It's hard to believe that spring and summer are just round the corner when winter is still lingering outside your window, but in only a matter of weeks the days will be longer, the nights will dwindle and the sun will once again have us wondering what to wear to look cool.

For fans of designer eyeglasses, 2010 promises something of a choice. The trends that will emerge are going to owe a lot to the clash between optimism and pessimism, yin and yang, those who feel that things are bad and getting worse and those who can only see them getting brighter. In short, the dark look versus color and light. The only question is: which one do you want to be?

Darkness has been popular forever, the Gothic look has been popular, gone away and then surfaced again thanks to films like Twilight and the sheer joy of black make-up and teenage angst. You don't see many goths in glasses but you do see plenty of fashionable folks wearing black frames for their good looks and all round versatility.

If there's generally a spring in your step and a whistle on your lips then you'll want to show the world you're an upbeat person with lots of color. Designer eyeglasses can juice up your look, so try Alan Mikli for lots of fine color combinations.

The 0507s feature orange and khaki, which sounds like it shouldn't work, but they go together perfectly. For those with a conflicted nature, or if you just want to be a bit contrary, try the 0779s ,light purple frames with anomalous thick black sides for the ultimate in contrast. Either style will suite work or play, and also get you noticed for the right reasons.

Ed Hardy features some of the fanciest and most colorful inlays around. The temple arms of these EHO201s boast some bright and detailed inlay work on tortoiseshell temple arms that seem to hint at an hourglass figure. They're not for the faint of heart, but if you're bold enough, they'll show the side of you that always smiles to the world.

You'd expect Oliver Peoples to be all about color, and you'd be right, for the most part. But there is choice here, so you can still rock the Peoples look without fancy shapes and fireworks. The Hoover in black is a picture of restraint, recalling the starched white collar look of the 50s ad executive. They're a no frills counterpoint to any rainbows you may walk under, sober and straight to the point.

Sticking with harsh and staying in the 50s, Vogue has fashioned the beautiful 2382s with just that feel in mind. These are not only dark, they're stern and narrow for the schoolmistress in you. They don't say doom so much as discipline. Perfect if you want the world to take you seriously.

As a compromise between light and dark you might consider Valentino. There's color through the whole range here, married with exquisite shapes and fine crafting, but it's muted and considered, never vulgar. Take a look at the 5515s, with a light orange temple arm married to half metal frames. They're light, bright, but not so loud that they'll overpower. And if you want Valentino in black then try 5638s. The wire frame arms are thick and skeletal and the eyes are just as pronounced. Somber and proud of it, you might say.

With light and dark so well represented it's really up to you which way 2010 takes you.