SPY Editors Review Our 32 Favorite Men’s Sunglasses of 2021
Looking for the best men’s sunglasses of 2021? You’re spoiled for choice.*
In 2020, the world pretty much hit pause on sunglasses, and there weren’t many sunglasses trends to note during the year from hell. Unfortunately, face masks and sunglasses just don’t play together very well. Thankfully, we’ve seen tons of great new sunglasses hit the market this year, from a surprising celebrity collaboration to Ray-Ban’s new smart glasses. We also saw companies like Shinola and Off-White release eyewear for the first time.
In ancient Rome, Nero used emeralds as sunglasses when he watched gladiators perform. In China, they used flattened smokey quartz for their lenses, which became popular a little before the 12th century. During the 20s, Hollywood’s new movie stars started wearing sunglasses, and a modern trend was born. Today, sunglasses are a must-have accessory for guys.
If you’re upgrading your eyewear, it’s important to pick the right style of shades for your style and face. The best men’s sunglasses will add the finishing touch to any outfit.
So check out our picks for the best men’s sunglasses below. You might just find the missing key to whatever look and style you like to showcase.
How To Pick The Right Sunglasses for Your Face Shape
There are five basic face shapes: oval, round, rectangular, square and diamond.
- Square face shapes have a defined angular jaw and can wear any type of men’s sunglasses. For reference, celebrity square-faced gents include Brad Bitt, Dwayne Johnson and Matt Damon.
- Round face shapes are well, roundish in shape. To make a face seem longer, opt for square or rectangular-shaped sunglasses. Celebrities with round faces include Leonardo Di Caprio, Jeremy Renner and Jack Black.
- Oval face shapes are evenly proportioned, and like the squared face, can wear any men’s sunglasses style. Jude Law and James Franco have oval faces.
- Rectangular face shapes have cheekbones, jawlines and temples of the same width. Idris Elba, Robert Downey Jr. and Adam Levine look mighty fine with that face shape. Wear rounded, hexagonal, oversized and square-shaped glasses.
- Diamond face shapes have a narrow forehead and chin, with wide cheekbones. Johnny Depp wears round-shaped sunglasses, Ryan Reynolds likes aviators and square frames with rounded bottoms, while Robert Pattinson wears anything from round frames to aviators to square and hexagonal-shaped sunglasses.
1. Cloos x Brady Espresso Sunglasses
BEST OVERALL
We need to stop asking what Tom Brady can’t do because the answer is he can do anything, and do it ridiculously well. Take his Cloos X Brady sunglasses collection for instance; we’ve covered the launch, and they’ve quickly become our favorite pair of sunnies. Each pair in this celebrity-branded collection is made from biodegradable Italian acetate, has polarized lenses and comes in black and gray. We can’t promise you that you’ll end up with a golden arm like Brady’s when wearing them, but you will look pretty cool.
Courtesy of Cloos
2. Ray-Ban RB3025 Aviator Classic Sunglasses
RUNNER-UP
Ray-Ban sunglasses never really go out of style, and there’s never a bad time to buy Ray-Ban Wayfarer shades. However, if you’re looking for the best men’s sunglasses of 2021, you have to go with these gold-frame aviator shades. Every men’s sunglasses roundup always contains at least one pair of aviator glasses and one pair of Ray-Bans, and we’re getting both out of the way at the jump. These sunglasses are truly iconic, as this exact pair, the Ray-Ban RB3025, is the style that Tom Cruise wears in the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick movie.
Courtesy of Ray-Ban
3. Persol 714 Steve McQueen Sunglasses
THE GOAT
We dare you to find cooler sunglasses than the Persol 714 Steve McQueen Sunglasses. We’re not even going to wait because you can’t; it’s not possible. Made famous by their namesake, these sunglasses fold up and will never go out of style no matter which colorway you choose. We have always loved the Havana frames with brown lenses.
If you buy these from Persol directly, the lenses are more of a gold color than brown. (The Amazon ones are still legit and the same, just from a previous release.)
Courtesy of Persol
4. Foldies Polarized Folding Classics
GREAT FOLDABLE SUNGLASSES
Folding men’s sunglasses are cool because the Persol men’s sunglasses fold. (Seriously, that’s what started the trend.) But most of us aren’t dropping $600+ on sunglasses. So, for the best reasonably priced foldable sunglasses, you have to go with the Foldies Polarized Folding Classics. With a Ray-Ban Wayfarer-esque look, excellent folding, multiple colorways and an included case, these sunglasses will go anywhere and make all your friends jealous when you fold them up and safely tuck them away.
