My Hunt for Nice, But NotTooNice, Under-$50 Sunglasses

My first thought was to look to the Free People/Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie family for an inexpensive, decently trendy pair. Urban Outfitters had a pretty wide selection of $15 sunnies, of which I selected a’70s-style aviatorreminiscent of my beloved, though slightly more expensive,pair from Crap. These were probably not the wisest choice in terms of functionality (the lenses do nearly nothing to block the sunlight, given the tinted lenses are nearly transparent, and the flimsy quality certainly reflects the absurdly low price point). That being said, I don’t hate the way they look …

Most of the options at Free People were further down the boho spectrum than I personally felt comfortable with, but I decided theFrankie Rectangle Sunglassesfor $20 could work. They are slightly too wide for my face — a theme I’ll come to recognize — but the quality is impressive. Their thick frames and subtle tortoiseshell print make them feel deceptively inexpensive, although the lack of sun-radiation protection (again, no UV sticker on these) and unflattering fit leave much to be desired.

The majority of Anthropologie’s sunglass offerings exceed the $50 mark, but there are a few exceptions, one beingI-SEA’s Oval Wire Sunglasses. I like these a lot; they’re sun-protecting and — not to sound like a grandmother — hip, but I was hesitant they’d be a tad too trendy for the versatile pair I was going for.

& Other Storiesfeels like it should be part of this brand-family unit, so naturally, I looked there next. TheElongated Cat-Eyecaught my attention, but unfortunately, they were too elongated for what I’m now understanding is my small face. Like most of the brand’s options in the $30–$45 range, they offer 100 percent UV protection, which is more than some of the other contenders.

After listening to the fifth podcast advertisement about them, I had no choice but to giveQuincea look. Its shades are the most expensive of this bunch, coming in at $50 a pop. (Although it does have a two-for-$80 deal.) After sifting through the 132 SKUs on the site, I went for theIbiza Polarized Acetatewith UV400 protection and CR-39 (read: scratch-resistant) lenses — the only pair on this list that boasts such tech specs — and they did not disappoint. I have to give it to them — the quality does feel on par with a luxury brand, and they’re packaged nicely in a travel case, which I appreciate. While this pair definitely checked all the boxes, and I’d definitely wear them on occasion, they ultimately felt a bit too … mundane.

Mango’s sunglass selection is a real sleeper hit. I got a classic square shape, theResin Frame Sunglasses, which seriously exceeded my expectations, both in quality of material and in UV protection capabilities (a category-three filter, according toits website). These were just shy of $40, and the timeless shape makes them pretty close to perfect. I’m very pleased with both of these, but there was one more pair that ended up taking the cake.

Ah, good old Uniqlo. I took a real gamble withthe narrow frame shape here, leaning all the way into thegorplook. I started wearing these sort of ironically at first, but after a day or two, I was genuinely reaching for this pair every time I left the apartment. They pass my UV protection standards, plus their technology allegedly blocks blue light by 25 percent. The quality is all there, with a weight similar to Quince’s that makes them feel much more expensive than their price tag would suggest. I knew these were the ones when my objectively cool college-age brother told me that “I had a real look going on.” Sold.High risk, high reward.

[Editor’s note: The black sunglasses are currently out of stock, but you can sign up to be notified for when they come back. The style is currently available in a cool clear-gray frame, as well.]