Sunglasses We Love: The Best Styles & Brands

Sun’s out, sunnies out! Still haven’t found a pair of shades that you love? We’ve rounded up our favourite must-have sunglasses, with an option for everyone and every season.

Whether it’s slim, stylish sunnies or big designer shades, sunglasses are a must-have accessory: keeping your eyes out of too-harsh rays, adding a bit of oomph to your look and even doubling as a disguise (morning coffee run, anyone?). With everything from teeny-tiny offerings to heart-shaped sunnies and aviators on the market, we’ve narrowed down the options to our favourite “can’t-go-wrong” pairs of sunglasses.

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Hexagon-Shaped Gold Frames from Bottega Veneta and Marc Jacobs

For a super-flattering fit, these hexagon-shaped frames promise a softer look — not as striking as a square or rectangle on the face and not truly rounded. Bottega Veneta’s sunnies offering is sleek and minimal, expertly made in Italy from gleaming gold-tone metal and fitted with brown UV-protective lenses. For something a little more affordable but still designer, look to Marc Jacobs’ retro-inspired hex-shaped sunglasses, fitted with pink gradient-coloured lenses and a gold frame.

Bottega Veneta Hexagon-frame gold-tone sunglasses, available at Net-a-Porter for $3,060

Marc Jacobs hex sunglasses in gold pink, available at ASOS for $978

Classic Black Cat-Eyes from Saint Laurent and J.Crew

It’s safe, it’s a classic; there’s just no going wrong with a matte black cat-eye frame. These New Wave SL 276 cat-eye frame sunglasses from Saint Laurent Eyewear are sleek, edgy and simply too cool. We love the dark-tinted (and UV-protective!) lenses for that added mystique and the discreet silver logo on the side. For something similar, J.Crew’s Bungalow cat-eye sunglasses are a softer scaled-down style.

Saint Laurent Eyewear New Wave SL 276 cat-eye frame sunglasses, available at Farfetch for $1,837

J.Crew’s Bungalow cat-eye sunglasses, available online for $715

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Big Modern Square Sunglasses from Tom Ford

The bigger, the better! These huge frames counter their potentially flashy size with a modern-looking squared frame in shiny black acetate and stylish metal “T” logos at the temples. We love the gradient orange lenses which help keep the whole look from falling over into costume territory; instead, the net effect is effortless and sophisticated. Just trust us.

Tom Ford Sabrina black square-frame sunglasses, available at Harvey Nichols for $2,080

Aviators from Gentle Monster and Chloé

Originally a Ray-Ban branded item, these pilot sunglasses were made specially to give military coverage for their eyes as they navigated the skies. There’s no going wrong with Ray-Ban, of course, but we’re directing you towards Korean brand Gentle Monster’s Duda o2 — an aviator silhouetted silver metal frame with 99.9% UV-protected orange gradient lenses. For something similar (but on the pricier side!), Chloé’s gold-tone metal Vitto sunglasses also have a classic aviator shape and are outlined with burgundy rims and set with gradient blue lenses.

Gentle Monster Duda o2, available online for $2,260 (Out of stock!)

Chloé Vitto aviator metal sunglasses, available at MATCHESFASHION for $3,440

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Oversized Tortoise Shell Angular Frames from Celine

Forgive our (my) age, but there’s something a little vintage about this pair. It looks familiar, nostalgic even — like you just picked it up from your mother’s vanity. Crafted from tortoise shell-effect brown acetate, these Celine sunglasses have an oversized, angular frame and are detailed with the label’s gold-toned insignias at the temples. An ideal investment piece that will suit any age and every year.

Celine Triomphe Tortoise Shell Acetate Oversized Angular Sunglasses, available at Lane Crawford for $3,100

Butterfly Sunglasses from Balenciaga

Listen, we keep up! We know that pair of Balenciaga Xpander Butterfly Sunglasses spotted on Kim K! We also know they’re out of stock so if you’re looking to pick up an on-trend, on-the-stars pair of sunnies, go for the Weekend Butterfly Sunglasses in black acetate — a butterfly-shaped pair of sunnies with grey lenses made in Italy with 100% UVA/UVB protection.

Balenciaga Weekend Butterfly Sunglasses, available at Farfetch for $2,014

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Slim White Cat-Eyes from Gentle Monster and Celine

This season’s pick! The Crella W1 from the aforementioned brand Gentle Monster (think: experimental, wearable and totally future-focused) is a super slim cat-eye crafted from white acetate; a compact, bold frame housing 99.9% UV protection navy lenses. For something similar, we also love the ivory cat-eye sunglasses from Celine Eyewear, fitted with solid green lenses and featuring gold-toned detailing.

Gentle Monster Crella W1, available online for $2,260

Celine Cat-eye acetate sunglasses in Ivory, available at Net-a-Porter for $2,900

Flower-Shaped Cat-Eye Sunglasses from LOEWE and Urban Outfitters

We couldn’t miss adding in this 1960s-inspired eyewear from LOEWE “Paula’s Ibiza collection”, a pair of Italian-made floral-shaped sunglasses in beige acetate with a gold-tone logo script. It’s simply too cute for words! And if you just can’t bear to splash out on such a flashy pair, Urban Outfitters’ Phoebe Scalloped Cat-Eye Sunglasses have a similar pearl-toned floral feel.

LOEWE Paula’s Ibiza flower sunglasses in Beige, available at Selfridges for $2,900 (Out of stock!)

Urban Outfitters Phoebe Scalloped Cat-Eye Sunglasses, available online for $80

Heart-Shaped Sunglasses from Saint Laurent and Urban Outfitters

Spotted on everyone from Miley Cyrus to Salma Hayek and Paris Hilton, the Saint Laurent oversized Loulou sunglasses are just so much fun. You can opt for the heart-shaped cat-eye sunglasses in traditional black with dark lenses, or be bold and go for the glossy fuchsia acetate option. And for an affordable pick, Urban Outfitters’ rimless heart-shaped sunglasses come with either blue or purple-tinted lenses.

Saint Laurent Eyewear Loulou, available at Net-a-Porter for $3,300

Urban Outfitters Rimless Heart Sunglasses, available online for $40

Editor’s Note: All listed prices were correct at the time of publication. “11 Sunglasses To See You Through The Seasons” was originally published on 27 August 2018 by Dervla Louli Musgrave and was most recently updated in July 2022 by Sakina Abidi.