Courtesy of Foldies
5. Ray-Ban Stories
BEST SMART GLASSES
It’s easy to criticize Facebook for its legitimate missteps and blatant self-preservation, but that doesn’t take away from the pretty big wearable leap forward it took with the Ray-Ban Stories glasses.
The Ray-Ban Stories, which are available as sunglasses, allow wearers to capture and share images, record video, play music and answer phone calls by touching the arms of the glasses. Though we’ve seen that before, we’ve never seen it in a Ray-Ban-made pair of glasses that people actually would want to wear.
And we can’t understate the importance of that: because the Stories look like regular glasses, wearers likely won’t have to worry as much about the kind of criticism Google Glass received. Though the glasses do still raise privacy concerns, from the would-be wearer’s standpoint, the regular and stylish look of the smart glasses is a huge win.
Courtesy of Ray-Ban
6. Le Specs Paradox Sunglasses
BEST EVERYDAY SHADES
These classic sunglasses from Le Specs will always stay in style. Their Paradox sunnies have a tortoiseshell frame, a touch of metal at the bridge, and the rounded cat-eye frame looks great on everyone. The lenses also have a UV coating.
Courtesy of Amazon
7. Pixel Eyewear Asper Sunglasses
BEST ALL-AROUNDER
Sometimes called “The English Schoolboy,” this mixed fabrication (stainless steel and acetate) are the best all-rounders because the lenses are non-reflective on both sides, polarized, and also block blue light. They come in black too.
Courtesy of Pixel Eyewear
8. MeetSun Polarized Unisex Sunglasses
BEST UNISEX
These polarized sunglasses are slightly oversized with rounded edges, so they’ll work with every face shape. There are almost 3,000 reviews from men and women who’ve raved about the quality of the polarized lenses and the way the frames fit. They have a composite frame and mirrored triacetate cellulose lenses. There are 25 — yes, 25 — color combinations. Everything from the classic black frame and black lens combination to a clear frame and mirrored purple lens combo. the lenses also have blue light rays protection.
Courtesy of Amazon
9. Shinola Rambler 52mm Sunglasses
BEST DEBUT
We’re big fans of Shinola here at SPY, and we were really excited when the Detroit-based company released its first eyewear collection earlier this year. We especially like the Rambler frames, which feature bold lines and a classic, almost-retro aesthetic. Made in the USA with premium materials, these designer sunglasses are built to last. We love the classic tortoise-shell frames pictured below, but you can choose from a variety of materials and colors.
Courtesy of Shinola
10. Off-White Alps 145mm Sunglasses
BEST LARGE FRAMES
It’s no secret that we love Off-White. The designer’s first eyewear collection certainly stands out, and the collection is full of bold looks and unique frame styles. Wide lenses, square shapes and thick lines are the hallmarks of Off-White’s first sunglasses, like the Alps glasses, available in blue, tortoiseshell and black, which is pictured below.
Read more: Best Sunglasses For Running and Cycling
Courtesy of Off-White
11. Eye Buy Direct – Sun Soar Geometric Sunglasses for Men
BEST GEOMETRIC
One of the biggest styles for Spring and Summer 2021 is hexagonal-shaped sunglasses, usually with a dark lens. Popular in the late 60s, this style is making a major comeback. These black lensed frames come in gold, black or silver frames. And at just $30, these hexagonal sunglasses are also some of the best deals you’ll find this year.
Courtesy of Eye Buy Direct
12. Sungait Ultra Leightweight Polarized Sunglasses
BEST LIGHTWEIGHT
Billing themselves as almost weightless sunglasses, these luxe-looking men’s sunglasses are also very affordable. The polarized lenses offer 100% protection against UVA/UVB/UVC rays. They also come in 10 colorways. Each pair of sunglasses comes with a sunglass case, cleaning cloth and mini screwdriver.
