There are few everyday accessories as vital as a pair of sunglasses. Here at Heddels, we like to protect our eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays as much as the next niche fashion website, but are our preferred choice of sunglasses actually niche? Or are they more commonplace, and not as obscure, or specific as you might have guessed? Do we overwhelmingly prefer our sunglasses to be manufactured in Italy? Or say, Japan, just like some of our favorite jeans? Or is any ol’ pair of cheap trucker-stop sunnies good enough?
Why trust us? Well, we’ve all been in the game long enough to have field-tested a range of quality clothing, and the Heddels operation puts us onto some of the best clothing in the world week in, week out. Whilst our opinions and experiences shouldn’t be taken as definitive, this series will provide you insight into what has worked for us and why.
David – Vuarnet Sunglasses
I occasionally get migraines and one of the triggers is glare and bright light, so I live in polarized sunglasses whenever I’m outside.
For about 10 years, it was Oakley Frogskins in the “root beer” color. I swapped the lenses over and over again every time they got scratched until the frames broke and they stopped selling “root beer” separately.
I was in Paris around this time, and looking for a few France-exclusive pickups, when I remembered someone had mentioned the high quality of Vuarnet sunglasses. I figured they would be readily available, but every boutique I asked in turned me away with a confused, “Why would you want those? Only old stockbrokers and lawyers wear them.”
This only made me want them more.
I eventually stumbled into an optometrist’s office on the off chance they could point me in the right direction, but they not only had them, polarized, but they were on sale!
I have no idea what the model is called, but they are an aviator style in yellow acetate frames with blue glass lenses and I’ve worn them nearly every day for the past 4 years. The tip of one of the arms broke off about a year ago and I was able to reattach it with dental floss and super glue until that failed about 6 months later. The lenses are still pristine.
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I look forward to meeting an old French stockbroker or lawyer so we can discuss how much we love our sunglasses and I can ask where to buy another pair.
Daniel – Ray Ban Clubmaster
I was never much of a snob about sunglasses — until I tried some that were good. That’s usually how it is with premium accessories, isn’t it? My Ray Ban Clubmasters were a birthday gift from my wife, and while they’re incredibly useful, I still consider them my “nice sunglasses”. I tend to baby them, watching over them, lest they get hurt or worse… lost. It must be the disillusioned sunglasses owner in me that can hardly stand purchasing sunglasses valued over $100. I would still be wearing cheap sunglasses that I bought at the gas station had it not been for my wife.
Wearing cheap sunglasses for so long makes the difference in quality very obvious, and I really value and prefer my “nice sunglasses” after wearing them for a few years now. If I were cursed to lose my cool sunnies, then I’d probably buy another pair of the same, not just because of the quality… I’m a sentimental guy.
James – Moscot Lemtosh
I’ve never been a sunglasses guy. Maybe because I live in the U.K., and it’s rarely sunny for full days at a time (hence the picture above, which was taken on an on/off sunny winter’s day). That said, I have grown fonder of the general look and feel of sunglasses, which led me to cop some Moscot Lemtosh shades a few years back.
Moscot has the bravado of an American brand that makes all its shades in NYC, but they’re made in China. That said, the overall quality and feel of the sunglasses came recommended, and upon purchasing I could see why the brand has its fans and plaudits. Made in China doesn’t mean made badly, and these have lasted me a good few years, now.
The brand states there 130+ steps in the process of producing a pair of Moscot glasses, and I’ll say you won’t be disappointed if you invest in a pair of these sunnies. I have the Tobacoo colorway of the Moscoit Lemtosh, but there are hundreds of styles to choose from over at Moscot, although I would recommend visiting a store/stockist for the best advice and support with putting prescription lenses in if needed.
Zach – Shuron Escapades
Browline shades have earned widespread appeal. From vintage enthusiasts to film and fashion, this symbol of midcentury style dominates the eyewear field seventy years after it entered the popular imagination. Shuron is thus the forerunner for imaginative glasses. Their reputation has been built with faces that include Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Jake Gyllenhall, Steve McQueen, and many others. It’s no surprise that the kings of coolness are crowned with Shuron sunglasses.
Besides timeless style, I appreciate their durability. The hinges are still sturdy and somewhat stiff after two years of continuous use—one thing that gets on my nerves is sunglasses that seem to rattle everything you take a step. Even the nose pads remain solid. This can be an issue when wearing them for extended periods because I end up with red marks between my eyes. However, given the option between a gentle pinch and having glasses fly off my face, I choose the former! Going forward, I won’t have to pick a new brand ever again. I just need to pick what options to try with the Shuron Escapades (Ronsir).
Available for $152 (on sale) from Frames Direct.
Brad – Ray Ban Aviators
Call me old-fashioned, but there will never be a cooler pair of sunglasses than classic Ray Ban aviators. No matter your personal style, face shape, or haircut, they just work. All that swagger and functionality comes with an awesome origin story as well. In 1929, US Army test pilot John A. Macready worked with medical equipment manufacturer Bausch & Lomb to create glasses that would protect pilots from the extreme sun exposure of high altitudes. Macready provided the engineers at Bausch & Lomb with extensive notes which guided them to create the original aviator sunglasses.
The key feature of the revolutionary eyewear was a curved lens made out of specially designed mineral glass. A green tint worked with the curved surface to block the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This functional detail led to the simple explanatory name Ray-Ban. Stunt pilots made the glasses cool through the 1930s before WWII pilots made them the standard American sunglasses. Ray Ban changed hands a few times as its fortunes rose and fell before its acquisition by Italian eyewear giant Luxottica in 2007.
I love Ray Ban’s XXL aviators because they suit my abnormally large head. Aviators look best a little oversized so the 62mm lenses hit just right. An abundance of color arrangements are available but I recommend sticking to the original gold frame & green lens combination or the chrome frame and mirrored lens combo.
Available for $170 (on sale at time of writing) at Ray Ban.
Ben – Ray Ban 4306
I rarely reach for sunglasses but when the brim of my hat is no match for the sun’s rays, I grab my 4306s from Ray Ban. A refreshing shake-up from the most prevalent designs out there, I gravitated towards this model because of its slight hexagonal lens shape, blue tint, and gray colorway.
Although standing out from your classic Aviators or Wayfarers, they are still super approachable and are easy to wear on the daily. But for me, the palette is refined enough so that they can be dressed up too. Their high bridge suits my face/ nose well and polarized lenses in any circumstance can’t hurt right?! I’ve had them for about a year now, and so far, so good. I’m looking forward to many more wears in the future.
