Men wear sunglasses for one truly important, practical reason: to keep the sun out of our eyes. As much as all life on the planet depends on that big fiery ball hanging in the sky, it can also harm your eyes if you’re outside unprotected. However, there are also countless impractical reasons we choose to wear the dark eye wear. Whatever your reasons, use this list of the best sunglasses for men to update your eye wear accessory wardrobe for the summer.

What is about sunglasses that we so love? It’s clichéd at this point, but celebrities and rock stars wear their shades even indoors and at night. Is it the mystery? They eyes are a window into a person’s mood or feelings.

Is it because behind those dark lenses we feel insulated somehow from the outside world, less vulnerable to the judgments of others? Or is it just because the best sunglasses for men are so damn cool? The best sunglasses for men have to be good at blocking out harmful rays, but they also have to look good.

Look for these common qualities when choosing the best sunglasses for men:

• Sleek, fashionable design 
• High-quality lenses
• Sturdy construction
• UV protection
• Polarized lenses

While designs, colors, and styles may vary, you won't go wrong if you ensure that your next eyewear purchase includes the aforementioned qualities. After all, the best sunglasses for men should be an investment that lasts for several seasons to come.

When looking for the best sunglasses for men, you want to consider utility in addition to style. Some of the best shades out there have wonderful lenses for blocking the sun, but the style evokes images of a grandfather driving to church, rather than a style icon. So, if you just want to block the sun from your vision and don’t care how you look, maybe the best sunglasses for men are not something in which you should invest.

However, if you care as much about style as you do not getting a headache from staring into bright light all day, this list is for you. Even still, as with every luxury item, there are plenty of things to consider before taking the plunge. Use this guide to find the best sunglasses for men.

There are two answers to this question. The first is that these sunglasses will improve your life by protecting your eyes from prolonged exposure to the sun. Sunlight, while necessary for human life, can impair your vision if you’re not careful. Therefore, you will want to make sure that you have them just for protection’s sake.

Of course, if you love how your sunglasses look and feel on your face, you are more likely to wear them. This is the second answer. The best sunglasses for men listed here offer you comfortable and stylish options so that you actually want to wear them. Fashion is just another form of self-expression, and the addition of sunglasses can enhance or change your entire look.

We’ve all been there, caught outside on an unexpectedly sunny day. So, we stop by a gas station or a drug store to grab a pair of shades. While these might do the trick for driving, the best sunglasses for men are never going to be found on a spinning rack next to the cigarette lighters and the candy bars.

These cheaper shades are not durable, often ending up broken the first time you stick them in a pocket or drop them on the floor. They never fit quite right. More importantly, they never feel quite right.

While name brand price mark ups happens, in general when it comes to sunglasses, you get what you pay for. The best sunglasses for men listed in this article are all quality crafted products, designed not just for style but for comfort. If you are going to spend time wearing these shades, you will want to make sure they feel good on your face.

Now that you're aware of why the best sunglasses for men require a bit of an investment, it's time for the fun part. Searching for your next pair of eyewear can be a bit daunting, but keeping these facets in mind will alleviate some of this stress:

Before you invest in a pair of high quality, expensive sunglasses, make sure you know that the shades will fit. To do this, you need to measure your face. While that may sound silly, it ensures the glasses you choose will not be too small or so large that they slip off your nose. 

To measure your face, follow these steps:

1. Using a cloth tape measure, you will want to start with your cheekbones. Measure from just below your one eye to the same point on the opposite side of your face.
2. Measure your jaw line from one end of it to the other around the bottom of your face. 
3. Measure from the top center of your forehead down over your nose and to your chin.
4. Finally, measure the width of your forehead, starting from the edge of your hairline to halfway between your eyebrows. 

Record these measurements. If you have any questions, find a professional to assist with finding which sizes fit you best.