Courtesy of Amazon
13. Gucci Aviator-Style Tortoiseshell Sunglasses
BEST DESIGNER SUNGLASSES FOR MEN
Hankering to add something designer to your wardrobe, but want to make sure the new addition seamlessly matches with what you’ve already got? You can never go wrong with a pair of designer sunglasses. And lately, anything that Gucci creates is the best mix of old and new, so you can wear these sunglasses for seasons to come. The arms sport Gucci’s logo in the middle of the brand’s distinctive stripes, and the frames come in either black or brown. Made in Italy, the lenses provide 100% UV protection and come with a plush burgundy case.
Courtesy of Mr Porter
14. MVMT Rival Sunglasses
BEST RETRO
You’ve probably seen the ads for MVMT’s watches, but did you know they also have a line of sunglasses? Their sunglasses collection is a mix of new and revitalized retro styles like this pair. The style was popularized by Buddy Holly back in the 50s, and they’re still cool today. These square-shaped sunglasses have a combination of acetate and metal frame, with contrast colored lenses.
Courtesy of MVMT
15. GLCO (Garret Leight California Optical) Clement Sun
BEST WEST COAST VIBE
GLCO is frequently inspired by playwrights, authors, musicians and artists as well as the milieus they inhabited. This frame, the Clement Sun, is an homage to Andy Warhol. The thick acetate frame is reminiscent of the ones that Warhol sported. Clement sun has glasses lenses that provide UV protection and have an AR coating in pure green. These sunglasses also come in four other colorways, including clear.
Courtesy of (Garret Leight California Optical)
16. Kingsman + Cutler and Gross Round-Frame Silver-Tone Metal Sunglasses
FOR THE BOLD
The Kingsman + Cutler and Gross Round-Frame Silver-Tone Metal Sunglasses will stand out for their bold nosepiece design that has the effect of positioning the nosepiece closer to the centerline of the lenses. Putting these bad boys on says you like unusual twists in fashion and know exactly how you’re flipping the sunglasses design consensus on its head.
Courtesy of Mr. Porter
17. Oliver Peoples Nino Horn Sunglasses
UNIQUE MATERIAL
Though it can be difficult for a design to stand out, unique or specialty materials are always an easy way to distinguish a product and ideally create something less run of the mill. The Oliver Peoples Nino Horn Sunglasses are made in Italy from genuine high-quality horn, which is lightweight, comfortable and offers a look that simply can’t be replicated. Alas, you will pay a steep price for the unique privilege.
Courtesy of Oliver Peoples
18. Krewe St. Louis Round Sunglasses
EYE-CATCHING FRENCH FLAIR
Inspired by the intricate facades of the architecture in the French Quarter in New Orleans — what appears to be primarily the Greek Revival buildings — these Krewe St. Louis Round Sunglasses have a truly unique and artsy appearance, with a funky gold bridge and grey-green ivy acetate frame.
Courtesy of Nordstrom
19. Adidas Originals 54mm Round Sunglasses
BEST BLUE SUNGLASSES
Trust Adidas to come out with a pair of sunglasses that are sporty, trendy and oh, so wearable. These rounded square frames are made to look nifty on every face shape. Comfort’s built into the frames with a keyhole bridge. The frame is a matte blue, and the lenses are blue mirrored and provide 100% UV protection. A metal plaque engraved with the brand’s name and iconic logo sits at the temples. They also come in a black-on-black combination.
Read more: Best Bluetooth Sunglasses
Courtesy of Nordstrom
20. Shady Rays X Series Black Emerald Sunglasses
BEST MEN’S SUNGLASSES FOR SPORT
The X series Black Emerald wraparound men’s sports sunglasses protect your peripheral vision with lenses that have a hydrophobic and anti-reflective coating and are polarized with 100% UV protection. The frame was designed to stay on no matter what sport you indulge in. The frames come in black or clear. Choose lenses in matte black, black, blue, or emerald green.
Courtesy of Shady Rays
21. Ironman Black Blade Sunglasses PP05
SPORT GLASSES RUNNER UP
Named after the insanely rigorous triathlon, these tinted sunglasses are designed to hang on during outdoor training sessions or long runs. This wraparound style has adjustable nose pads and rubberized temple inserts to create a comfortable fit. The lenses are scratch and impact-resistant and offer 100% UV protection. Ironman is a division of Foster Grant eyewear, so you know you’re getting quality sunglasses at an affordable price.
