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By Jessie Atkinson and Heidi Quill
From Ray-Ban to Gucci, here are GQ’s best eyeglasses for men. It may be 2023, but your vision should be nothing other than 20/20
Four eyes have never been so on-trend. No longer considered a corrective measure integral to basic daily functioning, eyeglasses are now looked upon as a finishing touch with the ability to instantly smarten up your appearance. Regardless of your own optics, specs are just as much about how you’re seen as how you actually see, giving rise to a wealth of trendy new boutique opticians and countless options from the biggest names in fashion.
But sourcing the perfect pair of eyeglasses is no easy task. Though the bulk of new frames are inspired by timeless silhouettes, as with men's sunglasses the line between kitsch and chic is one that’s often blurred. Thankfully, we’ve squinted through the latest pairs to find the very best for any discerning gent. But first, a test.
While nothing really compares to going into an optician and trying a pair of eyeglasses on for size (and shape), online glasses shopping has come on leaps and bounds with virtual try-ons and free frame trials.
For the most part, glasses shopping destinations remain the same online as they do on the high street. From boutique opticians like David Clulow and Cubitts, which offer a seamless prescription lens service, to designer merchants such as Mr Porter and Ssense, here are all of our favourite eyeglasses destinations:
Going into a store vs shopping online does of course have its merits, with shops such as David Clulow offering a welcome second opinion on your frame choice as well as expert advice on the frames best suited to your prescription.
If you need a prescription lens to see you through a day of 20/20 vision, or just for your time spent in front of a computer screen, you'd be best off factoring in regular visits to an optician. “Depending on the age group and if there is an existing condition, routine eye tests should be every 2 years,” says David Clulow optometrist Vina Lakhani. Modern eye tests at their Wigmore Street outpost involve an in-depth retinal scan known as an OCT (ocular coherence topography), as well as a phoropter head check to find your prescription, among the usual eye health and letter tests.
“Someone with a high prescription needs thinner lenses and should choose their frame shape accordingly,” adds Lakhani. “Clear lens options can come with anti-reflection coating and anti-blue light coating for screen use, and it usually takes around one week from frame selection before they're ready to pick up and be put to the test.”
While tortoiseshell and semi-translucent acetate frames have certainly been the more popular of the two in recent years, each has merit. Small and circular wire frames (see Harry Potter) can provide a smarter, less in-your-face solution for people who don’t want their specs to make a big statement. On the more statement end of the wire spectrum are aviators, a brash nod to the 1980s best done in silver-tone metal. Acetate, meanwhile, tends to offer maximum versatility in design, with plenty of elements that brands can add a bolder mark. They’re also the glasses of choice for that classic Clark Kent appeal, and according to Lakhani, can be a more durable choice for lenses with higher prescriptions.
Considering they’re an accessory you could be wearing an awful lot, eyeglasses are really something that shouldn’t be done on the cheap. Find a pair you love and don’t settle for the cheaper alternative. If that pair happens to cost less than £100, well, lucky you. Generally speaking, though, quality peepers will set you back anywhere between £125 and £500. When it comes to getting your prescription fitted, we recommend treating yourself to the added extras. Your eyeglasses will look all the better if they’re not prone to screen glare and/or magnifying your eyes.
Like facial hair, the best eyeglasses for you are the ones that contour your face in a way that make the most of your features. If you have an oblong face and are a little long in the chin, for example, try and add width with your choice. If you have the opposite problem and your heart-shaped face tapers at the bottom like Ryan Gosling, choose a pair that minimises the top of the face to widen the chin. While these rules will work for some, it’s also advisable to think about your facial features. Sharp lines can be softened by rounded lenses while rounder faces with softer features can benefit from angular lines. See our picks of the best eyeglasses for different faces below.
If your face is lacking in angles you wish you had, introduce structure with Retrosuperfuture and its purposeful rims.
We all want what we don’t have, so if you have super sharp cheekbones and want to tone it down, we won’t get too mad about it. Plump for rounded and transparent, we say.
All things being equal (on your face, that is), you can get away with ‘most anything. Why not opt for something simple and quietly bold? On the correct host, a pair of wire frames can look dynamite.
While technically coming under the wayfarer category, these eyeglasses are a taller iteration of one of the more recognisable glasses shapes: it’s that height that’ll look best on a heart-shaped face.
