Sunglasses for the summer
What makes a good pair of sunglasses, why investing in new designer glasses might not be worth your money, and brands that are making some of my favorite frames.
It’s been a while since I last upgraded my sunglasses rotation. What I currently have does its purpose well, and I’ve enjoyed wearing them over the last few years, but I want something new.
In today’s letter, we’re going to take a look at what makes a good pair of sunglasses, a list of my favorite brands I like to shop at for new frames, why investing in new designer glasses is not worth your money, and vintage styles to keep in mind when searching for your own pair.
I haven’t tapped into designer shades in a while, so I decided to pay SSENSE a visit to check out a bunch of styles all in one place—if you’re ever in Montreal, you can book an appointment at SSENSE to view and try on items at their store.
My notes from checking out various luxury brand shades; it doesn’t feel worth it. Most of them were made out of low-tier acetate or steel. Hardware quality on most of these expensive options doesn’t feel that good enough to justify the price. I personally hate when the hinges become loose after short period of wear, making the entire pair feel fonky. I’m also never going out of my way to fix them, so I just end up with a pair of floppy shades that I paid way too much for—of course after you reach that $800+ mark, then usually they are great quality overall, but for that price it just feels a bit too much.
The sweet spot for a great pair of glasses should be between $200-$300. These sunglasses should come in a high-end acetate or metal frame, have great hardware that feels solid even after years of use, good quality lenses, and most importantly, a good fit doesn’t feel tight around your face. Most lenses these days are made out of plastic, so if you can score a pair that’s using glass, then that’s the real cherry on top.
Below are some of my favorite brands to get you started:
Bonnie Clyde
Well priced, solid frame quality and hardware throughout, Bonnie Clyde has frames for everyone, and my favorite part; there’s little to no branding on the outside of the frame. Although it’s not that big of a deal, I prefer sunglasses that keep the branding to a minimum.
I’ve had several pairs of Bonnie Clyde shades. They’ve held up extremely well, and tend to be the glasses that my friends ask me about the most. They are relatively light in weight and feel very comfortable on my face.
Some of my personal styles of theirs are the Trinket, Sudoku, and Boss Fight.
Check out the full catalog over at Bonnie Clyde here. They also have stores out in LA and NY for those who want to experience their product in person.