Five Men’s Sunglasses Worth Actually Buying
If you have been in my DMs asking for menswear content – this one’s for you. I have been getting more requests for it than I can keep up with, and the honest answer is that it is just not yet in my ballpark. I know what looks good on a man, but I do not always know where to find it. So I decided to recruit someone who does.
Sebastian Auld is a London-born student at Boston University, with an extensive background in fashion. He has some incredible opinions about menswear, and he wears all of them extremely well. He is going to be writing a series of menswear pieces for the blog, so consider him your new source for all the goods. This piece is a result of his own personal style, experience, and boots-on-the-ground NYC journalism (we spent all day shopping “for content”).
Thank you Seb for the recommendations. You guys are in for a treat!
Xoxo,
Annie
Do I own too many sunglasses? I don’t know if that is possible when you have such a variety of frames, sizes, shapes, and brands. After years of experience, I have discovered the sweet spot of sunglasses.
You can be wearing the simplest combination in the world: a white T-shirt, good jeans, clean shoes. Then the right sunglasses go on, and suddenly it all comes together. They give the outfit shape and your face a frame. A good pair is going to do more work than most people give it credit for.
Some people can wear tiny silver aviators, oversized wraparounds, or strange architectural frames and somehow look incredible. I am not one of those people, and frankly, I envy anyone who is. For most men, the safest and best sunglasses are not the ones that scream for attention. They are the ones that elevate you without the extra noise.
A great pair of sunglasses should enhance the person wearing them, not become the whole outfit. They should feel classic enough to wear for years, but distinctive enough to make you feel like you have taste. After a lot of trial and error, these are the five pairs I think every man should know about for summer 2026.
The Moscot Lemtosh is my personal go-to. I own four pairs in different colours, which probably says enough. What makes it genuinely good is that it works on almost everyone, which is so rare. Part of that comes from its balance. It is round, but not too soft. Chunky, but not costume-like. The brand has a Lower East Side history that goes back to 1899, and the Moscot family still runs the brand. It has survived because it is truly a good brand.
That heritage gives the Lemtosh real credibility. It does not feel like a trend piece invented by a marketing department. It feels like something that has survived because it works.
It comes in multiple sizes, which matters more than people realise. Most sunglasses that look bad do look that way because of the fit, not necessarily the design. It is also beautifully solid. My first pair is three years old and has been properly used, thrown in bags, worn constantly, and generally abused, yet the frame and lenses still look almost new. They feel sturdy in a way that makes them easy to trust.
This is the pair I would recommend first to almost anyone. They are classic, stylish, wearable, and they do not feel like they are trying too hard. Start here.
The Ray-Ban Wayfarer is one of those rare objects that has moved beyond fashion and into cultural memory. Even if you do not know the model name, you know the shape.
Originally introduced in 1952, the Wayfarer helped define the look of post-war American cool. It was sharper and more modern than older metal sunglasses, with a bold plastic frame that felt rebellious without being ridiculous. Over the decades, it became associated with film stars, musicians, and that slightly careless kind of confidence that never really goes out of style.
The square frame gives structure to the face, especially if you have softer features or want something a bit more masculine and defined. It looks good with a T-shirt, a suit, a linen shirt, or swim shorts. It is one of the few sunglasses that can feel both casual and iconic at the same time.
Yes, a lot of us probably have terrible childhood photos wearing cheap Wayfarer-style sunglasses. That does not matter. The original shape has come back because it never really left. It just needed people to remember how good it can look when worn properly.
My one note: modern Ray-Ban quality does not quite match what the design deserves. They are not badly made, but they are not in the same world as Moscot, Jacques Marie Mage, or Oliver Peoples. If you wear them constantly, they may start to look tired sooner than you would like.
Still, for pure style-per-pound, the Original Wayfarer remains one of the best sunglasses a man can own. It is direct, confident, and instantly recognisable.
Jacques Marie Mage is the brand I aspire to own. There is eyewear, and then there is Jacques Marie Mage.
The Molino 55 is one of the best examples of why the brand has become so desirable. It is rectangular, 1960s-inspired, and built with a level of detail that makes it feel more like a museum object than an accessory. The brand describes the Molino as featuring subtle beveling and signature precious metal embellishments, and that is exactly what separates it from more ordinary frames.
