Pop
308 Grand St., nr. Havemeyer St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-486-6001
This pop culture–inspired boutique receives new shipments of sunglasses each week, with 25 styles priced at $16, including oversized, Hepburn-esque frames in red or green; mod white frames with round lenses; and versatile Wayfarer replicas.
Eye Candy
329 Lafayette St., nr. Houston St.; 212-343-4275
This Noho store carries more than 100 pairs of vintage glasses from the fifties to the eighties. Look for statement-making finds like fifties Italian aviators with tortoise-shell frames ($50) and original black Playboy sunglasses from the seventies with matte-gold arms ($40). New spring styles include round, Jackie O–inspired frames in white ($40) and sixties aviators with amber lenses for $45.
Screaming Mimi’s
382 Lafayette St., nr. 4th St.; 212-677-6464
Mimi’s displays more than 50 kinds of shades, with pricier frames from Gucci and Balenciaga mixed in with affordable retro styles from the seventies, eighties, and nineties. Understated aviators fitted with thin, translucent-gray frames are $35; polka-dotted cat-eye glasses are $32; and a funky Janis Joplin style with circular purple lenses is $18.
Cheap Jack’s Vintage Clothing
303 Fifth Ave., nr. 31st St.; 212-777-9564
All 40 pairs of Jack’s selection of vintage sunglasses from the fifties to the seventies are 20 percent off through June, so act fast. Oversized Elton John-style frames in florescent green and purple ($24) are displayed alongside demure square lenses from the early eighties framed in black and cream ($45). There’s also a limited assortment of Wayfarer styles topped with gold and eighties silver aviators, ranging from $24 to $50.
Add Accessories
461 W. Broadway, nr. Houston St.; 212-539-1439
While handbag connoisseurs swear by the leather at this accessories-only boutique, rotating shelves in the center offer an impressive range of new sunglasses for $27 a pop. Chrome gives classic aviators a retro twist, and round, oversized lenses are available with delicate, translucent frames in Champagne and pale pink.
Flying A
169 Spring Street, nr. W. Broadway; 212-965-9090
New styles from Spitfire and retro finds scouted from Brooklyn are propped side by side on backlit shelves in this vintage-inspired store. The new Candybar frame in ivory features feminine, curving arms, while the oversized Local Celebrity style comes with pink or orange lenses. All new shades sell for $25, and vintage frames are $49.