Whether you want to mimic the styles of one of Hollywood’s starlets or a New York fashionista, or you’re an outdoors man or woman looking for sports eyewear, Connecticut has some great area shops to suit your needs. Find everything from glacier and photocromic shades to designer labels, all in shops that provide skilled opticians and salespersons to match the perfect pair of shades to your individual style and needs.

Kennedy Perkins Guild Opticians
80 Whitney Ave.
New Haven, CT 06570
(203) 624-3145
www.kennedy-perkins.com

Top sports and fashion designer sunglasses can be found at Kennedy Perkins, a family owned business in New Haven. The store’s trained and certified opticians will match you with the perfect sunglasses to fit the look you’re going for. Kennedy Perkins takes what’s hot in Hollywood and brings them directly to you to transform you into a celeb look-a-like. Find designer brands like BCBG, Chanel, Gucci, Kate Spade, Prada, Versace, Fendi and Oakley.

Solstice Sunglasses
1201 Boston Post Road
Milford, CT 06460
(203) 878-8200
www.solsticesunglasses.com

Conveniently located in the Connecticut Post mall, Solstice Sunglasses carries your favorite designers. The shop’s variety of style, color and rim type can fit each customer looking for the best summer accessory. From oval to cat eye to aviator, Solstice will find the best match for your personality and face shape. Prices range from sale items below $100 to higher end shades, and popular designers for both men and women include Dior, Marc Jacobs and Prada, just to name a few.

Related: Top Swimwear Shops In Connecticut

Sunglass Paradise
27 Coogan Blvd., Building 28
Mystic, CT 06355
(203) 572-5776
www.sunglassparadiseofct.com

Sunglass Paradise is part of Old Mystick Village shopping center and is best known for its stock of Oakley and Maui Jims. This quaint little shopping and dining community in Mystic has everything you need, including the sunglasses of your dreams. Sunglass Paradise is a small building with big selection, and new shipments come in frequently. Find the perfect summer sport or designer specs here.

Sunglasses U.S.A.
1 Mohegan Sun Blvd.
Uncasville, CT 06382
(860) 862-9200
www.mohegansun.com

Take a break from gambling at Mohegan Sun Casino by shopping for your newest pair of sunglasses before hitting the slots again. This convenient shop even allows you to use your gambling points toward your purchase. Browse the top selections from Armani, Chanel, Versace, Ray-Ban and Gucci. You’ll stand out in the crowd while you shine with the summer’s fashion trends. After hours of letting your eye adjust to the dark casino, you’ll be glad to have your new shades in tow when you step out into the sunshine.

Related: Must-Have Staples for Every Wardrobe In Connecticut

Optical Shop of Westport
190 Main St.
Westport, CT 06880
(203) 222-7870
opticalshopofwestport.com

A variety of prescription sunglasses and sports eyewear can be purchased at Optical Shop of Westport. Outdoor athletes can find specialized sporting glasses to protect their eyes from the sun, mud and water, while high impact lenses with ventilation are featured on glasses for high speeds, which can come in handy for motorcyclists. This unique store even offers lenses for scuba diving and snorkeling. Find shades from brands like Julbo, Adidas, Wiley X, Croakies and Sea Vision.

REI
71 Raymond Road
West Hartford, CT 06107
(860) 233-2211
www.rei.com

Athletes need special equipment for their outdoor adventures. Don’t forget to protect your eyes from the sun, light and UV rays while you’re outdoors doing your thing. REI carries unique sunglasses including photocromic, glacier and polarized specs. You won’t find this sporting and mountaineering equipment anywhere else. Brand names include SunCloud, Chums, Oakley, Tifosi and many more.

Kimberly Ord is a freelance writer and lifetime resident of Connecticut. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.