12 Best Tips How to Buy Sunglasses Under $80

It can be difficult to buy sunglasses when you are not young. There are many shades that can be purchased at a fraction of the cost. However, we prefer styles that look good on our older faces, protect our eyes, and aren’t flimsy. Even reasonably priced sunglasses can become expensive if you add on coatings and prescription lenses. The good news is that there are now more affordable sunglasses than ever. Fashion-editors will be able to tell you that they can match the quality and style of big-name designer frames, and all come with UV protection. These are 12 ways you can find the best sunglasses for your budget.

1. Frames with UV protection are a must

Sunglasses can be a fashionable accessory that is both practical and stylish. Sunglasses not only make you look glamorous, but they also protect your eyes from macular damage and the skin around your eyes from wrinkles and cancer. Some websites don’t list whether sunglasses are UV protected, or how much. Look for sunglasses that claim to block 99-100 percent of UVA and UVB radiation. For example, the Prive Revaux The Audrey Midnight Blue ($40), or the Bethenny Medium Square Sunglasses With Case in black/tortoise/brown (HSN.com). Or, for sunglasses with a UV400 rating or higher (another way to indicate high-level protection), like the Spencer Retro Aviator Sunglasses UV400 mirrored ($9, Walmart.com). Low-cost sunglasses can look great, but they are just decorative frames with tinted lenses. Don’t cheat.

2. It’s better to be a little bigger

Larger frames with a larger area are better than smaller or less-expensive ones. They also provide greater sun protection and are more attractive. Large frames provide structure to help balance the faces of older people who have sagged, sagged, or grown with gravity, weight, and age. There is a distinction between over-sized sunglasses that are too large and small. Make sure the frame proportions are in line with your features and face size. Is it too big? When you smile, the right size sunglasses won’t feel too big or uncomfortable at your cheeks. They won’t slip down your nose or squash your nostrils. The extra glamour is worth it.

3. Choose between a bold or thin frame to match your style

After you have chosen a frame shape, choose between a thick or thin frame. Thin frames look more discrete, such as a cashmere sweater or dark brown shadow. There are no rules, but it is important to keep in mind your facial features, facial proportions and personality. A statement frame like the Foster Grant Aimee Jet Set 2 black ($21, fostergrant.com) will give you more drama and attitude if your goal is to get black cat-eye sunglasses. A lighter frame, such as the Foster Grant Gia in Black ($21, fostergrant.com), is more sophisticated. Both styles have the look you want, but they differ in their intensity. Follow your heart and instincts.

4. Select the right frame color

Black and tortoise are the most preferred choices, as they flatter all skin types. Shiny black gives your skin a glow while matte black is hipster-friendly. Tortoise, also known as “tort”, is brown. However, it comes in many shades. Warm tortoise flatters those with warmer skin tones and has red or golden undertones. Cooler tortoise is cooler and has subtle hints gray, navy, or purple undertones. It flatters darker skin tones. This makeup terminology is similar to choosing foundation or lipstick. Frames in violet, green, and blue will make a bold statement. For a more blush-like boost of color, coral, melon and pink frames are great options. These frames can be made of transparent, opaque or metal.

5. Let angular frames give you bone structure

The faces of 50-year-olds aren’t perfectly geometric. They have different shapes, such as ovals, squares and circles that can be used to match the right eyeglasses. Squarish frames, such as the Prive Revaux The Chosen Polarized Sunglasses, 35$, Kohls.com, or softened squares with rounded edges, like the Circus by Sam Edelman Women’s CC447 Cateye Sunglasses, with 100% UV protection in brown or black, and Jessica Simpson Women’s Oversized Butterfly Sunglasses, with 100% UV Protection, can create the illusion of stronger eyebrows and chiseled cheekbones. They shape round faces and reduce excess width or sag around your jawline. Do not let the term cat-eye, butterfly or butterfly mislead you. Look at the shape and not the words.

