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Affordable Men's Style

The Best Sunglasses under $100 – Spring 2011

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Sub $100 Shades – The Best of Affordable Sunglasses

You buy a CD off Amazon and you know it’ll fit in your CD player.  Buying shoes or clothes off the internet carries a bit more risk, but if you know your brands then sizing can be relatively dependable.  Buying sunglasses online can be a total nightmare.  You just don’t know how they’ll look until they’re on your face.  It’d be like getting a haircut over the internet.  And although you could probably rig up skype, a robotic arm, and a flowbee, it’s probably not the best idea.

The point is (there is one?) shopping for sunglasses online is risky.  So know the return policies and take shipping costs into consideration before you click “purchase.”  With that all said, these all have potential:
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Cole Haan Acrylic Rounded Sunglasses – $53.00 (reg. $75.00)
The not from the 80s retro look.

For the guys who like the retro key-hole sunglasses look, but don’t want to go full bore Talented Mr. Ripley or wear Ray Ban Clubmasters.  Respectable brand on the ear piece as well.

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Fossil Polarized Carver Aviator – $55.00
Modern shape, classic look.

Polarized for under $100?  Try under $60 if they’re from Fossil.  Their Carver Aviator gently squares off the lenses so you don’t get that droopy Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas look.  Logo looks to be barely noticeable, a tonal stamped “Fossil” near the temples.

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Banana Republic Adam – $98.00
Persol-ish. A little. Tiny bit.

Proof that plastic frames can be professional looking.  Available in black or tortoise, logo is kept to the inside, good weight and feel, and since they’re GAP inc, easy to catch on sale.

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Cole Haan 745 Pilot – $95.00
Professional and blingless.

Keeping the flash to a minimum with black frames, not silver.  Great bridge piece, thin metal frames, and extra points for the deep brown tortoise ear pieces.  You can mix brown and black.


L.E.C. Modern Aviator – $49.50, Classic – $39.50, Square Aviator – $49.50
$50, $40, $50.

Lands’ End Canvas has you covered if you want a classic style but don’t want to spend more than $50 to get it.  Inexpensive sunglasses can self destruct pretty quickly, but with the LEC guarantee (return it if it fails you, whenever) you should be covered.

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Ray Ban New Wayfarer RB2132 – $75.00 (reg. $119)
The new standard.

Don’t know if I’ll ever stop singing the praises of these.  Slimmed down compared to the original wayfarer, perfectly balanced for most faces/heads, made in Italy, and you can feel how durable they are as soon as you unfold the ear pieces and put them on.  The real deal.  Hard to find on sale.  Fulfilled by Amazon and link gets you to plenty of size/color options (thanks to Kahtan in the comments).  Look for 55mm width if you’ve got a medium to larger sized head.  Under that, 52 mm might be your best bet.  55mm with tape measure pic over here.

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Polo Green Lens Aviator – $99.98 (reg. $150)
Three colors and all working well together.

This is how you do a silver frame.  Black ear pieces and green lenses.  Not as tall through the lense as you’d think (look at the straight on view).  On sale for just under $100.

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Club Monaco CM6509 – $29.97 (reg. $89.95)
Insanely inexpensive.

Did someone leave the machines on at the Club Monaco Sunglasses factory?  Pretty sure these have been on sale since last spring.  SunglassHut.com says they’re only available in store, but a quick phone call to 1-800-SUNGLAS and a customer service rep will, according to the website: “assist you in ordering these sunglasses for shipment directly to your home or office.”  That’ll work.  For $30 (plus shipping of course.)

Got other sub $100 Sunglasses suggestions?  And how much is too much for a pair of shades?  Even if you won’t spend more than $20 and always get your sunglasses from the gas station, leave your comments below…

Comments

  1. American Optics aviators are easily the best aviator option available for the money. They can easily be found on the Web for $35 – $45. They’re made in America and very sturdy.

  2. I have to say Joe, last week I took your recommendation on the New Wayfarers and picked up a pair in Black. By far they’re the best sunglasses I’ve ever owned in terms of shape and feel. I can’t get enough of them.

    Thanks for the great recommendation! Keep it up as always.

    Cheers,
    Ben

  3. I’ve got to agree with the American Optics aviators or pilots. Got a pair last year and they are build solid. Nice weight to them and quality hinges. I just recently got a pair of the lands end aviators they sent me by acccident instead of the wayfarers and the aviators are cheap feeling. However they are sending me the wayfarers without having to send back the aviators so their free.

  4. remember mar2011bd as a coupon for next business day shipping from sunglasshut – with free in-store or mailed returns i’ve been ordering and dropping ’em in the return mail the next day until i found the right pair….

    think you have 90d to return

  5. I completely agree. I picked up a pair in both black and tortoise after Joe’s rave reviews, during a 25% off accessories sale on Endless, and couldn’t be happier!

    As always, great recommendations.

  10. Can’t agree more, I picked up a polarized pair for about $50 online. They’re very well constructed, and very customizable on some sites (lens size, lens color/material, temple shape, frame color…). I unknowingly selected the exact same style (minus the polarization) that my grandfather wore when he was in the military, which makes feel even more classic/manly.

  11. I hate to be nitpicky but does anyone know where I can score some squared-off pilot sunglasses with brown gradient lenses? Basically, like the Fossils mentioned above but with amber/brown/rose gradient lenses. Have been searching for MONTHS.

    Oh, and great list, btw :)

  15. oh, and that link has the tortoise going for $74.67. looks the same but can’t confirm it’s the exact same model though.

  16. These are some good looking shades, but I hate buying sunglasses online. Some just don’t look right on my face.

  17. Anyone have reviews of the Polo’s? I’m tempted to pick them up, they’re sharp.

  19. Updated above, nice catch. As long as the seller is fulfilled by Amazon, I don’t think it’s that risky of a play, despite the goofy selection/color process those guys seem to have. Thanks Kathan!

  20. Another vote for AO. I love mine, though it took a little while to get used to the shape on my face, It seemed a little over the top at first (I’m used to smaller frames and have never really worn aviators), but I always catch myself in the mirror when I’m wearing them. I got mine polarized for driving.

    They are a great value, really cheap for the quality and the pedigree: http://hughstimson.org/2009/10/02/what-sunglasses-did-the-astronauts-wear/

    I have a great picture around somewhere of the Apollo 11 capsule in the ocean with the hatch open and the astronauts wearing their AOs.

  21. The Ray Ban New Wayfarer is real nice. The overall size is smaller than the original Wayfarer, so it fits most guys better. They come in many colors. I have a yellow pair that’s perfect for summer.