Jacques Marie Mage makes frames in Japan in limited runs, with heavy acetate and the kind of detailing that makes you understand why the price is what it is. The Molino is rectangular, 1960s in its reference, and restrained by the brand’s standards – making them wearable in a way that some of their more directional frames are not. It is presence without demanding that you dress around it.
The Molino has a kind of rebellious sophistication. It feels like something a film director, artist, or incredibly well-dressed architect would wear. It is not loud in the obvious sense, but people who know sunglasses will notice.
These are expensive, obviously. But if you want one pair that feels special, considered, and genuinely luxurious, this is the pair. The Molino is the holy grail piece.
The boldest pair on the list.
Tom Ford eyewear has been produced in partnership with Marcolin since the brand’s beginning in 2005, and the Icon Navigator reflects the wider Tom Ford language: glossy acetate, sharp lines, Italian construction, and the signature metal “T” detail at the temples. The current Icon Navigator is listed with Zeiss lenses, 100 percent UV protection, and Italian production.
If the Lemtosh is your everyday intellectual frame and the Wayfarer is your classic cool frame, the Tom Ford Navigator is your slightly more dressed-up, evening-in-the-city frame.
It works particularly well if your style leans clean and minimal. A black T-shirt, tailored trousers, loafers, and these sunglasses is an easy summer look. They add polish without needing much else.
The key is confidence. These are not for someone who wants their sunglasses to disappear. They are for someone who wants a stronger frame that gives the face structure and makes the outfit feel intentional.
If you want one pair that feels modern, masculine, and a little bit cinematic, the Tom Ford Icon Navigator is a very good option.
The Oliver Peoples Gregory Peck Sun is the quietest pair on this list, but possibly the one with the longest shelf life.
Made with the Pack Estate, based on the frames Gregory Peck wore in To Kill a Mockingbird, Oliver Peoples has built their reputation for frames that rely on proportion, acetate quality, and getting the small details right. The Gregory Peck is round and refined – perfect for subtle dressing. Oliver Peoples has always been good at subtle luxury. These are truly the perfect pair for people who want sunglasses that look expensive without looking flashy.
The Gregory Peck Sun works especially well with more relaxed summer dressing: linen shirts, knit polos, neutral trousers, suede loafers, or even a plain white tee. It gives everything a softer, more thoughtful feel.
This is the pair for someone who finds the Lemtosh a little too much, and the Wayfarer a little too well-known. It is the perfect pair the most interesting man in the room.
Honourable Mention: Moscot Bjorn Sun- $370
I could not write this list without including another Moscot. I can't help myself.
The Bjorn Sun deserves an honourable mention because it gives you a slightly sleeker alternative to the bigger navigator-style frames. It has that same classic, masculine feel, but it is a little more discreet than the Tom Ford. Less Hollywood. More downtown.
Moscot, for me, is one of the best brands when it comes to the combination of quality, price, and style. Their frames feel substantial, the designs are wearable, and they have enough history behind them to feel authentic rather than manufactured.
The Bjorn is a great option if you want something stronger than a round frame but do not want to go full oversized navigator. It is clean, stylish, and easy to wear for years. Same quality, same prince, different proportion.
Buy Sunglasses That Make You Look Like Yourself, Just Better
The biggest mistake men make with sunglasses is thinking they need the loudest pair in the shop.
They do not.
The best sunglasses are the ones that make you look more like yourself, just sharper. They should suit your face, work with your wardrobe, and feel good enough that you actually want to wear them. A great pair should not feel like a costume. It should feel like the final piece of the outfit.
For most men, that means sticking to classic shapes: round, square, navigator, or soft rectangular frames. It means buying the right size. It means choosing quality over novelty. And it means remembering that sunglasses are not just practical. They are one of the few accessories that can completely change how an outfit feels.
If I had to choose one pair from this list, I would still start with the Moscot Lemtosh. It is the most versatile, the easiest to wear, and the one I think most people will look good in.
But each pair here does something slightly different.
The Moscot Lemontosh is the safest recommendation on the list. Works on almost everyone.
The Ray-Ban Wayfarer is a classic pick for a good reason.
The Jaques Marie Mage Molinos give you luxury.
The Tom Ford Navigators are bold, specific, and strong
The Oliver Peoples Gregory Peck is the most underrated, elegant option.
Summer style does not need to be complicated. Good T-shirt. Good jeans. Good shoes. Great sunglasses.
That is an outfit you can always rely on. And these are glasses you can rely on.
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Sebastian Auld
Read more of Sebastian’s work on his substack: @sebastianauld