Again just because the products listed here are the best sunglasses for men, it doesn’t mean that they will all look good on your specific face. Along with the measurements, you need to determine your face shape. Follow these general guidelines for choosing a pair of glasses that works with your face shape:

• If you have a rounder face, you will want to stick to rectangular, square, or wraparound shades.
• Similarly, if you have a squarish or rectangular face, stick to round, aviator style, or butterfly style lenses.
• If you have an oval shaped face, this means that pretty much any style of sunglasses will look good on you. However, be mindful of the measurements to ensure a good fit.
• Finally, if you have a more unique face shape—sometimes called a “diamond” or “heart” shape—you will likely look best in rimless, cat eye, or aviator style shades.

Of course, these are just general guidelines, and there is no accounting for taste. If you think you look great in any of the best sunglasses for men listed here, chances are you do. Like any other element of fashion, the confidence with which you wear your shades is just as important as any of the above mentioned guidelines. However, if you are ordering online, sticking to these loose rules means you’re more likely to find a pair of shades that works best for your body type.

When it comes to the best sunglasses for men, you must strike a unique balance between the style, the design, and function. This means that there may be a pair of sunglasses you absolutely love but just aren’t built to wear. Remember, when we talk about the best sunglasses for men, we’re talking about fashion, too. If your heart is set on a specific pair that has a few drawbacks, you may have to put some of your desires aside to appease your sensibilities.

There are many different features you can choose from when it comes to the best sunglasses for men. While shades may not seem like the most versatile fashion accessories, they are. Some of the specs listed below feature protection from ultraviolet light. Others boast polarized lenses. It all depends on your needs and wants.

If you are going to be spending a lot of time doing outdoor activities, you may want to consider the sportier options below. If you are just looking for shades to keep you from squinting and keep you looking good at a picnic or a wedding, go for style over functionality. All that is important is that you feel great while wearing them.

Take a stroll through the products listed below. We've gathered the ten best sunglasses for men. Who knows?! Maybe the best shades for you are in here somewhere:

Ray Ban is known for making some of the best sunglasses for men, and it should come as no surprise that they have made this list. One of the most classic sunglasses styles are aviators and these Chromance Lens Pilot sunglasses are one of the best versions.

With polarized plastic lenses and a metal frame, these glasses can bounce back from the most punishing use. The Chromance branding means that the lenses feature six layers of anti-reflection to reduce glare and maximizing contrast. So, you won’t have to squint and you’ll still be able to see everything clearly even in low light.

Giorgio Armani is one of the finest fashion brands in the world, so it should come as no surprise that they also make a pair of the best sunglasses for men. This design features a larger lens with frame that makes a clear fashion statement. The lenses are made of high-quality plastic, though one downside is they aren’t polarized.

However, these aren’t the sunglasses you’d wear out in nature or to the beach. No, these are fashion sunglasses meant to add style and personality to an evening or black-tie look. The EA series features a number of different specific styles so there is definitely one that will match your head and face shape.

While men’s fashion has gone in a more retro direction in recent years, Oakley still makes some of the best sunglasses for men. Their signature wrap around style may not be in fashion the way it was in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but these aren’t those Oakleys.

The Badman series with polarized iridium lenses are a modern take on the wrap around style. With three distinct lens colors, these are great for both active use and for just lounging around. Featuring plastic lenses and an aluminum frame, these sturdy specs also boast 100 percent protection from ultraviolet light.

Oakley’s second appearance on this list is indeed one of the best sunglasses for men. However, these may not necessarily be what you’d expect from Oakley. The Twoface Square sunglasses do feature that wraparound fit Oakley is known for. However, the design of these glasses seems to evoke luxury more than athletics.

The glasses have a double barrel with frame materials creating a unique look. These glasses are lightweight, but durable nonetheless. The sharp contrast of the silver and black on the frame give these specs a sleek look. These glasses are not polarized but do feature a lens coating offering 100 percent protection from ultraviolet radiation. The arms of the glasses frame also features bright red tips emblazoned with the Ferrari logo.

Sergenetti Volterra sunglasses are one of the best sunglasses for men, both because of its minimalist style and the features that help these glasses stand apart from competition. These high-end glasses feature a sturdy metal frame, speckled with a tortoise shell design that is subtle and stylish. But the real special part of these glasses are the lenses. Made from actual glass, they are photochromic which means they lighten or darken depending on your surroundings.