Courtesy of Walmart
22. Opolis Bio Collection Largo Sunglasses
BEST SUSTAINABLE
Want to look good and help the world at the same time? Opolis has a transparent supply chain and creates eyewear using bio-acetate and recycled plastics. Their Largo sunglasses are from the company’s Bio Collection. The acetate frames are plant-based and are created with cottonseed, hemp and red pulp; that means they’re biodegradable. The core and hinges are made from upcycled materials too. Largo’s lenses are scratch-resistant, polarized and provide UVA/UVB protection. For every frame sold, Opolis donates to 1% of the Planet and other nonprofits.
Read more: Best Flip-Up Sunglasses
Courtesy of Opolis
23. Dior BlackSuit 55m Sunglasses
DESIGNER PICK
There are hundreds of designer sunglasses for men, so what makes the Dior BlackSuit frames stand out? We love these sunglasses because they’re the best example of one of our favorite sunglasses trends of 2021: irregular frame shapes. The subtle detail really elevates these sunglasses, and we’re confident they’ll earn you compliments everywhere you go.
Courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue
24. Smoke x Mirrors Everyday
BOLDEST DESIGN
Two-tone tortoiseshell frames have been popping up in both eyewear and sunglasses, it’s a micro-trend that’s starting to blow up. These French-made sunglasses not only capture that trend, but they also exude A-lister style. The round frames house anti-reflective coated CR-39 lenses that have 100% UVA/UVB Category 3 protection. They also come in solid black and in an amber-toned tortoiseshell.
Courtesy of Zappos
25. Randolph Engineering Aviator Sunglasses
DESIGNED TO LAST A LIFETIME
The Randolph Engineering Aviator Sunglasses are genuinely some of the best men’s sunglasses out there. With top-quality lenses, 23k gold metal frames and hinges, these sunglasses are made to last a lifetime. And if any solder joints wear out, like at hinges, brow-bars and nose pad arms, Randolph promises to repair or replace them for the lifetime of the frames free of charge. It also doesn’t hurt that they are snappy as hell too and can be personalized (up to 20 characters) for an extra fee.
Courtesy of Randolph
26. Tomahawk Eyewear Tamboras Sunglasses
LIFETIME WARRANTY
Created by twins who were fed up with paying a lot of money for sunglasses, they created their own line of premium eyewear that doesn’t have a premium price tag. Along the way, they’ve worked with athletes like Matt Martin, Kylie Ohlmiller, Super Bowl champion Chris Hogan and lacrosse player Kyle Harrison (both Hogan and Harrison are part owners). Tomahawk’s Tamboras sunglasses have polarized UV400 lenses that are FDA-approved impact resistant. These sunglasses are covered by the brand’s lifetime warranty. Tomahawk will replace lost, broken or stolen sunglasses up to two times. That’s pretty impressive.
Courtesy of Tomahawk
27. Etnia Barcelona Kobe Sun
BEST INDIE BRAND
Indie eyewear company Etnia Barcelona’s designs are always on the cutting edge. Could be one of the reasons why celebrities like Brad Pitt, Liam Hemsworth and Jay-Z wear them. Their Kobe Sun sunnies tick all the 2021 trends: bright acetate frames with matching bright lenses, a sporty frame with a pop of contrasting trim for added wowness. Etnia Barcelona Kobe Sun also comes in three other colorways.
Courtesy of Etnia Barcelona
28. RAEN Byres Satin Japanese Gold Sherry Gradient Sunglasses
STANDOUT LENS COLOR
Whether with their lenses or frames, Oceanside, California’s RAEN always has something cool going on. This time, it’s the rad lens color of the RAEN Byres Satin Japanese Gold Sherry Gradient Sunglasses. These round but geometrical metal sunglasses have a cool shape perfect for any face and an uncommon purple-sherry gradient lens that’ll stand out among your friends’ Ray-Ban Wayfarers. We’ve seen these up close too and they’re really sleek, comfortable and surprisingly sturdy for their price.
Courtesy of RAEN
29. Paradigm 20-50 Sunglasses
BEST USE OF NEGATIVE SPACE
Paradigm sunglasses are designed in Kentucky and made in eco-friendly facilities with ethically sourced raw materials. The frames and packaging are created with recyclable materials. In a market full of eco-friendly sunglasses made from wood and other natural materials, that’s not so unique. What is unique about these sunglasses? Oh, yeah, they’re cutting-edge cool. These squarish frames are highlighted by the negative space at the top of the frame, and they also come in silver. Thanks to the unique design, these are hands down some of the best men’s sunglasses of 2021.
