They’re not a thick plastic or acetate frame like a Wayfarer, but the ear pieces are larger than a run of the mill Aviator. So what are these things? Hybrids? Avifarers? Business in the front, party in the rear… mullet shades? (Okay, that’s not fair).
Doesn’t matter what they’re called. They can do just about anything. Serious enough to be worn when dressed up, but the thicker plastic ear pieces knock the shine down and add some visual balance compared to wire frames. Most of these also seem to come with nice, in-between lens shapes. Not droopy and oversized, not Neo aerodynamic. And not easy to find.
Quick picks follow. Leave any additions in the comments below.
Brooks Brothers – $95.00
Nice blend of retro and contemporary. The shape of the nose bridge and the tortoise shell pattern on the earpieces are a bit of a throwback, with the wire frames around the sleek lenses keeping it in this century. Ships and returns free through Nordstrom. Not available on the Brooks Brothers website at post time.
Banana Republic Ian – $68.60
w/ BRBRIGHT30 ($98)
It’d be nice if more sunglasses fell into this not super cheap but not crazy expensive price range. On sale all the time thanks to codes. Ships free, returns free in store. Polarized, and also available in a gunmetal/grey combo.
UPDATE: For the code, BRBRIGHT40 and BRBRIGHT35 might be what you need (for 40% off and 35% off respectively). They’re running one of those select customer sales, so one browser might give you 30%, the other 40%, and so on. The code should appear at the top of the page, above their menu bar.
Calvin Klein Polarized Aviators – $59.99
A little more angular with lenses that dip down a bit more. Starting to look a little like the sunglasses George Clooney wore in parts of The American.
Persol PO2407S in Matte Black or Pale Gold – $148.00 ($210)
$150 is steep, but these are something else. Snagged a pair back in October during a rare half-off deal + code stack situation for about $80. And that ain’t gonna happen again any time soon. Currently marked down on the Nordstrom owned flash sale site HauteLook, which does offer returns in the original form of payment minus shipping costs, or credits and they pick up the return shipping. Super sturdy, lenses are perfect if you’ve got a medium to larger face, and the matte black frame is terrific for those that don’t like the metallic look. (Also seen at the top of the post)
Final Notes: This style can absolutely go wrong pretty quickly. Look for balance. You don’t want ear pieces that are too thick, or lenses that are too short. Just not your style? See the Sunglasses Matrix over here.
I have the same Persols from the same Bluefly sale, except mine are tortoise shell and have those lenses that adjust to ambient light. My wife thought I was crazy to buy such expensive sunglasses since I was sure to lose them, but I haven’t yet. When things cost more, apparently I take better care of them. Shocker, right?
I am on my second pair of Serengeti Aviators. The first pair survived a motorcycle wreck with only a cracked lens (and I still wear them when I mow the yard) so I had to get a new pair this year. They can be difficult to find if you want a medium sized (larges are cheap an all over the place) but I think the search is worth it.
too sporty to my taste
I have a pair of Tom Ford Camillo that I picked up for around $80 last fall. Love the lens shape and color, and the style is very versatile. I find myself reaching for those when I head out over my Persol 714 and Oliver Peoples. http://i.imgur.com/guy6j05.jpg
Those Persols look nice but I can’t do $150 for non-polarized glasses.
Should really include where these shades are made. My Persols (different model) were made in Italy but not sure if all of them are.
You went with Avifarers over Waviators?
I’ve owned 3 pairs, (649, 714, 3028) and they all say “handmade in Italy”.
Those blue Persol sunglasses are kinda gorgeous. I love light blue sunglasses for summertime (works well on aviators as well)
LOVE the BR shades! Can anybody here recommend a pair that’s built for wide heads?
I have a terrible time finding shades like these that fit my face. I think even these would be too big on my narrow face. Any suggestions?
Does Persol even make sunglasses that aren’t polarized?
I know mine are.
I’m not familiar with Persol but the info in the link said they were non-polarized. Not that it matters now that they appear to be sold out.
I think it’s one of those “select customer” codes. Some get 30, some get 35, some get 40…
RE is great. As are American Optics (which seem awfully close to RE). But do they make a style in this… style? Bayonet temples are great though. These are sort of like that.
I couldn’t decide, so, alphabetical order.
I have a pair of Brooks Brothers aviators from last year that look a lot like those Tom Fords, only the bridge and earpieces are tortoise shell. I love their looks and they were only $28 at Nordstrom rack, but their optics leave something to be desired.
The Serengeti Aviators are great. I absolutely love how they look and fit. Only complaint is how they hold up long term, mine are a little over two years old and the finish is coming off in places on the frames.
You can buy the Persol PO2407S shades (offered in 4 colors) at a steeper discount from EZContactsUSA. They have them on sale for $141.99, plus you can use coupon “10Memorial” for another 10% off. Free shipping and no tax seem to be included.
http://www.ezcontactsusa.com/persol-po2407s-sunglasses.html
It’s worth noting that there are many more high-end sunglasses available.
Ray Ban Caravans. Nuff said.
Anyone have any experience with Warby Parker? I’m thinking about buying a pair of their prescription shades.
