After a long, gloomy winter, the sunshine has finally returned to Chicago, bringing summer wardrobes out along with the warm weather. But Bermuda shorts and stylish flip-flops aren’t the only way to make a warm-weather fashion statement. As the sun peeks out behind the clouds, DePaul students are breaking out their many styles of sunglasses.

Sunglasses have long been thought of as a fashion accessory, but with so many different styles, colors, and prices available, sunglasses can be the main staple to any outfit, not to mention that they’re the first thing that gets noticed, and can also come in handy the morning after a late party.

Celebrities have had an integral part in making certain styles popular, or in bringing back vintage styles. Pop icons like James Dean and the movie “Top Gun” played a major role in making Aviator sunglasses a hot item for decades, and well-known company RayBan still profits from selling different versions of that style.

Modern celebrities like Victoria Beckham have re-created images of past icons due to their choice in sunglasses. Beckham’s post-Spice Girls image mirrors that of the late Jackie O., who is well-known for wearing large, circular frames. Actress Audrey Hepburn also donned similar bug-like frames, making them even more popular when she wore them in the opening scene of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

“I’ve had mine since senior year of high school,” said Julie Campbell, DePaul student and owner of a pair of big Jackie O.-like frames. “I thought they framed my face well and all the cool celebrities were wearing big sunglasses at the time.”

Another style that is once again finding popularity is the Wayfarers, which have been adopted by the indie, rocker, Bob Dylan-esque crowd. What makes the Wayfarers even more fashionable is that the style is meant to be for men and women.

“I like that [Wayfarers] are very unisex,” said Amanda McFadden, a senior. “You can wear your boyfriend’s sunglasses and he can do the same. Sharing is caring!”

In addition to Aviators, the Wayfarers are also one of the main products that RayBan offers. While it is a popular sunglasses company, other brands selling Aviators and Wayfarers can easily be found, giving buyers even more choices of style, size, color, pattern, and even lens tint. With so many choices, sunglasses are quickly becoming a fashionable collectors item.

“I have six pairs of Wayfarers,” McFadden said. “I have black and blue Wayfarers, black and white Wayfarers, brown Wayfarers, black Wayfarers, tan Wayfarers, and then my Aviators. Clearly I’m obsessed.”

While certain color schemes may be limited to the RayBan company, DePaul students have easy access to “knock-off” brands that are just as fashionable, and at a lower price.

“I like mine because they have RayBan style, but they’re not the Wayfarers that everyone seems to be wearing these days,” said Kait Taylor, a senior who owns knock-off RayBan ClubMasters. “I’m constantly losing them so I always have a few new ones in the rotation.”

For those that don’t keep up with every current fashion trend, there are certain frames, like simple wire frames or Oakley sport sunglasses, that have yet to go out of style.

“I’ve had these since high school,” said John Neisman in reference to his black framed sports sunglasses with slightly reflective lenses. “They go with pretty much everything I wear, which is usually t-shirts and baseball hats.”