Courtesy of Baxter & Bonny
30. SHEIN Flat Top Sunglasses
BEST FLAT-TOP SUNGLASSES
Looking like a pair of aviator sunglasses from the future, or an 80s sci-fi flick? Well, then you’re in luck. This is one of the biggest styles of the season. The squared-off frame is highlighted in gold-toned metal that contrasts nicely against the black metal. The gradient lenses add a touch of movie coolness. Best of all, the price is so wallet-friendly, that you could pick up a couple of backups in case you lose or break a pair, and you still wouldn’t break a twenty-dollar bill.
Courtesy of SHEIN
31. Arnette Men’s Sunglasses
MOST FUTURISTIC
As mentioned earlier, one of the hottest sunglass trends for the year is the sporty wraparound. Arnette’s wraparounds are slightly futuristic yet sporty looking. Their mirrored lenses are gradient with shimmery tones scattered throughout. Also on trend is the clear frame. Often worn by athletes, they’re trendy looking but have solid construction.
Courtesy of Macy's
32. Discount Glasses Westend Savannah Sunglasses
TRENDY YET AFFORDABLE
Looking for sunglasses that are both on-trend and not too showy? Discount Eyeglasses Westend Savannah’s are the best of both worlds. The rectangular frame is see-through gray and the contrast gray-pink lenses boast that mixed color combo that’s in right now. Speaking of lenses, they provide 100% UVA/UVB protection. Discount Glasses offers virtual try-ons so you can get an idea of how they’ll look in real life. For more foolproof shopping, Discount Glasses has an option to shop by face shape. This way, the only sunglasses you’ll see are the ones that’ll look good on you.
Courtesy of Discount Glasses
How We Chose the Best Men’s Sunglasses of 2021
In 2020, the world pretty much hit pause on sunglasses, and there weren’t many sunglasses trends to note. Unfortunately, face masks and sunglasses just don’t play together very well. Thankfully, we’ve seen tons of great new sunglasses hit the market this year, from a surprising celebrity collaboration to Ray-Ban’s new smart glasses. We also saw companies like Shinola and Off-White release eyewear for the first time.
Now that we’re into the home stretch of 2021, we wanted to rank our favorite sunglasses of the year so far. We wanted to include a range of styles and prices, so you’ll find everyday sunglasses you can keep in the car as well as designer specs from top designers like Dior and Off-White. We tried to select sunglasses that represented some of the top men’s sunglasses trends of 2021.
Whether you call them navigators or aviator sunglasses, there’s no denying that this frame style was one of the top sunglasses trends in both 2020 and 2021 (Thanks, Joe Biden.) Aviator sunglasses include a few different styles such as pilot and navigator sunglasses, but they’re instantly recognizable and never go out of style.
Oversized sunglasses also made a major comeback in Summer 2021. In addition to the oversized sports sunglasses you’ll always find on the golf course, designers like Off-White released bold oversized frames that will help you stand out from the crowd.
In addition, irregular frame shapes were extremely popular in 2021, like the Dior BlackSuit sunglasses we featured above.
Other popular styles this summer included sporty looks that were mined from the 70s tennis looks, wraparound shades, mixed fabrications and of course, retro eyewear that runs from the 50s to the 80s. We’re talking everything from cat-eye, to round, to the classic heavy square frames like the ones that Buddy Holly wore.
What’s really surprising is the emergence of colored lenses. You can find colored lenses in every shade you can imagine, and some you’d rather not. As mentioned earlier, some designers are mismatching lens colors with frames, and some like everything to match. Tomahawk Eyewear features an olive-toned pair of sunglasses with, of course, matching lenses.
As we head deeper into the Fall/Winter 2021 fashion season, you may be able to find some of the year’s best sunglasses on sale. If you look around, there’s a good chance that you might find your favorite pair at a lower price than expected. We’ve also found plenty of great-looking sunglasses, ones that look like they could come from a high-end optical boutique, for less than $30.
Ultimately, while we considered a variety of factors — price, style, trend-factor, eco-friendly materials — we made our selection of the best sunglasses for men based on our editors’ sense of style and taste.
*Disclaimer: Looking for Spy Optic? Click here: https://www.spyoptic.com.
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