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Perhaps the most famous of all sunglasses purveyors, Ray-Ban also makes elite eyeglasses of a similar ilk. This clubmaster pair put the horn in horn-rimmed (sorry) with their eminently vintage design that’s tall in height but narrow in width. Heart-shaped faces and fans of Mad Men and Mindhunter, roll up. £140. At ray-ban.com
If a chunkier eyewear frame is what you’re looking for, this design from Retrosuperfuture is calling. Handcrafted in Italy, the optical glasses come in a soft side leather case and are shaped with gold-tone hardware at the temples. Simple but – rest assured – very stylish. £195. At ssense.com
While Japanese designer Matsuda is often experimental in its eyeglasses concoctions, it is also a master at the simple round wire look. Made from titanium and finished with the lightest of touches, these are glasses for those who don’t want to make a song and dance about their eyesight… and yet, with delicate engraving to the nose and that same palpable sense of quiet luxury that imbues all of Matsuda’s designs, they’re the choice of someone with genuine taste. £395. At matchesfashion.com
Few brands conjure such an instant image of handsome bookishness than Oliver Peoples. The Luxottica-owned American glasses maker caters to all styles, but its most popular styles come in high-quality, tortoiseshell acetate, of which the Finley Vintage is its most instantly recognisable. Coming in a rounded-square shape that will compliment pretty much every face shape, the beauty of these glasses comes in the details – specifically, that filigreed, mid-century vibe pattern of their exposed core wire. £322 £184. At mojoglasses.com
“Academic” has been a buzzword among teenage fashion lovers for a while now, but it’s not just kids who are jumping on The Secret History look. The collegiate style gets a grown-up update with Dior and its forest green acetate specs complete with tortoiseshell arms. The wayfarer frame and silver inlays to the temples give this pair of glasses just enough vintage élan to keep them looking timeless. £330. At matchesfshion.com
With a lighter look and feel, Persol has made a tortoiseshell acetate that doesn’t run but walks. With a narrow fit and a design that samples both acetate and wire, these are the perfect solution for square-face shapes seeking to minimise mass. And complete with Persol’s signature ornate hinges, they’re a timeless pick, too. £191. At persol.com
For the narrow-faced and louche among us, Gucci has made the perfect pair of eyeglasses. While drawing on the hallmarks of the ubiquitous glasses finding wearers all over the world during the 1970s and '80s, this wider style ensures you’ll be heading out into the world without the spectre of Dennis Nilsen hanging over you. £385. At gucci.com
Get you a pair of glasses that does both. Oliver Peoples has collaborated with the only sartorial name that can match its discerning energy, Brunello Cucinelli, converting to a pair of sunglasses in the flash of a clip-on, olive green lens. That means that not only will you have a pair of exquisite acetate reading glasses, but they can also take in a newspaper on a park bench on a sunny Sunday morning without the need to swap to a pair of prescription shades. £430. At mrporter.com
The Ray-Ban wayfarer is an acetate glasses style for all, which renders these ultra-flattering gold wire frames something of an underdog. Giving retro energy without feeling eccentric, they'll lend looks a bookish yet edgy feel and will neatly integrate with just about everything in your wardrobe. £131 £90. At smartbuyglasses.co.uk
We’ll give you three guesses about who these “Elton” frames are named after…yes, correct! While you might expect huge, heavy and rhinestone glasses from such a subject matter, these Ace & Tate creations actually toe a fine line between minimalism and maximalism: they may be octagonal, but they’re also wire frame, meaning you won’t be asked for any impromptu renditions of “Benny and the Jets”. £110. Aceantate.com
As simple as simple gets, these Armani specs use the honeyed amber shade of tortoiseshell without relying on the actual pattern. Instead, the mid-century brown used here lays rich but subtle colour onto acetate. A beautiful pick for the perennially understated. £127. armani.com
Straight of out the '90s and noughties, Guess continues to channel its signature feel of classic American preppiness with nostalgic designs. This frame, however, is not without a contemporary touch. Balancing its vintage-inspired wireframe with a futuristic hexagonal lens, this pair of eyeglasses represents an intersection of the old and the new. £159. At visionexpress.com
Tom Ford is one hell of a designer, and his movies aren’t bad either. The style in his films? Unparalleled. Seven years on from its release and we're still thinking about the specs Amy Adams wears in Nocturnal Animals. Luckily for us, a similar style is available from the designer himself. £150. At mojoglasses.com
With defined brown details at the top edge of the frame, these gold-tone, rounded eyeglasses from the Mister Spex collection are designed to flatter a number of face shapes (and the extra eyebrow definition doesn’t hurt either). £60.95. At misterspex.co.uk
