[Photos and Text by Ari Seth Cohen]

When I’m photographing people they often ask if I’d prefer to see them with or without their sunglasses. With summer approaching, one of my favorite hobbies is to to check out the eyewear on the Advanced Stylistas because with years of collecting, naturally they have the upper hand. They wear everything from vintage Gucci to five-dollar pairs picked up on St.Mark’s. It is the confidence and personal style that they bring to each pair that truly makes them look chic–and as hip as any twenty-year-old fashionista.

Which do you prefer, with or without shades?