Walking along Oxford Street one day last week, the sun was blazing and sunglasses of every imaginable shape, size, brand and colour were out in full force. With fellow Oxford Street pavementpounders excited at the prospect of the start of summer, an angry black cloud appeared from nowhere and proceeded to drown our hopes as well as our clothes with an out-of-date April shower. The savvy shoppers amongst us obviously knew better and quickly swapped their shades for umbrellas, whilst the rest of us run for cover.

This sudden wicked change in the weather stood to remind us all one thing….. festival season is just around the corner!! Yep, it’s that time of year when it’s essential to carry all-weather protection and pack your sunglasses and umbrella whatever the occason because it’s not yet quite summer and spring hasnt yet quite passed us by – causing the unpredictable weather that we’ve all come to associate with the likes of Glastonbury and V Festival!

For the unlucky soles on Oxford Street without an umbrella, we had the warmth of top class shelters such as Selfridges doorway to huddle under until the ran had stopped, but festival-goers just aren’t that lucky!

It’s a certainty that anyone who has ever been to a festival has experienced it… The sun is shining, you’re happily basking and applying suntan lotion and the next day you wake up to chaos and floods. You sprint to the stalls and find yourself in a 200 long person queue, in the pouring rain, praying that the shop doesn’t sell out of rain macs and wellies before you get to the front.

Packing for a festival is a complicated challenge – It’s the only occasion when you’ll need to pack your cropped levi shorts, bikini top, sundress and shades alongside wellington boots, an umbrella and a rain mac. And despite the wet weather style remains high on the agenda – every year we hear rave reviews about the outfits worn at festivals by the likes of Kate Moss and Sienna Miller but, god forbid, if ever a celeb gets it wrong we all hear about that too!

At the same time, practicality is of the essence. So to make sure you don’t get stuck in the mud (literally), we’ve put together a checklist covering everything you will ever need at a festival. Follow this list and you’ll never get caught short come rain or shine again!

ESSENTIALS

• Travel & Festival Tickets
• Identification
• Directions / Maps
• Cash & Cards
• Keys

CLOTHING

• Raincoat & Waterproofs
• Wellies
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Clothes & Shoes for all weather

LUGGAGE

• Camera
• Phone
• Torch
• Umbrella
• Tent
• Sleeping Bag / Pillow / Mat
• Chargers / Batteries
• Books / Magazines
• MP3 Player
• Bin Liners & Laundry bag

TOILETRIES

• Toothbrush & Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Brush / Comb
• Towel & Cloth
• Soap • Shampoo / Conditioner
• Toilet roll / Baby wipes/ Deodorant wipes
• Mirror
• Contraception

MEDICATION

• Prescriptions
• First aid kit
• Paracetamol
• Sunscreen
• Insect Repellent
• Glasses / Contacts & Solution

EXTRAS

• Lighter / Matches
• Gaffa Tape
• Penknife
• Bottle & Tin Openers
• Cutlery
• Cooking Equipment
• Flag
• Picnic Blanket
• Food & Drink

We sometimes forget that aside from being a fashion statement, sunglasses were originally designed with the core purpose of providing a protection for the eyes. However, over the past few decades, fashion and image certainly play a major role in our choice of sunglasses.

Films and ad campaigns are a huge influence in how a particular brand or style of sunglasses becomes fashionable. Ever since the 1960s, when Foster Grant ran the “Who’s That Behind Those Foster Grants?” campaign, sunglasses have continued to increase in popularity.

We tend to associate fashion predominantly with females but male film stars certainly influence men in their choice of shades. From Jack Nicholson in “Easy Rider” and John Belushi and Dan Akroyd in “The Blues Brothers” to Tom Cruise in” “Top Gun,” sunglasses allow males to inject a touch of personal style and have become an iconic fashion accessory. Female film stars who have made a sunglasses style famous include Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, Carrie Anne Moss in “The Matrix” and Angelina Jolie in “Mr and Mrs Smith”. Styles range from conservative to outrageous, and come in every conceivable colour.

So why exactly are sunglasses such a fashion statement? There is a certain mystique when someone dons a pair of shades and it is often said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Perhaps sunglasses therefore act as a device to make the wearer seem more provocative and add an air of mystery…..

This Spring/ Summer 2008 it is time to bring out your inner party animal, literally, with the likes of Kate Moss, Fearne cotton and every designer from John Galliano at Dior to Christopher Kane bringing animal print firmly back into the spotlight.

Love it or hate it, animal print has been a favourite of fashionistas since the 1960’s, and once again this timeless trend has survived the decades to grace the catwalk.

For the brave and bold leaders of the pack adorn yourself from head-to-toe in animal print with some of the fabulous dresses and blouses around at the moment. But for the meek and mild kittens amongst us celebrate your animal magnetism with the latest stylish accessories and you’ll soon be feline fine!  From scarves, shoes and handbags, a glimpse of leopard print will go a long way this season.

But beware, leopards can be dangerous… leopard print is attention-grabbing and one to wear with caution. Too much, especially in the wrong material, can look cheap and always steer clear of the tackier prints. So, if you’re still not sure if leopard print is too loud for you then you can’t go wrong with Shade Station’s fabulous range of designer sunglasses and accessories that are just puurrfect! And with the latest bout of sunshine we’ve been enjoying in the UK no-one can be without those all-important sunglasses, so what better excuse is there to treat yourself….