You know the moment: the sun comes out, and you reach for your sunglasses. The pair you grab is either a scratched-up freebie or one you genuinely love. A good pair does two jobs at once: it finishes your look and filters the sun. This year’s trending sunglasses lean into shapes with real history, plus a few bold new silhouettes. So consider this a friendly guide to the different types of sunglasses and the sunglasses styles worth knowing. You’ll also learn how to pick a pair that suits your face and lasts all summer.
The classics that never go out of style
Some shapes earn their status and simply keep it. The Ray-Ban Aviator Large Metal (RB3025) is the obvious example. It’s a teardrop pilot shape, first made for U.S. pilots in 1937. This version comes in arista gold metal with green lenses that filter 100% of ultraviolet (UV) rays, around $236. It flatters almost every face, because the soft curve balances a strong jaw or a rounder cheek.
The Original Wayfarer (RB2140) swaps metal for black acetate, and its bold, trapezoidal front reads as effortless. It runs about $265. Want something a little more polished? The Clubmaster Classic (RB3016F) uses a browline design (a bold brow bar over a thin lower rim). In black acetate it sits closer to $302, and it instantly dresses up a plain T-shirt.
The bold shapes turning heads right now
We’ve all grabbed a cheap pair off a rack and regretted it by August. A statement frame is worth doing right. The Jackie Ohh (RB4101) updates the classic upswept cat-eye in light havana nylon, about $236. Those soft, tapering lines flatter a heart or round face.
Fancy something artier? The Round Reverse (RBR0103S) sets dark blue lenses in a rosegold metal phantos shape (a rounded frame with a subtle flat top), around $267. It looks like a throwback, yet it still feels current. And if bigger is your mood, the RB2221 in transparent beige runs about $302. It has an oval front and gradient brown lenses that fade from dark to light.
Sunglasses that move when you do
If you spend your summer in motion, your sunglasses need to keep up. Think trail runs, long highway drives or a full day out on the lake. The Oakley Flak 2.0 XL (OO9188) is built for exactly that. It’s a light, contoured rectangle in polished black, around $266. The shape sits close to your face, so stray light doesn’t sneak in from the sides. A fashion frame can slip when you sweat or move fast. This one stays put through a run or a ride. It’s the pair you forget you’re wearing until you take it off.
The lens matters as much as the frame
Here’s the thing: the frame gets the compliments, but the lens does the real work. The Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends sunglasses that filter 99 to 100% of UVA and UVB rays. [1] Those are the sun’s two ultraviolet bands. A darker tint doesn’t mean more UV filtering, so read the label, not the shade. [1]
Tint colour also changes what you see. Grey lenses keep colours natural while cutting brightness, whereas brown lenses boost contrast and depth perception. [1] Then there’s polarization. Polarized lenses filter the harsh glare that bounces off flat surfaces like water, snow and wet asphalt. [1] That’s why they earn their keep for driving and time on the lake. Want to weigh it up? Our guide to polarized versus non-polarized sunglasses breaks down the trade-offs. You can also browse the full polarized range whenever you’re ready. One more option is worth knowing: prescription sunglasses (made with your own vision prescription). They let you skip the contacts-plus-sunglasses juggle.
Match the style to your face and your day
Picture the pair you actually reach for every morning. The trick is matching the shape to your face and your routine, not just chasing the trend. With the main types of sunglasses in front of you, that choice gets easier. As a rule, angular frames balance softer, rounder faces. Curved frames soften stronger, more angular features. Bigger helps as well, since larger frames cover more and give your eyes extra shade. [1]
| Style | The vibe | Best on |
|---|---|---|
| Aviator (RB3025) | Effortless, timeless | Most faces; softens a strong jaw |
| Wayfarer (RB2140) | Confident, retro | Oval and rounder faces |
| Clubmaster (RB3016F) | Smart, vintage | A wider forehead |
| Cat-eye (RB4101) | Bold, glamorous | Heart and round faces |
| Round (RBR0103S) | Arty, throwback | Square, angular faces |
| Wrap (OO9188) | Active, sporty | Narrow and oval faces |
Lens finish is the last call. A solid tint is your reliable everyday workhorse. A gradient (darker at the top, lighter at the bottom) shades your eyes, yet still lets you read a menu. That said, the pair that looks right is usually the one you forget you’re wearing.
Find the pair that’s yours
The best sunglasses are the ones that feel like you. Maybe that’s a timeless aviator, a bold cat-eye or a wrap for your weekends. At Clearly, you’ll find designer names next to our own-brand frames, so there’s a style at a price that fits. Take a look through our sunglasses collection, and dig into the Ray-Ban line-up if a classic is calling. Then find a pair that filters the sun and finishes the look. Your summer’s waiting!
Sources
[1] Canadian Association of Optometrists, ‘How to select the best sunglasses’ (opto.ca) — recommends choosing sunglasses that block 99–100% of UVA and UVB radiation; notes darker lenses do not mean more UV filtering, larger frames give more coverage, grey lenses keep colour most natural while brown lenses enhance contrast, and polarized lenses filter glare in high-glare settings such as driving, snow and water.