I have a pair of prescription glasses (not shades) from WP. Very pleased with the glasses and the whole process of getting them. They have held up well for 6 months. As far as their shades, no experience there, but based on my regular glasses experience I would imagine they would be a solid choice.
Gaffos is also quite good. Free shipping both ways too.
I’ve been thinking of doing the same thing. I’ve got crappy vision (20/300 or so) and astigmatism, so contacts and regular shades aren’t a good option for me — and I look a bit silly without glasses anyway, having worn them for so long.
Definitely interested to hear if anybody’s tried WP’s sunglasses, then.
AO pilots are my favorite and are 1/4th the price but still great glasses.
Ray-Ban Caravans. I think they look great on just about any face. It’s a classic style that’s smaller than aviators or wayfarers, but not too small. American Optics and some other companies make basically the same style (including Banana Republic – they’re not on the website but they are in stores).
I did an in-home try-on of a few styles. They were decent, solid glasses, like the regular glasses I have from them. I ended up not getting them, but since then they’ve come out with a few styles I like better. I ended up getting prescription Ray-Ban Aviators from my regular optometrist.
I can definitely say though, that prescription sunglasses changed my life. I can finally go without contacts on sunny days! Before prescription sunglasses, I would only wear my glasses at night or if it was a cloudy, rainy day.
Now that it’s summertime, everyone should check out knockaround sunglasses too. They’re definitely not high quality materials, but they have a really great design that actually looks good on your face, and come in a ton of colors. They’re the first sunglasses I’ve had that are both (a) good enough to really like wearing, and (b) cheap enough that you don’t care if you lose them at the beach.
I have a pair of prescription glasses and a pair of prescription sunglasses. Now I wish I’d gone with a pair of normal sunglasses and bought contacts instead, so I wouldn’t have to carry two pairs of glasses with me on sunny days.
Why do you prefer prescription sunglasses?
Does sun affect vision through contacts?
PS Plus it means that I don’t have to change twice the number of lenses if my prescription changes.
Any thoughts on Rayban Chris RB4187?
Seems to be a new model and I couldn’t find much review on these.
I really just meant that I like having the flexibility of having both normal sunglasses and prescription sunglasses. When I only had normal sunglasses, if it was a sunny day I was locked into wearing contacts. And my eyes don’t react well to wearing contacts for a long day or if my allergies are acting up.
Where are the American Optics? Just got a pair a few weeks ago and I am very happy with them. They cost less than all your other options too.
I can’t quite get over the size/visual bulk of many of the frames and lens shapes that seem to be popular these days. Wearing Serengeti’s Vedi (ex: http://flytstore.com/images/Serengeti%20%286824%29.jpg) these days and while they’re a little weighty (metal frame, glass lenses) I don’t feel like I’m hiding behind them. The lens and build quality is ace in my experience as well.
I can’t quite get over the size/visual bulk of many of the frames and lens shapes that seem to be popular these days. Wearing Serengeti’s Vedi (You’ll have to google it, as Disqus apparently inserts my link wholesale into my post, ugh) these days and while they’re a little weighty (metal frame, glass lenses) I don’t feel like I’m hiding behind them. The lens and build quality is ace in my experience as well.
I have a pair of prescription Moscot that I paid way too much for that I hardly wear. I thought I would enjoy not having to wear contacts on sunny days, but having to carry two pairs of glasses and switching them when I go indoor and out is far more awkward. I suppose I can keep my sunglasses on indoors but I don’t think I can pull off that look. 😀
Oh well, one day I will work up the courage and get my eyes Lasik’d.
Two comments-
I’ve always thought about lasik, but I’ve worn glasses so long that I feel like getting lasik would be like getting a nose job. It would be more convenient in a lot of ways, but I also feel like glasses are part of my face and I’d feel weird being permanently without them. I wonder if other people feel that way.
About carrying two extra pairs of glasses – I put them in my girlfriend’s purse when I can. I never complain about her giant handbag anymore. She’s like a sherpa.
Thanks for this. I was wondering what the product code for that model was. I do believe they are gorgeous…
Ditto. Picked mine up from the army surplus. Just going to that place was an experience. Great shades!
If I ever got Lasik I would just switch the lens on my glasses to non-perscription ones. I really like the design of the frames I own and it would make me sad to never wear them again.
Thanks for posting those! I see they don’t have the sunglass dimensions posted.
I like American Optics. Classic, well built, made in the USA. But they don’t even come close to making anything in my width. I need about 150-155mm frame width to fit my big dome. So far 62mm Ray Ban Aviators and a couple models from FatHeadz are the only ones that work for me. I’ll email these guys about their dimensions and see if they can work with me.
The larger the lenses, the more sun they block out. Not to mention aviators have been a popular classic for a long time.
Those are nice, but my Costa Del Mar tuna alley’s are my favorite.
Just picked up a set of the BR sunglasses listed above at my local store and love them. Ended up getting 40%.
Update on this over a year later: amazing quality, quickly became my favorite pair. The blue lenses stand out and are just killer.
Unfortunately, I lost these a couple days ago. I went to Costco (it was my birthday) wanting to treat myself to a hot dog and make it a happy day. Somewhere during the stop, my blue Persols vanished. It was not a happy day.