The Best Sunglasses For Sport, Sweat, and Instant Style

You only get two eyes in this lifetime, so it’s important to keep ‘em as healthy and stylish as possible. On those supremely bright and sunny days, that means putting on a pair of trendy sunglasses to protect your delicate pupils from harmful UV rays — or from paparazzi flashes, or from bird poop (which, who knows, could all totally happen).

Since we know that the world of shaded eyewear can be overwhelming, we put together this mini guide to the best sunglasses to look out for, categorized by style, lens type, and activity. As you’ll see, sunglasses come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, widths, and price points — and the best way to see if a pair works for you is to give them a test drive. If one style doesn’t work for your face, we guarantee there’s another pair just lurking around the corner that will. Now, go forth and keep those blinding rays at bay.

Classic Sunglasses

You already know the tried-and-true classic styles — the wayfarers, the aviators, the rounded frames. But this year, why not opt for a reimagined staple? We’re thinking John Lennon-style round sunglasses with a tortoiseshell outer, or ’70s-inspired aviators in a rose gold finish, or can’t-go-wrong circled lenses in clear acetate.

Statement Sunglasses

When all else fails in the sartorial department, you can always count on statement sunglasses to polish off an otherwise uninspired look. Or put on a pair of show-stopping specs to add another layer of flair to your ensemble. Either way, don’t be afraid of being extra extra — this is your moment to go big and go bold.

Polarized Sunglasses

Heard of polarized sunglasses but not sure of their benefits? Polarized shades are especially crucial if you’re an outdoorsy, under-the-sun person — these sunglasses reduce that intense glare of blinding light that usually appears on, say, ocean water or crisp snow, making it much easier for you to see things in nature as they really are.

Sunglasses For Wide Heads

Don’t laugh: big heads can create a whole host of style problems, like making it impossible to don a chic hat at the beach. When it comes to sunglasses, though, more eyewear designers are taking note and better specifying their styles as “wide” or “extra wide.” The glasses below are all from eyewear brands that specialize in wider fits — which means no more indents on your temples.

Tinted Lens Sunglasses

Want to literally see the world through rose-colored glasses — or maybe yellow, green, or blue? In this year of 2021, there’s surely a pair of sunglasses that can deliver whatever tint lens you’re looking for.

Sports Sunglasses

If the sporty life is for you, secure a pair of athlete-approved sunglasses that stay put during your summer exercises or activities. The polarized lenses are water- and oil-resistant, the frames are feather-light, and the grippy nose pads prevent droop, even when the sweat is pourin’.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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Pop Smoke & Dua Lipa’s “Demeanor” Music Video Is Bridgerton À La Baroque

Curious about how much Bridgerton has influenced pop culture? Just check out the music video for the late Brooklyn rapper Pop Smoke’s single “Demeanor,” featuring British superstar Dua Lipa, which was released on Thursday. The video opens in a lavish room full of party-goers wearing powdered wigs, exaggerated petticoats, and ruffled sleeves and collars. The revelers are dancing, drinking, and feeding each other grapes off the vine. Midway through the three-plus-minute production, Lipa appears like a gift from the fashion heavens, descending a spiral staircase and cutting through the intoxicated crowd, dressed in a metallic corset from Jean Paul Gaultier’s couture ‘98 collection.

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Because of the Netflix drama’s overwhelming success, many were quick to tie the video’s opulent aesthetic to that of Bridgerton. But while her extravagant look — which also includes drop earrings and rings by Vram jewelry, an oversized black hair bow, and a larger-than-life skirt — certainly gives off the same energy as those worn by the cast did, in reality, it appears to be reminiscent of a much earlier period than the Regency era. Apart from the very modern details (electricity, for one!), the video pulls inspiration from the Baroque period, which started in the 1600s and ended in the mid-1700s, as well as the Rococo era, which capped off the Baroque chapter, ending in the 1770s. Think: rich colors, elaborate designs, and ultra luxurious fabrics. Those historical moments, and Sofia Coppola’s sumptuous Marie Antoinette, which was based on the French queen who died in 1793 and inspired Gaultier’s ‘98 collection.

Still, it’s impossible to ignore the effect Bridgerton has had on fashion and pop culture since its December 2020 release. Wedding trends in 2021 were full of corsets and details reminiscent of Bridgerton bashes, as were red carpet looks — Lipa wore a Vivienne Westwood corset dress with a pearl choker at the BRIT Awards, to name one. Corsets, elbow-length gloves, and hair bows have all appeared on runways and in street style as well. But this video takes the time-travel game to an even more outlandish level.

See all of the oh-so-familiar tropes of eras past in the music video for Pop Smoke’s “Demeanor,” featuring Lipa, below. 

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Ankles Beware: Platform Heels Are Trending, Thanks To Carrie Bradshaw

With lockdown behind us and nearly half of the country vaccinated, going out is once again a viable option. To do so in style, you need little more than a good party dress and a pair of show-stopping shoes. It’s no wonder that in the past two weeks alone, searches for platform heels have spiked 21% on global fashion shopping platform Lyst. Whether you’re ready or not, it’s time to trade in your house slippers for a pair of sky-is-the-limit heels. 

The person responsible for the rise in demand for heels that look divine but could easily result in an ankle brace, is a fictional character whose popularity traces back to the late ’90s. You guessed it, we’re talking about the one and only Carrie Bradshaw, central figure of the Sex and the City pandemic rewatch and reboot, which is currently filming in New York City. Carrie’s alter ego, actress Sarah Jessica Parker, was spotted on set on two occasions in July, wearing precious and precarious brass-colored Saint Laurent platforms. The show’s costume designers Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago paired the vintage heels with a rainbow sequin dress and Carrie’s signature purple Fendi baguette bag. (Off camera, the actress toted around a WNYC tote bag.) And Just Like That… the teetering shoe style went viral. 

But while the Carrie craze was the catalyst behind the recent spike in searches for platform heels, countless icons have been teetering in the style since lockdown ended. Already this summer, we’ve seen Dua Lipa model lemon-yellow Versace platforms in the Italian brand’s fall ‘21 campaign, followed by Ariana Grande and Florence Pugh in the same pair (though Pugh’s were hot pink instead of yellow). There was also “Good 4 U” singer Olivia Rodrigo, who rocked a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti platforms with a vintage Chanel suit at The White House. (She also wore a teal pair to the prom she threw for her new album.) 

Even with a combined 344.1 million Instagram followers across the accounts of Lipa, Grande, Pugh, and Rodrigo, their influence over our footwear choices doesn’t even come close to Carrie’s. Only her collection of Manolo Blahniks and Jimmy Choos has lived rent-free in our minds since 1998. And if she says that it’s time to go platform, we can’t help but wonder… who are we to argue?

Shop this Carrie-approved footwear trend, below. 

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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