Looking for more of the best cheap sunglasses? Start with our guide to the foremost UV-blocking brands on the planet—and check out our list of summer menswear essentials while you’re at it.
We love a nice pair of sunglasses. Probably too much, if you ask the mythic creature that collects the lost and broken pairs no longer in our possession. But we’re also aware of their impermanence—how quickly a great pair can come in and out of our lives, and how fleeting that relationship can be, regardless of investment.
Despite this inherent fickleness, we’ll never stop buying the nice ones. But that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate their more affordable counterparts, too. And when we find the right pair, they almost always take the top spot in our sunglasses rotation: they stir up zero anxiety, require little care or attention, and instill no feelings of regret if (or when) the relationship ends, even when it’s sudden and unexpected. They’re like a summer fling that, under the right circumstances, has long-term potential but no expectations.
So to make your own search just a little bit easier, we thought we’d round up the brands making them, and pick a couple we like from each along the way. Enjoy.
The Best Cheap Sunglasses, According to GQ
Crap Eyewear
Ignore the name—or don’t, it’s fun—because nothing about Crap Eyewear is such. Just the opposite, in fact. When it comes to the coveted quality-design-price triumvirate, they’re one of, if not the, best. Their frames are handcrafted from bio-acetate which is biodegradable and far friendlier to the earth than most competitors’. (If you lose them in the ocean, for instance, at least you can take some solace in knowing that they won’t be littering the floor in perpetuity.) They do cost a bit more than others on this list, but they’re as nice as some models three or four times their sticker price, and that might count for more.
Le Specs
Le Specs has been around since 1979—45 years for those playing the home game—elevating itself from an IYKYK brand into a global force. Hailing from Australia, a notoriously sunny place, their catalog is one of those ‘flavor for every palette’ situations: flashy, spicy, classic, minimal, maximal and basically everything in between, there are dozens of turns you can take and basically no wrong ones to be made.
Goodr
There are virtues to high-end, tricked-out workout frames, but there’s also a great case to be made for the kinds of super affordable sunglasses that require zero special attention, wear comfortably on the go, stay secure when getting jostled a little bit and aren’t remotely precious about mixing it up a little bit. Goodr makes the latter, originally making incredibly adept running sunglasses that were also super affordable. Because those same principles can be applied to a whole bunch of other frames, it turns out, they’ve since added cover versions of all the classics to the rotation, all of them still built—and priced—to move.
Sunski
Sunski’s are tough, timeless, easy-as-hell to style and clock in at just under $100, which made them a natural for this list. And for those who prefer products that aren’t caustic to the environment, Sunski can do you one better: their frames are made entirely out of post-industrial scrap plastic called SuperLight—which is done with a process they had to invent—and their cases are made out of recycled polyester. We can all debate the notion of ethical consumption, but it’s hard to be cynical about a literal trash-to-treasure operation.
Huckberry
If you’re flipping through Huckberry’s digital sunglasses rack, there is [no shortage of killer frames], from no shortage of venerable brands. But if you’re skipping over their in-house line—which is made up entirely of frames under $50—you’re missing out in a big way. Durable, lightweight and polarized, they hold their own among some giants. Minimally branded and 100% UVA/UVB resistant, they come in a whole range of classic colors and have no issue with spending their off hours in the bottom of a tote or a pocket or really anywhere else.
Quince
A relative newcomer in the space, Quince has a penchant for making things that look, and feel, like they should cost a fortune but very much do not cost a fortune. Naturally, their sunglasses are no exception. Every single pair in their massive collection costs exactly $50, yet they’re made with the same high-quality materials—like acetate, stainless steel and polarized lenses—found on frames that cost four times as much. Or, more simply, Quince glasses are further proof that you don’t need to spend a fortune to look like you did.
Knockaround
If you’re rough on your glasses, let us introduce you to Knockaround. They’ve been churning out super affordable eyewear since 2005, but with Knockaround, affordable hardly means disposable. Just the opposite, in fact. They’re specifically designed to take a beating and look good while doing so. Oh, and they also work really well, packing lenses with UV400 protection and, depending on the model, little details like adjustable nose pads and non-slip arms.
Warby Parker
Warby Parker is no longer a little upstart, but they’re still pushing the most value-packed, well-priced frames on the market. You can get a little spendy if you’d like, but their line of $95 frames is absolutely stocked with timeless, effortlessly-styled options. And despite coming in under $100, they don’t cut any corners: hand-polished cellulose acetate; impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses; scratch-resistant, UV-blocking finishes, it’s all there. The only question you really have to ask yourself is whether you need a prescription lens or not.
Akila
Akila’s are some of the most expensive frames on this list, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an impossible amount of value packed into each pair. In regards to the specs, they’re handmade from bio-based (and eco-friendly) acetate, have stainless steel cores, feature optical-grade lenses made from recycled materials and are punctuated with some of the best hardware in the game. And in regards to styling, they radiate the same kind of LA cool that a few of the more hyped, more financially-calamitous brands do.
Sun Buddies
It’s also a bit difficult to fit Sun Buddies under the “Cheap Sunglasses” umbrella, but considering what you get for the price, it’s easy to find space for them under the neighboring, spiritually-aligned “Preposterous Value” umbrella. The house brand of legendary Swedish retailer Trés Bien, Sun Buddies primarily traffics in the kinds of chunky, hypnotic frames you’d see in an Ingmar Bergman film (actually though, that’s their original reference material). And when it comes to brands embraced by the capital-F Fashion crowd, you can’t find one more wallet-amenable than Sun Buddies.
Bonnie Clyde
You can certainly find Bonnie Clyde sunglasses that wouldn’t qualify for this roundup, but there are a whole bunch that do and we’d be remiss to not mention that section of the catalog, which also happens to be handmade from bio-acetate and stainless steel, and is packed with some of the best frames in their entire lineup, regardless of pricepoint. They do it all well, too: timeless, loud, futuristic, funky, Matrix-head-ass—whatever you’re looking for, it’s there. And if you’re into some lens variation, every single one of theirs offers 100% UVA/B protection, regardless of the tint or color.
