Your Shape, Your Hair, Your Pair

Leave the tough task of choosing your perfect pair of sunglasses to Velvet! With our guide, it has never been so easy.

We believe there only need to be two simple steps when choosing your perfect pair of sunglasses, but that is our little secret! There are four basic face shapes and hair colors that play into picking your perfect pair of sunglasses and we have put them in a detailed chart to make your online shopping experience quick and simple. Our Velvet Trends line makes it easy to stay up on the latest trends, and now this guide personalizes them for YOU and your unique features. As always, make sure your sunglasses are 100% UV protected, but we have that covered!

Pick your matched hair color and face shape from the guide below and VIOLA! You have found the style best fit for you.

Fun, Flirty, & FREE

Show off your sexy, summer style with 5 new pair of sunglasses, courtesy of Velvet!

Sign up on our home page to enter to win.

We will pick ONE lucky Velvet babe on August 12th!

Memorial Day Sale!

Special thanks to
@juliacomil and houseofcomil.com
@styledsugarplum and styledsugarplum.com
@ownbyfemme and youtube.com/ownbyfemmetv

Lady Gaga’s “Must Read” Message

Lady Gaga slayed it during the Super Bowl halftime show and has a powerful “must read” message for all the Super Bowl body shamers that took to social media negatively.

“I heard my body is a topic of conversation so I wanted to say, I’m proud of my body and you should be proud of yours too. No matter who you are or what you do. I could give you a million reasons why you don’t need to cater to anyone or anything to succeed. Be you, and be relentlessly you. That’s the stuff of champions. thank you so much everyone for supporting me. I love you guys. Xoxo, gaga”

When the tweets started to fly we wondered how Lady Gaga would react….well she reacted just like a LADY! and we say to the body shamers “BLAH BLAH BLAH”…she rocked it and her performance will go down as one of the best Super Bowl halftime shows ever. Her powerful, inspirational message is definitely a “must read”.

Meet Cindy Hussey from Velvet Eyewear…Interviewed by Helen Jon

Passion, drive, and a little bit of luck! Read more about how Cindy Hussey, Founder and Creative Director of Velvet Eyewear, found her niche, grew her company, and had a lot of fun along the way.

Q: We love learning from successful businesswomen who make a difference — and hearing their stories. Tell us, what motivated you to launch your own eyewear business
A: Originally because I just can’t see! I have worn glasses since I was in the first grade when the only selection was a cat eye style in pink or blue. I started in the eyewear business as a retailer fitting and filling prescriptions, and after 10 years shifted to my own brand, Velvet.
 
Q: Is there a specific, meaningful quotation or directive that exemplifies how to best achieve success and balance in life and business?
A: “Stick to what you know.” My mentor told me this when I was about 18. I was fascinated with his success. He stuck to it through the peaks and valleys of the business cycle over many, many years. And, balance is something I am working on more now than ever.
 
Q: You are a true innovator.  You are a creative thinker, designer, marketing maven, optician — and business leader. Tell us, where, in your opinion, do the great new ideas in business come from? Is it filling a needed niche, being in front of a trend, having a passion and drive, all or none of the above?
A: ALL of the above for sure! And I would add survival and luck.
 
Q: We love the name Velvet Eyewear and all of the sensory imagery it connotes. How did you come up with the name “Velvet?” 
A: It was so random. I was looking for a name for a men’s line and they wanted it to start with a “V.” It seemed like I searched for weeks and finally was at the end of the internet (haha) and I came across Velvet. I fell in love immediately with the name for so many reasons. It wasn’t a good name for a men’s line, but sometimes the best things in life happen when you aren’t looking for them. ☺
 
Q:  At Helen Jon, we care very much about protecting against the sun’s harmful effects. Our surf shirts have UPF 50 built in, which is something we are very proud of.  Your eyewear uses a special lens that has been specifically designed to block out 100% of the harmful UV rays and reduce heat and eye strain. You say, “block in beauty; block out harmful UV rays.”  Tell us more about how these lenses slow down signs of aging and protect our eyes.
A: UV is one of the harshest elements in our environment that we are exposed to every time we go outside. Some days are harsher than others, but UV is always present. At Velvet, we use 100% UV protection lenses, and we are the first company to inform women that wearing sunglasses can actually help you fight fine lines and crow’s feet. The eyewear industry has always talked about your eye health (super important) but wearing good sunglasses, like Velvet, can actually slow down the aging process around your eyes too. So wear sunglasses every day!
 
