Vintage Oversized Aviators – Go Big or Go Home
The Mod Alpina M1: oversized gold aviators with a gradient lens, made in Germany. What sets the pair apart and how to wear vintage eyewear.
I adore a pair of statement sunglasses, and these are mine: the Mod Alpina M1 with a gradient lens. They are oversized gold aviators, and they were made in Germany. That already sets them apart.
Oversized aviators: go big or go home
The frame is gold and it is big, with a studded bar across the brow. These are not sunglasses for hiding in. For me, that is the point of them. Why settle for small when you can have a pair this size?
The gradient lens
The lens is magenta at the top, where you need it against the sun, and fades to clear as it goes down, so people can still see your eyes. Most lenses are one colour all the way through. This one is a nod to how sunglasses used to be made, and it works.
Quality, not quantity
What I love most is the quality. Hold them and you feel the difference. They have weight. Enough to tell you they were not put together from cheap plastic, and not so much that they are a burden to wear.
Fast-fashion sunglasses break after a season or two. These were made to last.
How to wear the Mod Alpina M1
A frame this size wants tailoring. I wear mine with a blazer, a silk blouse or a sharp trouser suit. For outfits I take my inspiration from television, and from series like Miami Vice, where the jackets are loose, the colours are pastel and the sunglasses do the talking.
The key is balance. Keep the jewellery small and good: gold hoops, or a fine chain to pick up the gold of the frame. Anything bigger competes with the sunglasses, and the sunglasses will win.
One colour from head to toe lets them shine. All black makes the gold stand out. Emerald green or royal blue works if you want something bolder.
Why I like vintage eyewear
They come from a time when things were made to be kept for years. So much fashion is disposable now. Isn’t it nice to own something with a bit more soul?
Why choose the Mod Alpina M1?
The simple reason is that you don’t have to follow the crowd. For me, luxury is not about the price tag. It is about how a thing is made, and the pleasure of wearing something that makes you feel fabulous.
So yes, these aviators are for me.