The lenses also feature unique spectral control and are polarized, offering maximum protection in a very sleek package. They only come in one size, known as “medium universal fit,” so if you have a larger head or wider face than average, these glasses may not be for you. Even with the glass lenses, these shades are very light weight and the nose pads offer a comfortable and customizable fit.

Tom Ford is one of the most innovative brands in fashion, so of course they make a pair of the best sunglasses for men. The Tom Ford Karlie is a unique, stylish pair of shades that work best for people with wide faces or larger heads. While they will look great on anyone, for those who have a tough time finding sunglasses that fit them well, these might be for you.

These come with polarized glass lenses that work well in middle to low light. While the picture above shows them looking greyish brown, they actually appear very blue in natural light. The frame features comfortable nose pads built molded out of the acetate. While they will work fine anywhere, from the beach to the baseball field, these glasses will also shine at any fancy dress occasion.

These retro shades from Revo are certainly a pair of the best sunglasses for men on the market. The design modernizes a classic vintage look, with sparkling lenses in either blue or graphite colors that have a lot going on. The lenses are coated using processes developed by NASA to protect satellites from the harsh rays of the sun.

The series of coatings help keep the lenses free of water, oil, and anything else that can impair your vision. The blue lenses also create a soothing tint, but spectral filters highlight yellow, green, and red portions of the spectrum creating natural looking colors. The classic design features modern updates, such as the addition of the metal brow bar. These sunglasses are sure to turn heads while keeping the sun out of your eyes.

Oliver People’s Gregory Peck shades are as timeless as the actor they are named after. He’s one of America’s great actors, the man who embodied Atticus Finch in the classic To Kill A Mockingbird, Gregory Peck. They have a retro feel, but these specs are fashionable and modern just the same.

The beautiful matte resin finish on the frame features a keyhole bridge and polished rivets at the horned temples. The glass lenses are polarized, offering great protection from the sun. However, these are smaller glasses and may not look how you expect them to look on rounder faces or larger heads. Still, no matter what, these fabulous glasses will catch people’s attention and highlight you as a man with style.

Often sold as women’s glasses, the Dior Sideral are actually unisex frames for the most fashion forward men. With non-polarized lenses and no guarantee of extra protection from ultraviolet light, these shades are mostly fashion accessories. The horn-rimmed style works with any look, and there are a variety of frame and lens colors to choose from.

These glasses aren’t for everyone. No, they are for the man who wants to show off his style and the Dior name. They work well enough as sunglasses, but as fashion accessories they make a bold statement. Sometimes, you don’t worry about the sun shining because you know that your look will shine brighter than anything. 

When it comes to the best sunglasses for men, there is no ignoring the classics. That’s right, Ray Ban’s second entry on this list is for it’s most iconic pair of specs. Popularized in television and film, most famously with The Blues Brothers, these black framed glasses are fashionable in any era. Of course, there are more colors and styles of the Wayfarer shades than ever before, and all of them are of similar quality. But there is something about the original black frames with the light silver speck in the corners of the eyes.

Those lenses are not polarized, but they do come with a coating that blocks 100 percent of ultraviolet light. The frames are acetate and the lenses are glass, just like they were decades ago. However, the timeless design ensures a comfortable fit. There are subtle differences. The frames are lighter. The eye shape is softer and slightly smaller. The lenses also transmit all colors equally, so it’s almost like you’re not wearing shades at all.

Clearly, sunglasses are only one part of creating a sophisticated look. Check out these other products that also make your personal style pop:

• The 6 Best Designer Belts for Men to Buckle
• Best Hair Products for Men Who Need to Look Their Best
• The 6 Best Suit Brands for the Style-Conscious Man

As the summer season officially kicks off, you don’t want to be caught squinting into the sun. Not only can this damage your eyes and impair your vision, it’s also not a great look. Wearing a pair of the best sunglasses for men will protect your eyes and give you the confidence you need to impress everyone with which you come into contact. Additionally, these shades offer another way to express your personal style and leave a good impression on those you meet.

What do you think? Did we miss any brands or styles that you think should be included? Share your thoughts and reactions with us in the comments below. 

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