Sunglasses know no season, but Damn hot if we don’t need twice as much in spring and summer. Once those flea markets pop and the flowers bloom and the Aperol spritzes start flowing, our poor little peepers need a jumbo Claritin and a new pair of sunglasses that scream, “My other car is your mom.”
Are we guilty of launching a GoFundMe for the Oakley Over The Top Sunglasses? You bet. But the best sunglasses shouldn’t cost you all your coins, and honestly, most of our sunglasses are meant to be thrown in tote bags, forgotten in Ubers, or chewed up by some rogue rear end. (We can’t be expected to control where that sweet peach lands!) But that doesn’t mean we deserve to wear fake neon Ray-Bans that look like they were given to us by a club promoter on a beach. from Florida. We’ve grown up now, man, and we need face accessories to prove it.
Whether you’re looking for a new set of sunglasses for the beach or a practical pair you can wear at night better than a Blues Brother, we’ve got you covered with the best sunglasses this side of the Triangle. Bermuda. We’ve found everything from nostalgic 90s wired shades to high fashion Euphoria fools; we’ve rounded up the best sunglasses sets, Y2K style shades, madmax– worthy pairs, and much more.
Ray-Bans are forever
Nothing says, “I think I left my bass here last night” quite like a pair of Wayfarers. Besides, has a pair of sunglasses lived as many lives as Ray-Bans? These iconic hues graced the faces of the Blues BrothersJohnny Marr, JFK, Roy Orbison, Tom Cruise (lol) in Risky businessand so many others. If you own these, chances are you’re (already) on tour somewhere, smelling like a 1970s phone book and idolizing Jack Kerouac. We’d roll our eyes a little more, but you’d still look damn smooth.
The Best Sunglasses Bundle on Amazon
Not one, but four pairs of soft rectangle shaped sunglasses are included in this 4.7 star rated Amazon set. “They come exactly [as pictured]writes one reviewer of the sunglasses, which come in black, cream, sage and tortoiseshell colorways. “They’re just awesome overall.” They’re also one of the most affordable sets you can get online that look good, costing around $5 per image.
You read the classics
“Not quite square, not quite round” so it is Warby Parker describes this best-selling pair of sunglasses, which are the perfect shades for indecisive, yet discerning and cultured people like you.
The coolest thin metal frames
Ah, the 1990s. Grunge reigned supreme, our brows could cut a diamond, and we went out of our way to make sure none of our clothing choices were difficult (easier said than done). We’ve learned a trick or two from cool low-vibe kids, including Lisa Bonnet and Aaliyah, who were both notoriously fond of round, wire-rimmed glasses.
Alexa, play ‘Stars Are Blind’ by Paris Hilton
Were you an extra in charlie’s angels? You sure could have been, with a pair of year 2000 worthy shades like these. The Dollger Rimless Rectangular Shades are one of Amazon’s best-selling pairs with an average rating of 4.5 stars from over 3,000 reviews, and they come in multiple colorways ranging from “frosted tips” to Baby Bottle Bop.
The budding gallery owner
We get it, we get it – you have David Hockney on speed dial, and you only go to the cinema to see a film that is post-post-post French New Wave cinema. You also need these über-round sunglasses to match your artistic tunnel vision.
We kissed at a Prodigy concert once
Well, you are a fire starter. We never forgot the glow of your tongue ring, but it’s the way you shook ’em Oakley sunglasses who really made our hearts beat at Glastonbury ’95. There are two extremes in which Oakleys thrive on the sartorial spectrum: Bass Pro Shops/PBR drinking uncle stores and crusty cyberpunk with balloon pants. We prefer to have one leg in both, and a fresh pair of frosty Oakleys is just the thing. Check us out in new frames from the iconic brand’s Plazma Sanctuary collection, or in its classic Crankshaft sunglasses, which have earned a 4.6-star rating on Amazon.
You’re the guy’
We steer clear of sunglasses that make us look like we know how to parallel park a U-Haul (we don’t) and nothing says it better than a pair of tinted sunglasses. These sets are worthy of The Dude himself and feature a range of mustard-colored lenses in aviator and square frames.
‘The Matrix’ (re-reloaded)
We could go into detail to explain why these Balenciaga the shades are so perfect, from the slightly raised rectangular shape to the fact that they are 57% off, but you weren’t born yesterday. You were born todayfrom a 3D printer, and just started speaking in tongues about bitcoins and lizards (and we never stopped listening).
The hottest NPC
… But make it fashionable. The French brand jacquemus is at its best when it plays with proportion and shape, and this time it’s taken a playful page straight from Super Mario Bros. with those pixelated shades.
The most comfortable sunglasses in the world
Finally, sunglasses that look like a wearable face pillow. These limited-edition shades are lined with a cozy zebra-print fleece straight out of our lucid dreams.
The “Euphoria” Dupe
To remember this episode of season two of Euphoria where the character of Alexa Demie floated in a swimming pool – sorry, babysitting – in vintage Jean Paul Gaultier hues? King shit. The Real Archive Sunglasses 58-5201 are available to buy online, but you’ll find we save more money for happy hour negronis and impulsive plane tickets by opting for this pair of similar steampunk-gothic dupes instead.
Stay in the shade.
Rec Room staff independently curated all items featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations and great deals? Subscribe to our newsletter.