Trying to find the right sunglasses can be overwhelming – after all, they’ll be on your face for the rest of this summer and hopefully several of the next. They take centre-stage, and as such, can be a daunting thing to shop for.
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But their main character energy is also part of the fun. Like a headline or a book cover, they set out an intention. More importantly, they also protect your eyes. The right pair will marry practicality with aesthetics.
For this guide, I scoured the market high and low, and spoke to friends with different needs, styles, budgets and face shapes (read the guidance below for more on choosing the right pair for your face shape) to find the best sunglasses for men and women. Having lost or broken all my existing pairs, I also went on an odyssey for the perfect replacement. Having found them, I then lost them in less than a fortnight, while rinsing sand off a child’s bum in the Portuguese sea. Might I suggest that whichever sunglasses you choose, you add a chain?
The best women’s sunglasses
Oliver Bonas Sea pink round preppy sunglasses
£22 at Oliver Bonas
“Super light on the face” is how one friend describes this pair, so they’re a good option if you dislike the feel of a heavy frame. They look more expensive than they are, too.
Cos oversized square-frame aviators
£75 at Cos
£75 at H&M
If fashion pied piper Phoebe Philo is doing supersized frames – and she is, super super supersized – it tells you that you won’t look like you’re stuck in 2002, other than perhaps ironically. This pair from Cos works a charm.
Mulberry Edie sunglasses
£195 at Mulberry
£199.99 at Genuine Style
OK, they will cost you a pretty penny, but they’ll also instil oomph every time you wear them. They’re more sustainably conscious than most other sunnies, too: the square frames are made from biodegradable and recyclable cellulose acetate, and the bio-nylon lenses are also biodegradable. The black is sold out, but it’s a blessing in disguise because they have way more character in chalk.
Free People oversized aviators
£22 at Free People
Aviators are popular, but they can go horribly wrong. Even the classic Ray-Ban version can easily stray into Top Gun cosplay. But this oversized pair stays on the right side of the USS Enterprise. The sheer scale of them feels right for now, and they come in several great colours – chocolate print, caramel, leopard, lime – and plenty of not-so-great ones too.
Brain Dead Tani post-modern primitive eye protection
£161 at Brain Dead
People rave about Brain Dead, and I can see why. The brand makes quality sunglasses that are fun without being wacky, with this pair a case in point. The frames are handmade from cellulose acetate and are pleasingly sturdy.
Oakley Fives squared
£67 at Feel Good Contacts
£97 at Sunglass Hut
Wraparound styles are good if you like to be more active than horizontal in the sun. They’re also good for emulating Princess Anne, if that’s what you’re into – she is partial to an Oakley. But be warned, like accidental style icon Anne, you might become inadvertently cool in the eyes of gen Z.
Mango thin-frame sunglasses
£19.99 at Mango
These are understatedly lovely, just the sunnies you might expect to have seen on Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, whose impeccable 90s style you can expect to hear a lot more about soon.
Le Specs Lost Legacy
From £65 at Le Specs
£70 at Selfridges
Le Specs makes lust-worthy sunglasses that feel current but classic. If you’re entering your Supersonic era, or never left it, this pair is perfect.
Jimmy Fairly Willow
£135 at Jimmy Fairly
These rectangular frames are a great all-rounder. The tortoiseshell is versatile, and there’s a range of different lens colours available. Opt for polarised if you want to diminish glare.
& Other Stories angular cat-eyes
£27 at & Other Stories
Cat-eyes are classic – but angular cat-eyes have edge. In green, they feel quite Iris Apfel; in black, a 2025 take on Audrey Hepburn; but the brown are my favourite.
The best men’s sunglasses
John Lewis round polarised category
£49 at John Lewis
I have a theory that men just want sunglasses that don’t make them look silly. This pair, with polarised lenses, is a very safe bet and will suit almost any occasion or outfit.
