Written by Menswear Style in Tips & Advice on the 30th May 2018

The summer season is almost in full swing and, with the warm Bank Holiday weather whetting our appetites for our summer holidays, now is the ideal opportunity to start planning your summer wardrobe. One aspect of a men’s wardrobe that is often overlooked is the sunglasses department. Even if you wear monthly or daily contact lenses from Contact Lenses Plus, it’s vitally important for guys and girls alike to look after their eyes and guard against lifelong damage to your cornea through overexposure to sunlight. If you generally purchase contact lenses with no prescription necessary online, as sold on Vision Direct for example, you should know that even UV contacts add a minor layer of protection and should be paired with an effective pair of sunnies for thorough care. Your eye health should be just as important as the way you look this summer. Fortunately, we’ve got some exciting sunglasses styles for you to consider that will help you stay on-trend and keep your eyes suitably protected from the sun’s UV rays.

Architectural bridge designs 

Architectural bridge sunglasses are inspired by the Aviator designs that have been a firm part of the ‘Hollywood look’ for some time. These architectural bridge designs help to accentuate brow lines, available in slime-wired and chunky frames, depending on your preference. If you really want to make a fashion statement, opt for a pair with contrasting colours on the top frame and the arms. The Tommy Hilfiger Sun RX 27 sunglasses are proving particularly popular in the UK at present, available with sun and UV tints in brown, grey and green colours.

Rounded frame designs 

If you prefer the nerdy John Lennon or even Madchester 1990s look, which is well and truly ‘in’ at present, then rounded frame sunglasses could well be the order of the day this summer. Chunky oval lenses look great on guys as well as the girls, especially those with slender faces. With rounded sunglasses, it’s all about the design, so it’s a good idea to choose a subtle frame colour to really let the design do the talking. Alternatively, if you’re feeling bold you could opt for contrasting frame and tint colours for a truly stand-out style. Balmain’s Sun RX range are exceptionally edgy and ooze the laid-back American west coast vibes.

Speckled plastic designs 

Ah yes, those tortoiseshell designs are back and bolder than ever. These timeless designs, featuring fascinating flecks of summer colour, are a subtle addition to any understated summer wardrobe. If you want to look after your eyes and don’t want your sunglasses to be a stand-out fashion accessory, speckled plastic designs are certainly a solid option. That’s because they’ve been around the block for some time now and, although they can be bold in terms of lens shape, they aren’t as contemporary or as ‘in’ as architectural bridge and rounded sunglasses.

One final word of warning: if you are thinking of buying your sunglasses online this summer, make sure you measure your head before selecting a design and correspond your measurements to the size of lenses, nose bridge and arms that you require.

How many sunglasses do you own? #style

— Menswear Style (@MenswearStyle) May 30, 2018

We put the spotlight on Architectural bridge designs, Rounded frame designs and Speckled plastic designs in this guide on Stylish Ways to Protect Your Eyes in the Sunshine.