Everyone knows how to wear sunglasses, right?

You’d be surprised. There’s much more to a pair of stylish shades than most people think. Knowing when to wear sunglasses and how to incorporate them into your daily routine and wardrobe takes a little planning. So when the sun is shining and you want to turn heads, follow our top tips for styling glasses to suit your mood, look, and lifestyle.

8 Tips for Styling Sunglasses

This season’s collection boasts a range of practical and trendy designs to suit every preference, and you’ll probably want a few pairs to account for different settings. Here’s everything you need to know about how to wear sunglasses and look effortlessly cool.

1. Find the Right Fit for Your Face

Every face is different, so it’s important to choose sunglasses that fit correctly and are comfortable. You’ll likely be wearing sunglasses for extended periods on sunny days. With this in mind, look for a pair that fits close to your face without slipping and doesn’t put pressure on your forehead or the bridge of your nose. Also, check for comfortable arms and large enough frames so that light cannot creep in at the top or sides.

2. Choose a Design that Suits your Needs

What you plan to do while wearing sunglasses will impact your choice. For example, the glare protection provided by a pair of classic aviators makes them great for long drives or days at the beach. Meanwhile, rectangular frames are more suited to sportswear, while the universally flattering shape of cat-eye sunglasses a more complimentary of a high fashion look.

3. Add a Pop of Color to Complement Your Clothes

Once you’ve found the shape and style for you, it’s time to experiment with color! Choose from funky patterned frames or a solid block color that grabs attention or adds a touch of flair to an otherwise modest outfit. You can also accentuate and coordinate your outfits with tinted lenses. Popular options include amber, blue, and green hues, as well as the more traditional silver mirrored lenses.

4. Experiment with Shapes

This is where personal preference, confidence levels, and your sense of style really come into play. Choose from oversized sunglasses for a timeless movie star look, retro heart or butterfly shapes for a quirkier vibe, skinny sunglasses that ooze inner poise, or abstract designs that display independence and panache. The choices are infinite!

5. Put Them on Your Head

This is undoubtedly the number one solution for where to put sunglasses when they’re not on your face. It feels natural, adds to your overall look, and works particularly well with plastic styles that don’t have nose pads that can get snagged in your hair. Just be aware that resting sunglasses in hair products can damage them, and you may find that the arms stretch over time if you wear your sunglasses on your head for too long.

6. Hook Them to Your Shirt

No, we’re not suggesting that hanging sunglasses on shirt collars is the newest trend. But on warm days with a casual men’s t-shirt, it’s a sleek and effortless look. The sunglasses on shirt fashion is equally popular for women and works with a variety of women’s tops including blouses, V-necks, and cami tops. And as for the age-old question of where to put sunglasses when wearing a suit, try hooking them into the outer breast pocket for the ultimate combination of professional and casual.

7. Use a Neck Strap or Lanyard

If you're one of those people who is forever putting your sunglasses down and having to constantly backtrack to find where you left them, then these are the solutions for you! With either option, the arms of your glasses stay open, so they are always ready to slip back onto your face. Lanyards are longer and more customizable to fashion. However, if you’re moving around a lot or playing sports, neck straps are more practical.

8. Protect Your Eyes

Ok, so this isn’t a style tip as such, but there are limited benefits in knowing when and how to wear sunglasses if you’re damaging your eyes in the process. Always look for labels that specify "100% UV Protection" or "100% UVA and UVB Protection" so you know that the lenses will do their job and protect your eyes from harmful rays. Sure, it’s important to look good. But if the pair of glasses you want won’t keep you safe under the sun, then keep searching until you find a pair that will.

Shop for Your Perfect Sunglasses

UNIONBAY offers a great selection of trendy and classic styles for both men and women. All of our glasses have 100% UV protective lenses and keep you looking on-trend while offering fantastic value for money.

Combine your stylish shades with our contemporary collection of clothing and shoes to find the perfect look for every activity. From classic men’s shirts to cute women’s tops, we have the items you need to create a stylish yet laidback look.

Shop our best selection of sunglasses for men and women today!