Best Men's Sunglasses for Summer

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Reviewed & updated: October 19, 2022 by Jamie Wilson BA

It’s that time again where spring is already here with all of its sunny and breezy goodness; the blazing summer heat is just around the corner. Now marks the time to start smart layering your clothes, drinking more water and of course, going on a hunt for the best sunglasses for this year.

Sunglasses are the ultimate accessory for the sunny months as you will wear them a lot and they will be front and centre of every outfit. The tricky part of wearing sunglasses is knowing which ones to go for – there are so many different choices out there. Is it best to have a well-rounded pair that goes well with your business casual attire but can match with your off-duty look? Or is it better to have a collection of cool sunglasses to mix and match to your heart’s content? Well, we are here to help you make the best choice of the vast selection of sunglasses that we have.

So without further ado, let us check out the hottest men’s sunglasses, be it all time classics or seasonally updated pieces. With some of the best sunglasses brands around, we’ve got you covered.

The Most Important Summer Accessory

Nothing screams summer like a pair of cool shades on your face. A good pair of sunglasses are without question, the ultimate summer accessory that can lift every outfit this season.

Sunglasses bring a whole element of style to the table, yes. However, they are also so much more than this. As well as bringing style and adding a great splash of class to any look, sunglasses are foremost a functional item. This means that there are certain things you should try to look out for when buying new sunglasses, such as UV ray protection, for example. We don’t think you should ever compromise quality on price, though, which is why we have such a large range of sunglasses that are affordable and highly practical.

Best Sunglasses for Summer

With menswear fashion now competing to be the best style around, brands are pulling out all the stops to impress fashion enthusiasts, and this stretches as far as accessories, too. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the best summer styles there are to offer.

While we are seeing the continued resurgence of iconic classics and new spins on the tried and true designs, there are some interesting new trends for summer that you should keep an eye out to be on the top of your sunglasses game. Chunkier acetate frames are everywhere this year, and in past years we have seen gradient lenses take over even our most favourite classic models like the Wayfarer and Aviators. The light brown of a tobacco lens will give a very pleasurable tint to your visuals, as well as giving an understated way of being stylish.

In past years, neon colours and louder patterns made a comeback, with mint Aviators and printed Wayfarers. However, this summer we think you should go for a more restrained look. Now, we don’t say ditch colours all together, but opt for muted pastels in the eyewear department, especially if you want a pair of sunglasses that will last until next year.

Top 7 Sunglasses for Men

Here are our top picks from our range of stylish sunglasses for the summer, from classic wayfarers to something a little more exciting for those summer festival days. These are in no particular order, so take a look at what you think will suit you best.

1. Classic Wayfarer Black

Sometimes, it’s simply best to stick to a classic, and wayfarers are exactly that. These iconic shades are so diverse that they go with most outfits. In fact, we don’t think there’s a single outfit they won’t go with, making them one of the most diverse and timeless styles of the lot. You could dress these wayfarers up or wear them casually, either way, they’ll be the perfect finish to every outfit. Our Classic Black Wayfarers have 100% UV protection and are also filter category 3.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this term, let us explain. Fashion sunglasses usually fall under one of five filter categories. Filter Category 0 is the lowest form of protection from both UV rays and sun glares. You wouldn’t really class these as sunglasses, anyway. You then have category 1 which is a little better, but like 0, doesn’t offer much more than a little bit of protection for sun glare an UV. Category 2 provides a medium level of sun glare reduction and is good for UV protection. Category 3, which, in our opinion, is the best, offers great UV protection as well as high levels of sun glare reduction, meaning they are safe and effective in the sun and you are safe to drive in them, even at night. Finally, you have category 4 which are made with a very high level of sun glare protection making them dangerous to drive in but good if you have sensitive eyes. These are also high in UV protection.

2. Persol Suprema Icon Sunglasses Black

These Persol Suprema Icon sunglasses are perfect for the summer season. The Cubmaster silhouette brings an element of class and style to every look, so that you have a lot more freedom with what you can pair them with. The frames of these sunglasses are made out of acetate which is good for resisting bending, moisture, smudging and scratches. They also have crystal clear lenses, making them ideal for when you are using them for everyday wear.

Like the wayfarers, you can wear these Persol sunglasses with just about anything – the best sunglasses for men. They are minimal in design which makes them easy and effortless to style, as well as being completely versatile as to what you can wear with them. Trainers or loafers? It’s up to you.

3. Vintage Round Lens Sunglasses

Get your inner John Lennon on with these timeless sunglasses this summer. The retro lens has had a recent resurgence in popularity as more designers look to the 1970s for inspiration. These sunglasses make for the perfect summer accessory if you like to dress a little edgy. Going to a summer festival this season? If so, these Vintage Round Lenses are the perfect glasses.

