Every man needs a pair of statement shades in his armory - and with warm-weather dressing upon us, now’s the time to invest. But if – like us – the spectrum of choice is leaving you a little hot under the collar, why not turn to the style-savvy gents of social media for a helping hand. We catch-up with five industry bloggers to uncover what frames they’ll be fashioning this summer...
Rowan | Rowan Row
'For those who are looking to find a pair of high-end SS17 sunglasses, I’d happily recommend the Dior So Real design. They’re the type of design that easily suits most face shapes and the good thing about this specific design that I am wearing is that they’re also unisex.
What I love most about these shades is the simplicity of them. The black and silver will go with almost any outfit yet they’re designed to subtly stand out. This is a classic colourway for sunglasses. However, they’re given a cooler edge due to the silver studs and the fact that there is no bridge between the lenses. This keeps them really on-trend at the same time as maintaining a timeless design.'
The frame has minimal branding, with a simple ‘CD’ on both sides, which is always something I prefer when purchasing high-end shades. Sometimes large branding can take away from the glasses themselves.
I paired the sunglasses with a casual street style combined with shades of grey and black. A modern bomber jacket, plain skinny jeans and a plain black tee will definitely complete the look.'
Martell | Martell Campbell
'These Matte black square shaped sunglasses by Kuboraum are made from 100% acetate, designed in Berlin but made in Italy.
I had discovered Kuboraum a few years ago on Instagram and ever since then, I have been admiring their optical and sun range. What I like most about this designer is that their designs are handmade and truly unique in design with obscure shapes and details which will make you stand out of the crowd.
I styled my Kuboraum sunglasses with a sports-luxe inspired outfit. I stuck to keeping the colour palette minimal with blacks, whites and greys whilst experimenting with layers and shape.'
Chez | Chez Rust
'What I wanted to do with this look was to show just how stylish you can look when wearing them in your car as almost everyone wears their sunglasses whilst driving.
With the distinct style of these shades and the cool rose gold finish, I paired it with a nice suede tan jacket which I think work really well together.
These are probably one of my favourite sunglasses and I'm sure you can understand why!? The design is something I haven't seen before especially with the mesh type effect on the top section of the actual glasses and I think it looks so so good!
Wear these and I am confident you will have tons of questions of where you got them from.'
Gary | The Plastic Boy
'Sunglasses are such a vital accessory for any outfit, I love the way different frames can take any look from 0 to 100. I love these Maison Martin Margiela X Mykita sunglasses just because the shape is so distinct and the gold reflective lens gives my street style look a dramatic edge. Reflective lenses are so big at the moment, we have been seeing them everywhere for SS/17. These frames are so light and compact and perfect to just throw on to complete any look; the gold detail frames also really compliment my jewellery.
This summer is all about having fun with sunglasses, be daring! Be bold! I paired these Maison Martin Margiela X Mykita sunglasses with my oversized Balenciaga shirt and my Issey Miyake culottes because the sunglasses give the look an extra pop with a vintage feel. These glasses are perfect for any street style outfit. To finish off the look I added some sock sneakers from Balenciaga to balance the warm tones.'
Charlie | Man About Town
'Good quality sunglasses are surprisingly hard to come by, with many flimsy designs on the market and with the summer months fast approaching, it's that time of year to upgrade your eye-ware and find a 'go-to' pair.
Although these Delray sunnies from Oliver Peoples are at the pricier end of the spectrum, I would always view a quality pair of sunglasses as a very worthy investment. Oliver Peoples use acetate in the manufacturing process, which aside from giving a neat matte finish also means that they are fairly hardwearing, which is always a major plus. I went for a classic tortoiseshell design which is always in fashion and also looks great with a fine summer tan!
Charles | Clothes Make The Man
'A good pair of shades lift an outfit instantly and the Saint Laurent Classic 108´s do exactly that. As the name states, they are a classic and timeless pair of sunglasses that´ll carry you through for years to come. They have a great silhouette that suits most face shapes and I simply couldn't resist picking these up. Definitely the perfect accessory for simple and clean outfits.'