You will notice that most frames come in tortoiseshell brown or black, but for those who prefer to buck tradition, myriad other options are available. You needn’t even be extreme about your rebellion, as demonstrated neatly by these Dior frames, which subtly divert from the norm in both shape and in the charming pale blue colouring. £260. At matchesfashion.com
If it’s eccentric you’re aiming for, Kuboraum is your brand. A Berlin export drawing from the individuality of the city is was born in, you’ll find such bold editions as these purple specs, which take the traditional aviator shape and explode it into new and cartoonish shapes. £520. At matchesfashion.com
A brand beloved by that most timeless style icon, Steve McQueen, you'll be glad to hear it's not all tinted aviators over at Persol. An effortlessly stylish pair of tortoiseshell frames, these glasses are the perfect finishing touch to chic warm-weather ‘fits comprised of head-to-toe linen and loafers (and that’s whether you need them for seeing or not). £283. At selfridges.com
John Lennon might have called, but he’s not getting these glasses back. In a silver tone and wire-frame design, these round eyeglasses from SmartBuy echo the circular frames once donned by the Beatle and peace activist. All you need now is an acoustic guitar. £70 £35. At smartbuyglasses.co.uk
Call us on the nose, but these Gucci glasses are giving big Adam Driver in House of Gucci energy with their oversized rectangular shape and shiny black acetate. A big nod to the seventies, they're the perfect pair to add some angles and width to round and oval face shapes, while the gold detailing and Gucci logo at the temples have an altogether more universal appeal. £300. At gucci.com
Big yes to Bottega Veneta for offering up some of the most elegant eyewear we've seen. Our current favourite from the luxury brand is this slightly larger-than-average square frame: black in the body and gold-toned along the slim, logo-topped temples. Best of all, they arrive in a woven leather case that’s signature to the brand’s modern identity. £290 £215. At smartbuyglasses.co.uk
Handcrafted in New York using Italian acetate, Moscot’s unisex Momza style has all the features required for minimum feel upon wear: a keyhole nose bridge, nose pads and a seven-barrel hinge. Dubbed as the brand that framed the Big Apple, consider this your finest eyewear option to channel the optical style of the iconic city. £285. At eu.moscot.com
These Tommy Hilfiger specs will add some instant sophistication to your look. The round frame is the shape of choice for the discerning intellect, and coupled with a dark brown Havana tortoiseshell, these are eyeglasses that make you want to bury your head into a good book, preferably in a mahogany-heavy library. £144.95. At misterspex.co.uk
Think The Talented Mr Ripley with a modern twist and you’ve got these Reese eyeglasses from London Retro Eyewear. In a silver metal frame with tortoiseshell brow detailing, these eyeglasses channel a vintage look with modernised appeal. £89. At glassesdirect.co.uk
A little Elton John but with a modern, Scandinavian twist, these Løkka eyeglasses from Monc speak to the designer’s philosophy that fashion should be centred on versatility and responsibility. In a misty white hue and tight, round frame, these glasses will suit a variety of face shapes. £240. At misterspex.co.uk
Symbolically, electric blue can represent intelligence and power. And what a coincidence that is, because these bright blue eyeglasses from Glasses Direct give the ultimate illusion of both intelligence and power with their sleek round shape. Designed to be light as a feather, they are slim-lined for your practicality. Go the distance… or, at least, see the distance. £49. At glassesdirect.co.uk
Ray-Ban is the OG brand for several frame types, but the Clubmaster is up there with its most iconic. The style has been done in many incarnations, both clear and in sunglass form, but you just can't beat the classic black and gold combination. £137. At selfridges.com
Preppy with a retro appeal, these wire-frame glasses from Oliver Peoples are sure to add some pep to your step. With engraved detailing around the temple, this pair ensures comfort with style due to its built-in nose cushions and curved arm tips. Just match with a polo shirt, dual-tone loafers, a shiny red convertible and a thick strawberry milkshake to complete the 1950s vintage fantasy. £197. At fashioneyewear.co.uk
What happens over the rainbow, stays over the rainbow. Known for its love of garish patterns and 1960s inspired shapes, these frames from Gucci are perfectly on-brand for the Italian fashion house. In an oversized oval shape, these eyeglasses will remain firmly fixed on your nose whilst you go about your day with the same vibrancy as your specs. £350 £254. At smartbuyglasses.co.uk
Eyewear Shapes Eyewear Where once there was a trend for rimless glasses that made your need for specs as incognito as possible, today we're far more inclined to embrace bigger, bolder styles than shy away with almost invisible iterations. Just look at these square-winged frames by Ray-Ban, which make no apologies in making a statement and would add a little something extra to any suited and booted look. £175. At selfridges.com