The Best Sunglasses of 2014

Oakley Breadbox Sunglasses

Oakley pulled off a nifty trick with the Breadbox. The pronounced brow-line design is both striking and sophisticated, and the streamlined, midsize frames don’t overwhelm your mug. Though they’re not designed for serious sport, we took ’em mountain biking and they held on tight.

Kaenon Bluesmaster Sunglasses

Musician G. Love helped design the Bluesmaster. You can sort of tell. The hybrid frame style—plastic up top, wire frames below—has an old-school bluesy feel, but the frames are surprisingly light, and the overall look is young and fresh. These smallish frames fit narrower faces best.

Zeal Kennedy Sunglasses

Both the frames and the lenses are made from renewable, castor-plant-based resins. Which is cool. Even cooler: If we hadn’t told you, you never would have guessed it. Springy hinges and rubber nose and temple pads keep the Kennedy securely in place, and while the lenses aren’t quite as sharp as the others here, they’re pretty darn close.

Native Highline Sunglasses

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the Highline is as heartfelt as it gets. You get the Wayfarer look in a more sportsworthy package. Lightweight frames, polarized lenses, and tacky nosepiece nubs make them game for watersports, biking around town, ice skating, you name it.

Electric Rip Rock Sunglasses

Your fashion-obsessed friends will gush over the retro-styled hinges of the Rip Rock. Your lady will covet the classically cool cat-eye style. (That’s OK—they’ll look good on her, too.) And you’ll appreciate the primo optics most of all.

Smith Dolen Sunglasses

Smith says its new ChromaPop lenses “eliminate color confusion for the brain.” Maybe. What we can tell you is that they boost saturation and generally make whatever you’re looking at a little more vivid. The Dolen will definitely amp up your next outing and, despite the casual look, won’t slow you down; hydrophilic nose and temple pads keep everything in place.