Roger Barker, Essex’s chief constable has produced a plan to increase the numbers of officers on the beat by 20,000, without any increase in costs to the taxpayer (An odd topic to write about on a sunglasses blog, I know, bear with me!) Just how does Mr. Barker plan to do this? Monopoly money? Low cost homeowner loan?

Nope, Barker simply plans to reduce the amount the force spends on designer sunglasses of course! It turns out that all specialist officers nicknamed the “Gucci squad” are equipped with more than the badge and the gun; they all receive a pair of designer Oakley sunglasses such as Oakley’s oil rig black (we thought that police sunglasses would have been more appropriate!)

In Essex alone, a reduction of barmy expenditure in the force, on items such as biscuits and pens is set to reduce outgoings by £27 million which would allow for an extra 600 bobbies on the beat per year.

You’ve paid your money, and finally that moment has arrived, they have arrived! Your new designer sunglasses are here! You can’t wait to show them off, and quite rightly so. And then, disaster. A friend points out that what you have are not the beautiful designer sunglasses that you had once thought, no. Instead what you have is a pair of cheap Chinese knock-offs!

As silly as it sounds, this is not just a problem for thousands of innocent consumers throughout the world, no. Even some celebs have been found to be wearing fakes. American Rapper Rick Ross came under fire from a Louis Vuitton spokesperson, who noted that on this month’s cover of music mag XXL; Ross was wearing a pair of fake Louis Vuitton Millionaires!

Luckily though, the authorities are fighting back! Just this week three men have received five years probation for their part in a counterfeit operation. Yu Chou, 35 from New York, Kirk Bachelder, 37 and Kevin McAfee 26 of Salem have also been fined $138,000 each to Oakley. Chou’s Chinese company “Universal Novelty Trading” exported the imitation sunglasses to Bachelder and McAfee who sold them to unsuspecting customers online.

Oakley Sunglasses

Should you wish to purchase a pair of authentic black Gucci 3079/s or Oakley Hijinx sunglasses, be sure to use a legitimate supplier such as Sendoptics.com, to get those stunning sunglasses you deserve!

The sunglasses aficionados that we are, when we came across these amazing Lego sunglasses we just had to share them.

Basically, the arms comprise of inset Lego boards and allow the wearer to construct weird and wonderful creations on the sides of their head.

Lego sunglasses

Taking a step back, as fabulous as the Lego specs are, these contrasting Rayban frames are much less cumbersome but with enough eccenticity thrown in to make us want them.

These classic Rayban 2143 sunglasses have a black frame that graduates to transparent plastic. More wearable, but wacky enough we reckon!

Rayban 2143 black/transparent

Get yourself beach ready and beautiful with a glamourous pair of Gucci sunglasses, with a fresh catch just in at Send Optics…

Pick from three divine frames, each restyled in several shades to given you optimum choice in picking the perfect pair.

There’s the Gucci 3057 Havana Gold; classic styling in a havana frame with an infamous gold heart Gucci motif at the temples. Or pick a pair in transparent red if you’re a shade more daring…

Gucci 3057 Havana

Or why not go for the sleek and sexy Gucci 3058 Grey? A broad sweeping frame in a muted grey frame with blue/grey interior. Or if you want to stand out, these frames come in a bold carbon Black style also.

Gucci 3058 Grey

Our pick of the bunch would have to be the Gucci 3077 Black frame with white patterned interior arms with its wide set, socket-curving style similar to the widely imitated Breakfast at Tiffanys frames. Alternatively, choose the Gucci 3077 Black frame with outer matte black patterned arms, or white frames with white patterned interior arms.

Gucci 3077 White Interior Arm