It might come as a shocker, but the original purpose of sunglasses is to basically protect your eyes from the sun. And while it’s tempting to settle on one pair of sunglasses and just be done with it, your cycling goggles might not make the cut for a Sunday brunch with your pals down at the beer garden. Because let’s face it - a poor choice in sunglasses can bring your look from hero to zero. It can scorch your look as well as your retinas, wherever you are in the world.

So we bring to you some faux pas you should avoid at all times in order to look your best. Answer these shady sunglass questions and you’ll never have to think twice about your looks.

Are your sunglasses offering protection?

When the summer months come around, half-naked bodies aren’t the only things you should not be staring at. Unless you lack cognitive abilities and think staring at the sun will not harm you in any way, this is a definite no-no. Locking eyes with this burning ball could prove to be terminal for your precious eyesight. Those without freakish superpowers will not survive the summer months without protective eye-gear. If you go to the beach, make sure to wear UV protected sunglasses to battle the harmful rays - and look the part while you’re at it.

Are your dimensions right?

You would never buy a suit that doesn’t fit you, so why would you do it with your shades? Sunglasses usually come with marked measurements that can help you figure out the perfect style for your sunglasses. The size of the frame you choose is extremely important because each person’s head has slightly different dimensions, so you really should consider the width of your face, and then factor in your individual features.

Do these sunglasses match your true sense of style?

If you’ve developed a signature style that requires you to wear only one pair of glasses, consider yourself lucky, Since many people have 9-to-5 jobs that are entirely different from their weekend pursuits, several pairs will likely be needed to bridge the gap between the on and off-duty fashion sense.

Sunglasses are not just about the way they make your face look….also make sure the style you pick goes well with your entire ensemble. They should sit just as well with your formal suit as they do with your swimming trunks, and everything in the middle. Maybe that means keeping your cool aviators for the beach, your wayfarers for the commute and your sports sunglasses for your next triathlon!

Do you believe in adopting every trend you find online?

It’s great to be an observer of trends, but there’s a fine line between following trends and blindly adopting every style that lands up on your Insta feed. If you are trying to match all your outfits to the tune of every passing trend, trust us-- it will not go well. If you truly want to make an outfit stand out, you might want to delve deeper into the kind of setting you’ll be wearing it in. Wearing micro sunglasses to go skiing might be an odd choice….but to each his/her own!

So use your good old common sense, and make sure your sunglasses are adding to your persona….not making you look mismatched!