Q: Short of bringing your most trusted (and honest!) friend shopping, what is the best way to pick the most flattering pair of eyeglasses and sunglasses? Face shape, hair color, personal style? How about your “Try It” app, which we happen to think is ingenious.
A: The easiest way to pick the right shape is to choose the shape opposite of your face shape. If you have a round face, buy a square shape, if you have a square face, buy round, etc. Frame color is a bit more complicated and depends on your budget. If you can buy multiple pairs then buy many color options. If you want just one pair, then choose a color that you want to wear all the time and think about your wardrobe. You may love that orange frame in the store, but it might not look good every day.
 
Q: What is the newest trend in the world of eyewear?
A:  Trends are moving fast in eyewear, just like fashion. This is what inspired us to launch our Velvet Trends sunglass collection last year. It is fully on trend, fast fashion at a super affordable price so our customers can buy many and often. Our Velvet Collection is more classic, timeless, simplistic, and modern.  
 
Q: We have all loved and then lost a favorite pair of glasses. Any tips?
A: Don’t sweat it….have fun finding a new love and look!
 
Q: Wearing sunglasses has always been a true style-marker, a great way to express oneself, to have a little fun, feel a little prettier, a little more unique. What is your favorite, iconic sunglass moment?
A: There are soooooooo many! Velvet is not just mildly influenced by our American icons…I’d say HUGELY influenced. We love Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Janis Joplin. They influenced the eyewear scene forever. I’d say my favorite moment is Jackie Kennedy in anything! Love her style.
 
Q: You have a deep connection to art and its place and importance in history. And we love your commitment to arts education for kids! Tell us more about this. 
A: Art education shapes and SAVES lives and should be available to kids through our educational systems. We support the arts through our foundation by providing recycled materials and funds to organizations that supply our schools with resources they need. We also support the Arts through creative contests, internships, summer camp programs, and educational grants offered to young adults. 
 
Talent can be found in anyone…no matter their race, gender, or social economic circumstance. Let’s find it! Keep “Art” in schools.

We couldn’t agree more. Thanks to Cindy Hussey for talking to us. We have loved getting to know you a little bit better, and we will for sure be visiting Velvet Eyewear for our next pair of sunnies! 

Red, White & Velvet!

The Fourth of July is an all-American holiday typically celebrated with barbecues, beach trips, fireworks and A LOT of sunshine! But just because it’s a holiday, it doesn’t mean that the UV rays are any less harmful. So for everyone who is headed off on a weekend getaway, or even just hanging out by the pool, Velvet wants to make sure that your eyes are covered! The same way that you would never lay out in the sun without sunscreen, you should NEVER go out in the sun without sunglasses. The sun gives off powerful ultraviolet (UV) rays that can cause some serious damage your precious eyes. Temporary damages consist of side effects such as swollen or red eyes and hypersensitivity to light, but the long term effects are MUCH worse. Years of failing to protect your eyes from UV rays can eventually lead to eye or eyelid cancer, crow’s feet and fine lines. With all of this in mind, make sure you don’t forget to bring your sunglasses wherever this long weekend may take you!

Happy 4th of July, everyone!  #GetYourVelvetOn

June 27th – National Sunglasses Day

June 27th is National Sunglasses Day!

Every single day, millions of Americans make the decision NOT to wear sunglasses or any other form of ultraviolet (UV)-protective eyewear. In fact, statistics show that although 75 percent of Americans would identify themselves as “concerned” about UV eye exposure, only 31 percent actually wear sunglasses every time they go outside. And although this decision may seem harmless, the truth of the matter is that going outside without sunglasses is actually EXTREMELY dangerous!

Often times, people associate UV radiation with sunburns and skin cancer – but what about all of the other harmful effects? Just the same way that UV rays damage exposed skin cells; they can also burn unprotected eyes. Forgetting your sunglasses for just one day can actually cause immediate damage to your eyes. Temporary damage consists of side effects such as swollen or red eyes and hypersensitivity to light, but the long term effects are much, much worse.  Years of failing to protect your eyes from UV rays can eventually lead to eye or eyelid cancer, crow’s feet and fine lines.

National Sunglasses Day is observed annually on June 27th. It is a day that is not only meant to be observed, but also to remind people just how important UV protection really is. You wouldn’t go outside without sunscreen on – so don’t go outside without your sunglasses, either! Get your Velvet Sunglasses ON!