10 Cheap Sunglasses That Will Instantly Elevate Any Look

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While getting a hit of vitamin D can benefit your overall wellbeing, it’s important to take necessary precautions to protect your skin and eyes when you’re heading out for a long day in the sun. Whether you’re out for a run or spending the day on the beach, sunscreen and sunglasses help protect you from harmful UV rays and that blinding brightness.

With tons of cheap sunglasses on the market, it can be difficult to find a pair that looks good, fits well, and lasts longer than a few weeks into summer. To make shopping for affordable shades a bit easier, we’ve gathered our recommendations for the best cheap sunnies, from vintage styles and classic looks to polarized and weatherproof running and cycling glasses.

The Best Cheap Sunglasses

What to Consider

Polarized

Polarized lenses are designed to help filter out extra light, thus reducing glare and blinding reflections off of shiny surfaces like water or cars. Polarized lenses can also help reduce eye strain and increase the clarity of your vision, so they’re a great selection for long days outside or runs at the track.

Non-Polarized

Most cheap sunglasses have non-polarized lenses, although they are more durable than polarized lenses. They also usually keep your view more true to color and don’t cause warping when looking at LCD screens, which can happen with polarized ones.

Scratch Resistance

You don’t have to sacrifice quality and durability for a pair of cheap sunglasses. Check to see if the glasses are scratch resistant or come with scratch-resistant coatings. Although these may not completely prevent your sunglasses from scratching, they help prevent scratches from menial drops and other items in your purse or bag.

How We Selected

To find the best cheap sunglasses among the many options on the market, we researched the most popular styles available and considered price, UV protection level, polarization, durability, and design. We looked at our own testing of sunglasses, as well as both expert reviews and customer ratings to settle on the sunglasses you’ll find below.

OG Sunglasses

The Goodr OG glasses are a running staple. They are polarized, offer great coverage without being heavy, and are secure on the face even when running.

They don’t fog up while you run, and they offer pretty good resistance against drops, too. If you do end up damaging or breaking your glasses, however, Goodr has a great reputation for providing replacements.

Center Stage Sunglasses

These stylish tortoise-shell glasses are ideal for summer days when you want to read a book at the beach while protecting your peepers, since the glasses are technically reading glasses as well as shades.

The polarized lenses on this pair of sunglasses are pretty large, providing ample protection against sun damage, and they’re also available in a fashionable gray tortoise-shell color and blue quartz.

Rectangle Sunglasses

You really get some serious bang for your buck with these glasses. For just under $15, you get two pairs, and they come in tons of color options, from the black and tortoiseshell duo seen here to clear pink and blue ones to clear frames with foggy gray lenses.

If you just like one of the available colors, you can purchase individual pairs, as well. In addition to having a flattering shape, reviewers say the quality is great and they’re more durable than expected for such inexpensive glasses.

Jet Wrap Sunglasses

If you prefer a sportier look, these Tifosis are pretty affordable and come in seven different color options. They aren’t polarized, but that can actually be a good thing if you need to look at a screen—whether you’re working on your laptop outdoors or just using your phone—while holding them.

These glasses are also designed to take a beating, courtesy of their shatterproof polycarbonate lenses. We like these for activities like jogging, fishing, or having lunch on the patio.

Retro Vintage Narrow Cat Eye Sunglasses

Yes, stylish sunglasses can still be effective in protecting your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays. These vintage cat-eye sunglasses provide UV 400 protection, so you can rest assured your eyes are safe and sound.

There are several options available that reviewers say are “inexpensive shades that look high end.” What’s better than looking amazing and not breaking the bank?

Oversized Polarized Sunglasses

There’s no time to constantly adjust your sunglasses while driving. These sunglasses help you to drive safely with large frames that curve to cover your periphery, so you can keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

If you’re prone to headaches from light, these polarized sunglasses can help reduce the intensity of the sun, saving you from having to pull over to take some Tylenol. Plus, these sunglasses are available in 36 colors, so grab a few to set yourself up for summer road trips.

J106 Metal Aviator Sunglasses

If you like more of a classic aviator style, but don’t want to shell out big bucks on a designer pair, these sunnies from Jessica Simpson are a great fit. They come in seven different colors and are super lightweight.

While they’re non-polarized, they do have a UV-protective coating, and come in a range of lens colors from classic brown to gradient pink and yellow. They’re also lightweight, ensuring you’ll stay comfortable even if you’re wearing them for hours on end.

Circle G’s Polarized Sunglasses

Another pair by Goodr, these have a smaller, rounded lens that fits great under a hat or cap. This style is ideal for wearing while running, but cute enough to work as your go-to pair for day-to-day wear, as well.

They are lightweight, polarized, and come in both fun colors and basics like black and brown. For a pair you can take from the trail to the patio for lunch, we love these.

Classic Polarized Sunglasses

These unisex sunglasses are both trendy and stylish, and filter out rays with a UV-absorbing layer. Since they are made from high-quality plastic, they are lightweight and don’t push down onto the bridge of your nose.

These sunglasses are great if you like a pair that keeps colors true while also protecting your eyes. At under $20 at the time of writing, we think you’ll find plenty of ways to wear these affordable shades.

Polarized Sunglasses

If you’re a cyclist, you’ve probably realized that trying to bike with regular sunglasses is not only frustrating, but can be downright dangerous. They fog up, don’t fit under your helmet, slide down your face, and let distracting light leak through the sides.

These glasses, however, mitigate all of these problems. They have a low top, grips on the nose and behind the ears, ventilation to prevent fogging even when you get sweaty, and a wraparound style to stop light from streaming in obliquely.

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