STAR TRENDS

Sexy summer spectacles

Ashley Judd looks old-school glamorous in her sunglasses. To see more Star Trends visit PEOPLE.COM

(PEOPLE) -- "Mysterious and sexy will never go out of style," says Sama Eyewear designer Sheila Vance.

Maybe that's why supersize sunglasses framed by bold plastic rims are proving a wide-eyed wonder for stars like Celine Dion.

"I wear my vintage Chanel pair a lot!" says The Young and the Restless star Lauralee Bell.

"The Jackie O. sunglasses come back every couple of years," notes Liz Claiborne lens crafter Leslie Muller, who supplied a pair of the popular classic to Sarah Jessica Parker for "Sex and the City."

"It's a nice meeting of history and up-to-the-minute attitude."

Because plastic has presence, stylists say, these vivid rims are a satisfying alternative to thin metal or wireless frames.

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"Larger lenses can wrap around more," Vance says.

"With the smoother appearance, you avoid a bug-eyed effect," she adds.

Plus, they are "a smart investment," Muller says, because they are safer.

Outsize optics give greater peripheral protection and UV-ray defense. "And that," she adds, "is exactly what sunglasses are supposed to do!"

N.F. Mendoza contributed to this report.