We could list all the celebs, politicians, and bold-face names who’ve worn Ray-Bans through history, but the truth is, the best Ray-Bans for men make you feel like the superstar. The brand’s spent nearly 90 years cooking up sunglasses that somehow give everyday Joes (and Janes) the same swagger as a Risky Business-era Tom Cruise and the same animal magnetism of Lenny Kravitz. And, compared to the rest of the sunglasses industry, for not a whole lot of money.
The Best Ray-Bans for Men Shopping Guide
Created in 1936 by American-Canadian manufacturer Bausch & Lomb, Ray-Ban was born for the sky. Looking to reduce glare experienced by pilots mid-flight, a prototype of the brand’s trademark “anti-glare” green lenses was introduced with impact-resistant frames that had big teardrop-shapes in front. In 1937 they went on sale to the public, and the next year got metal frames and a new name: the Ray-Ban Aviator.
But the silhouette that catapulted the brand from military innovator to pop culture dominator would be the Wayfarer. Created in 1952, the design—wide, brash, all black—appealed to rule breakers, like James Dean and Muhammad Ali. Then came the Clubmaster, which somehow framed JFK’s I’m-on-a-boat cool and Malcolm X’s all-business determination.
And those aren’t even all of Ray-Bans greatest hits.
The brand’s been worn by everyone from Joe Biden to Bob Dylan, Will Smith to Robert Redford—and somehow its iconic shades feel cool. To help you find the pair that’ll make you feel like a legend, we’ve put together this guide to the best Ray-Bans for men.
The Wayfarer
Chances are, seeing a scarfed-up Timothée Chalamet cosplay as Bob Dylan is not your first encounter with Ray-Ban’s most iconic silhouette. The brainchild of in-house designer Raymond Stegeman, the Wayfarer was released to the public in 1952 and almost immediately became a hit. Everyone from James Dean and Muhammed Ali dug the frames’ clean lines and elegant curves, which add a layer of slicked-back cool to suits and blue jeans alike. While trends come and go, the Wayfarer has never left the zeitgeist, instead resurfacing every decade or so in pop culture—Tom Cruise’s Risky Business, The Strokes, Chalamet in the much-anticipated Dylan biopic—to remind us that it’s still rock-n-roll in sunglass form.
The Clubmaster
Introduced in 1986, the Clubmaster takes its cue from the jazzy browline frames that were ubiquitous in the Sixties. Acetate and wire combine for a look that’s half academic and half rebellious, which is why it tends to be on the face of the cultural powerhouses who shake things up. Of the sunglasses here, its the Clubmasters that can hold down both an Oxford shirt and shorts or closing a multi-million-dollar deal on a hedge funder’s yacht.
The Aviator
What do Top Gun’s Pete Mitchell and President Joe Biden have in common? Aside from full-blown patriotism, both men appreciate Ray-Ban’s take on the sky-high frame. Designed in 1937 for pilots who needed superior sun protection on account of flying at Icarus heights, the modern Ray-Ban Aviator features a durable wire frame and glare-reducing, anti-scratch lenses. All sorts of variations—flat lenses or curved, reflective or see-through, a raised brow bar or deeper bend on the cheeks—mean you can find a version that works for you. Because even if you aren’t strafing the air traffic control tower for your day job, the swanky shades will keep you looking like an ace.
The Caravan
There’s something alluring about the Caravan’s squared-off edges that make this riff on the Aviator feel both funky and not to be f’ed with. We suggest going with the original model introduced in 1957 if you want to keep things minimalist, or try the newest rift, which brings engravings along the temples and a more prominent brow bar for some bonus grooviness.
The Round
Behind these shades is the mind of a brilliant poet. At least, that’s the impression you’ll be giving when you slip on a pair of Ray-Ban’s round shades. Popularized by counterculture warriors like John Lennon and Bob Dylan, the round silhouette packages Ray-Ban’s dedication to eye protection in an airy wire frame with adjustable nose pads and an air of artsy superiority. Pair ’em with jeans and worn-out Birks, or keep it modern with a pair of oversized chinos and sneakers. Either way you can just soak up the sun, man.
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