Every new season brings with it new needs and, consequently, new expenses. Of course, during the summer you won’t need to buy an expensive new mink fur coat or anything, but there are, of course, some indispensables, like sunglasses, for instance.

Since the rainy days are now mostly over, and the flows of ultraviolet light have broken through the clouds, sunglasses are now not only a stylish part of your image, but a necessary accessory.

True, with the summer season approaching, it’s not hard to find a pair – they’re now an obligatory product in almost every shop, boutique and supermarket, not to mention the dozens of pairs that have flooded little kiosks and stalls lining Kyiv’s streets. But the Best Of team knows that, often, buying the first thing that catches your eye is not the best idea in the world. We don’t want our readers to buy poorly made lenses or easily breakable throwaway frames. What’s more, just the seemingly limitless number of options can often be a bit dizzying. So, where does one go to buy a nice pair of shades? Read on, and your eyes shall soon be shielded in style.

If you’re the kind of person that tries to find accessories to match your Maserati, you probably don’t have any problem buying some sunglasses for a couple thousand hryvnias. If this is the case, make sure to check out Globus. Both Luxoptika and Sundays will probably have a pair you’d be happy to go home with.

Sundays is a relatively big boutique with tons of shelves filled with well-known brands. Ray-Bans, Versaces, La Perlas, Christian Diors and Guccis all vie for your attention. But, seductive or not, make sure you first check the price. The first pair we chose cost Hr 1,500. A helpful member of the staff said that their prices run from Hr 800 to Hr 2,000. Also, however, she suggested we check their website for more information.

In fact, while searching the site, we realized that Sundays’ collection was much wider than what we saw in their store. Also, the prices are more democratic: you can find a pair of Stings for Hr 360 or some Vogues for Hr 450. But these can only be found online.

Right next door we entered Luxoptika, one of nine shops in Kyiv. The selection was similar to Sundays, except for the inclusion of pairs by Safilo, Allison and Roddenstock. The prices, too, were similar: the staff told us the average pair will run you about $200. However, she also told us about their current promotion: if you buy a 2005 model you get 50 percent off the price plus another 10 percent if you also buy a pair from 2006 (which can be a significant savings, considering the price).

Our next stop was a few of the stands and kiosks near the Khreshchatyk metro. To be frank, the street sellers here were much more polite and attentive to us. As soon as we approached, they immediately offered to help us pick out a pair, answered all of our questions, and continued to smile and be pleasant. Certainly, the assortment is not exactly “haute couture.” But even though the look can sometimes be a little “Made in China,” they can also look just as hip and modern as the more expensive brands. Prices vary from Hr 40 to Hr 300 – but remember, it’s not just the designer label you’re giving up. Some of these cheaper pairs are not always of the highest quality.

The small shop, Optika, also in front of the Khreshchatyk metro, has a wider assortment and more varied prices that the street stalls, including Polaroid sunglasses, which we consider perhaps the best choice when factoring in the quality/price ratio (however, to be honest, the incredibly low price of Hr 90 makes us doubt the veracity of the actual trademark. Other brands available at Optika are usually a bit higher class, and their prices top out at about Hr 600.

Metrograd, the gargantuan and maze-like underground shopping mecca where one can easily get lost without a map, pleasantly surprised us not only with the variety of options for sunglasses, but also their democratic pricing. Two small shops in Metrograd’s section called “twelfth district” offer a range of City Vision models from Hr 50 to Hr 300, Nox and Polaroid for Hr 200 and higher and even handmade pairs for only Hr 320. Also, the shop assistants are nice and very knowledgeable about what’s lining their shelves.

During our search for sunglasses, the Best Of team couldn’t help but notice an interesting tendency – the more expensive and pretentious the store we visited, the more indifferent and cold were the attitudes of the sales clerks. For example, in Metrograd’s high-end boutique, Ochi Chornye, we finally understood what it was like to be “The Invisible Man.” Considering that Ochi Chornye’s prices run up to Hr 2,500, you’d think their staff would be more interested in promoting sales. However, we do have to note a good selection of famous brands from 2005 and 2006 as well as interesting sportier models for prices starting as low as Hr 350.

Metrograd’s gifts section, which is not far from the Lva Tolstoho metro, was the final point in our underground quest. In this district we found two stores selling what we were after. One of the spots carries nearly everything a person could ever want, from the exclusive and high-priced Gucci and Medici brands for Hr 480-2,000, to Chinese brandless shades for as little as Hr 80.

But the other department turned to out be the real relief for us – Polaroid’s small shop had both reasonable prices (starting at Hr 200) and a good selection of Polaroid (obviously) sunglasses. Moreover, the shop assistant was polite and attentive, with a reasonably thorough knowledge of the products on hand. She also informed us about this season’s promo action: customers whose purchases total more than Hr 500 receive a 10 percent discount on their next pair of shades.

After examining the stores underground, the Best Of team was really glad to see the sunshine again, but our mood was slightly spoiled by the fact that we still didn’t have our pair. Thus, we continued our quest and made our way down from the Lva Tolstoho metro along Chervonoarmiyska street, where we found EuroOptika.

The EuroOptika store is big, roomy and light, with many glass displays filled with what you need. Honestly, EuroOptika is not much different from Sundays or Ochi Chornye if we’re talking about brands, collection or price. But when it comes to service EuroOptika definitely deserves an “A.” The Best Of team is far from being smug or conceited, but we certainly like to get a little attention when it comes to choosing an accessory that can make or break our image. EuroOptika was exactly that place where we found a good selection of brands, detailed information about each pair we were interested in and a consistently friendly attitude from the staff.

The Best Of team believes that shopping should not be done only out of necessity, but a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Especially if you need a pair of sunglasses.

EuroOptica

66 Chervonoarmiyska, 451-4007

by Lena Plekhanova, Kyiv Post Staff Writer