4. Quay Australia Got It Covered Silver & Black Sunglasses With Smoke Lens

As aforementioned, round sunglasses are a popular shape for this summer, but square frames are also trying to nudge into the game, too. These Quay Austraila Silver & Black sunglasses are made to meet in the middle; the square frame is rounded at the edges creating a shape that will be complementary to most.

These sunglasses are inspired by the aviator shape, characterised by the low lens drop and the arch over the top of the frame. With a triple barrel hinge, these high-quality glasses, which also have filter category 3 polarised lenses, are made to last. You can wear these with any casual outfit to home in on the cool summer vibes. You might even want to get your leather jacket out for these, too.

5. Clubmaster Sunglasses Clear

Clubmaster sunglasses are a classic, but we have gone a little off the track to bring you our clear editions into our top ten. The great thing about these sunnies? They will go with every look, because let’s face it, no colour doesn’t match with ‘clear’. With 100% UV protection and filter category 3 lenses, you don’t need to look any further for your next twist on the classic pair of sunglasses this season.

6. Ray-Ban Iconic Folding Clubmaster Sunglasses

Here’s a classic that every man should have in his sunglasses collection. These Ray-Ban Iconic Clubmasters are the kind of sunglasses that you only take out on special occasions – you don’t want to lose these in a dusty summer festival somewhere. The Clubmaster shape is timeless and beyond easy to style with such a vast array of different looks. You could wear these on the beach with just shorts and flip-flops, or with a three-piece suit when you’re going to that summer wedding. These sunnies are kitted out with the classic triple hinge frames so that you can fold them up twice (so to speak) to be able to carry them around much easier. The lenses are polarised with anti-glare properties, and they also have nose pads for added comfort whilst you wear these classics.

7. Persol Suprema Icon Sunglasses Brown

Persol eyewear is among the most well-respected and distinguished eyewear brands in the world. These sunnies are worn by the likes of Ryan Gosling and Jay-Z, so that just goes to show how nice they really are. These Persol Supreme Icon Sunglasses in brown are made for styling up any summer outfit to give a slightly different edge to a look from the orange lenses. These are also made to be 100% UV resistance so you won’t be damaging your eyes. Again, like the Ray-Bans sunnies above, you can close these sunglasses two times meaning they fold up nice and small. Ever struggle to fit your sunglasses in your pocket? Worry no longer.

Popular Sunglasses Styles

The Aviators

When it comes to cool sunglasses, there are none cooler than the aviator. Being the all-time classic, it’s a solid choice and will be a staple of men’s style for many years to come. But where does this iconic style come from? The First World War introduced aviation to armed conflicts. With pilots at risk of being shot down in their flimsy double-decker planes at any moment, spotting the enemy coming with the sun behind their backs was lifesaving.

Bausch & Lomb came up with the early designs for aviators and the teardrop shape also originates from them as it covers the most area from the sun. Aviators became popular and widely manufactured during World War II by none other than General Douglas MacArthur, who wore his pair of aviators when the U.S. retook the Philippines. Millions of Americans saw photos of the heroic General storming the beaches with his corncob pipe, ornate hat, and aviator sunglasses – a legend was born. We have some of the best aviator sunglasses in stock, so check them out.

The Wayfarer

Are aviators not your thing? Then look no further than the pair that dethroned the teardrop shaped, metal framed icon and became the symbol of cool for a new generation, the Ray-Ban Wayfarer.

Designed by Raymond Stegeman in 1952 and worn by style icons like James Dean and John F. Kennedy, the Wayfarer quickly became the sunglasses to have. And with an acetate construction, it was a pair that the everyday American could afford as well. The Wayfarer hardly changed over the decades following its inception. Sure, it faded in and out of popularity but it never truly went away. That is until the 90s’ came rolling in with their horrid wraparound sunglasses that, believe it or not, completely overtook this icon of style.

So, after Luxottica bought Ray-Ban, they remodelled the classic shades and released the New Wayfarer, dubbed RB2132 in 2001. This new design allowed for a more comfortable wear and for the first time, you could wear them on your head – something that was impossible to do with the vintage model’s perched front.

The New Wayfarer did help out the style a bit, but it was the late 2000s revival that we feel even in 2018. Nowadays, you can still buy the New Wayfarer, but it is hardly their flagship model. If you want a truly stylish, effortless classic, go for the original model, with the RB2140 model number.

The Clubmaster

If you want to combine the cool of the Wayfarer style, but want to add a touch of class to your frames, the Clubmaster has you covered. Called a browline design because of its pronounced top frame and thin bottom arches, it was introduced in the 50s, along with the Wayfarer and following its general shape.

It was always more of a statement though. Malcolm X and James Dean are only two examples of the daring and sometimes controversial wearers of the Clubmaster style. In 2018, the Clubmaster is alive and well, enjoying a comeback once again.