6. Cat-eye and topline frames can give you an eye lift

Some sunglasses are more effective than others at directing attention to your eyes. If you want to give your eyes a lift, choose cat-eyes with a gentle swooping effect. For example, the Prive Revaux The Hepburn Cat-Eye Polarized Sunglasses, black or purple tort, or Wild Fable Women’s Cateye Tort Sunglasses, brown ($13, Target.com). If you prefer a more conservative look, or if you don’t like cat-eyes, a topline frame in a darker color with a darker tint on it — such as the Foster Grant Afia black ($21; fostergrant.com) — will give the focus upward.

7. The Aviators are a classic that you can’t miss

Frames are lightweight and suitable for people with sensitive skin. You can choose a traditional teardrop-shaped aviator, such as the A New Day Women’s Aviator Sunglasses, in bronze ($17), or the Prive Revaux The Commando, in antique silver/lightblue mirror ($30), priverevaux.com), or a more squared style, like the Nanette Nanette Lepore Women’s Aviator Sunglasses, with 100% UV Protection, at Walmart.com ($40). Aviators are the perfect frame for colored or mirrored lenses.

8. To fill in a long, thin face, choose rounded frames

As they age, some women experience a loss of volume in the cheeks. As we age, our faces become longer and the downward expression lines around our mouths appear deeper. We can try filler to compensate or add volume and width to our hair. Roundish sunglasses can be a quick fix, but not the trendy ones that look like circulars. Look for frames that are rounder than the Foster Grant Round Combo Women’s Sunglasses ($32 at jcpenney.com). Simplify Clark Polarized Sunglasses in tortoise frames with brown lenses, $63 at hsn.com Wild Fable Women’s Tortoise Shell Pattern Round Sunglasses in Brown ($12, Target.com). These glasses combine the essential roundness of the bottom with a straighter, more curved top that gently curves at the brow. They are a great choice to add width to the midface, right where it is needed.

9. For style and vision, choose lenses

Pre-made sunglasses are available with lenses that have a green, brown, or gray tint. This is ideal because it reduces glare and doesn’t distort color. These lenses are why professional drivers and airline pilots wear them. Your frames can shine with classic color lenses, unlike pastels. Gradient lenses can be used to change the look. They start off darker at the top and become lighter towards the bottom. Pastel lenses are gaining popularity and have their own beauty benefits. Blue, pink, or lavender lenses reduce eyestrain and conceal puffy eyes, lines, and under-eye bags.

10. For frames, check out these low-cost mall fashion websites

Chain stores and mass market retailers often stock cheaper versions of more expensive sunglasses. If you have ever had Lasik surgery or wear contact lenses, these non-prescription sunnies can be a great option. For a more upscale look, frames may have current features or be in specific colors. A modern and soft cat-eye frame such as the Ann Taylor Rounded Cateye Sunglasses In Black ($48, Ann Taylor.com) is a good choice. An angular frame in beige is great for people with gray hair or blond hair! The Old Navy Round Cat Eye Sunglasses in Taupe ($13, oldnavy.gap.com). Or a pair of squares, such as the A New Day Women’s Square Sunglasses Black ($15, Target.com).

11. Online Rx sunglasses customized

This is where the price can get a bit high. Comparison shopping online is the best way to find prescription sunglasses at great prices. You can also try on virtual glasses at the site, which has a larger selection than any optical shop or optometrist. You can quickly and easily sort by style, shape, and color. Although basic frames can be purchased for as low as $35-$40, the cost of adding progressive lenses or coatings to them will quickly increase. You might choose to stick to a single-vision prescription, and limit the number you add to your order. Before you shop online, make sure that you have a current and accurate prescription.

12. Sun readers could be an additional option for sunglass wear

Readers are great for women who don’t require prescription glasses but struggle to read small print on labels, menus and books. These magnification glasses are available in a variety of styles and colors. They can be used in a range of strengths, from +1.00 to -4.00. Sunglass readers such as the Azalea Reading Sunglasses, in tortoise/pink, with smoke ($24, readers.com), or the Peepers to the Max Reading Sunglasses, in amber and green ($25, peepers.com), or the proSPORT Gypsy Reading Sunglasses CatEye Tortoise ($22 for two pairs, Walmart.com) continue to reap the benefits. You can choose the right magnification pair and then tuck your real book, journal or e-reader in your bag to enjoy the summer.