Fashion and culture blog for Los Angeles

Just like the world’s rebellion of ridiculously-priced designer denim, it seems that eyeglasses makers are wising up to the fact that shoppers don’t want to spend $500 on a pair of well-made shades, either. And now companies including Freeway Eyewear and Toms are offering cool, simple sunglasses styles for a flat rate across the board — every single pair of Freeway’s are $100 while Toms come in at $135. It’s a pretty awesome concept that makes buying frames easy, enjoyable and without the anxiety that comes from dropping way too much cash on something that you know isn’t really worth it, but that you totally love anyway.

And one more genius eyewear brand following the same single-price model is Warby Parker, a Manhattan-based company that offers a bevy of eyeglasses, sunnies and even a spiffy monocle for $95 a pop (the monocle is $50).

The company, which is named after two of Jack Kerouac’s earliest characters, offers a collection of classic, academic-looking frames that are stylish, sophisticated and non-ironic in the best possible way. And each pair of $95 eyeglasses for both men and women come complete with prescription lenses — yes, we  shit you not.

Sunglasses — which are also $95 each — launched this week, too. And on the woman’s side, we’re seriously jonesing for the Tenley, an oversized, rounder answer to Wayfarers in a groovy blue hue (top). While on the boys side, we’d likely do a double take to a man in a pair of blonde tortoise Spencers (right).

The line is only available via the internets at the moment, but they’ll ship you five pairs to try on (for free, might we add) and then pay for you to ship back the ones you’re not into. They also have a 30 day return policy, even on frames with prescription lenses. And like Toms, they follow a get-a-pair, give-a-pair model to help women in improvised countries start their own eyeglasses businesses.

It’s all so kooky that it just might work.

And if you happen to be in the Hamptons this weekend, the brand is participating in a Shark Attack party thrown by Naomi Watts’ brother Ben.

It will be the one place where sunglasses at night — $95 or otherwise — are truly acceptable.

Saturday, July 2. 9 p.m. Rick’s Crabby Cowboy, 455 East Lake Dr., Montauk. warbyparker.com

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In this crap economy, designer lipstick and small leather goods are the items to beat for cash-strapped consumers who don’t feel like giving up their brands of choice just because of a pesky little thing called lack of funds.

And while I would rather skip a meal or two than go without my favorite Burberry No. 19 red lipstick, there are more innovative small designer goods available that are often overlooked as very fulfilling purchases in their own right. You just need to know where to look.

Take, for example, a cotton Emilio Pucci headscarf that I bought in New York my sophomore year of college. The bright, colorful square has added oomph to many a vacation, beach day and errand run since than. It has the ability to turn a T-shirt and cut-offs into something that feels unique and personal. Not to mention it protects my fast-fading red locks once the summer sun turns direct. It can be worn as a bandana when your hair is down or in a bun. It can be worn as a headband. It looks good with hoops. I’ve worn that thing to death in all the ways I just mentioned (and once ran back on to a just-landed airplane after realizing I accidentally left it behind). And it cost me a mere $35.

Of course that was 2003. These days, Pucci’s 100 percent cotton piece — which also looks cute wrapped around the handle of a purse and worn as a bracelet — retails for $80. Which, if you ask me, is still worth every penny. It’s Pucci, after all — an iconic label with history and a bit of mystique (aka you won’t find every shopper in the Ralph’s frozen food aisle wearing the stuff). And it’s one of those purchases that feels luxurious and makes you forget about money woes for a sec, because you just bought Pucci so it’s all good.

The cotton scarves, which come in a couple colors and designs, are available on the Emilio Pucci website, at their South Coast plaza outpost and at the brand’s Las Vegas boutique, which officially opened with a bang via an Elaine Wynn-hosted party on Tuesday night (at one time or another, you’ve probably lost some money, liquor and/or dignity in her ex-husband’s hotel. Or maybe that’s, uh, just me).

Photos: top, Pucci lilac cotton scarf, $80. emiliopucci.com. Bottom, a rack case of printed headgear at the brand’s new boutique at Crystals at City Center in Las Vegas.

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