In the Clear

Australia's Fashion Week street style via

There's no doubt that one of the top trends for both men and women this spring is clear frames.  For sunglasses or ophthalmics, clear plastics are popping up everywhere.  Incorporating this new look into your spring wardrobe may be a little more difficult than previous looks that were more universally wearable from seasons past. Clear plastics can easily look bulky or like safety glasses if you don't pay attention to the details.   But when you take into account your face shape and skin coloring, you can elevate your wardrobe to the next level with this great fashion-forward look.

Pictured to the right is a great example of clear sunglasses gone right.  Sunglasses are going to be much easier to pull off because the darker lens color breaks up the clear plastic to prevent the look from going too washed out.

For ophthalmic frames, it takes a little more forethought to achieve a flattering look.  Here's a breakdown of the best frame choices to incorporate clear plastics into your everyday wear:

Michael Kors MK 832 Color: Sand  via

When looking for clear frames, think about your skin tone.  If you have really light skin, completely clear plastic can really wash out your features.  Ivory tones can be much more flattering for lighter complexions!

Michael Kors 659 Color: Crystal via

But for darker skin tones, you can really pull off anything.  The frame above has clear plastic eyepieces and crisp white temples, which makes for a really bright and fresh look.  I also really love that this frame is a smaller shape -- the oversized frames that are so popular right now can go too safety glasses in appearance when made with clear plastic.  A slightly smaller frame shape can make this look much more wearable, and less like lab-wear.

Jimmy Crystal New York, Style: Engagement  via

Another great way to pull off clear plastics is to incorporate a brighter statement on the temples.  Look for a bright pop of color, or more eye catching crystal work like the frame above.  That will keep the frame from entirely blending into your face if the color of the plastic is matching your skin tone too closely.

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Or look for an extra pop of interest in the frame shape.  The dark color used on the temples really accentuates the cat eye shape here, adding more visual interest and dimension.  This is really one of my favorite ways to use the clear plastic trend -- pair it with cat eye for the ultimate Spring 2014 look.