Style Battle: Polo vs. Ray-Ban Sunglasses

Polo PH3050 – $150.00 | Ray Ban New Wayfarer – (found for $40) $119.00

What do you do when something looks 30% better than your second option, but also costs almost four times as much?

I lost a pair of Cole Haan Sunglasses about a month ago.  They were my go-to pair for when I was in a suit.  I’ve been working off my chunky Bauhaus Black Smith’s since then, and I knew I was stretching the style usage for the Smith’s the entire time.  Then I spotted a post by Barron from TheEffortlessGent.com.  It was about suits, sunglasses, and the misuse of the sporty style of shades.  I knew I was breaking a rule with the Smiths (wearing them with suits on occasion), but the post from Barron got me off my rear and out the door.

30 minutes into trying on sunglasses at my local outlet mall Sunglass Hut, I had it down to two distinctly different pairs.  Here they are, with the pros and cons of each, with the final outcome after that…

Pair #1 – Polo Ralph Lauren PH3050 – $150.00

The Pros: The wire frames will work with any suit.  They’re the Perfect shape, retro but with modern sharp styling.  I love the bend in the nose piece.  Not straight across but dips just enough.  And major points for the subtle logo on the side and upper left lens

The Cons:  They’re really damn expensive.  But as long as I don’t lose them, (fingers crossed) I could be wearing them for the next decade.
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Pair #2 – Ray Ban New Wayfarer – $119.00

The Pros: The New Wayfarer is light years ahead of the classic wayfarer.  These are a perfect mix of retro style without the bulky blockyness of the original.  The tortoise shell pattern is much darker in real life.  It’s noticeable, but not too bold.  As for price, that was unbeatable.  The pair I found was only $40 (!!!) because of some tiny scratch I couldn’t and still can’t see.

Cons: I had gone in looking for wire frames.  It’s tough to find a pair of sunglasses that fit my face perfectly, and althouogh the Raybans were a really good fit, the Ralph Lauren pair were even better.  Plus, they’re not super trendy, but… they’re kind of trendy.

The Verdict:

I reluctantly handed over my debit card and watched as the saleswoman swiped away $150 .  I had gone for it.  Big time.  She handed me the Polos and the accompanying case, and I put them on as I walked out the door.  My car key turned in the ignition, I drove out of the parking lot, and quickly pulled over to the side of the road.

What the hell was I thinking.  We had just gotten a car out of the shop, we were about to take a week long vacation, and I had just spent $150 on sunglasses when an almost equally good looking pair was sitting there for $40?

I wheeled the car around, parked in front of the store and walked back in.  The saleswoman said: “Second thoughts?”  I told her I wanted the Ray-Bans.  She replied: “Not the first time someone has changed their mind that quick.”

So did I make the right choice?  Or would you have stuck with the original Polos?