Budget Shades That Don’t Look Cheap

Sunglasses have become as integral to completing any outfit as the ideal necklace, heels, or bag. Yet with designer frames easily exceeding $200 a pop for the latest trends, keeping your summer style accessories up to date requires a celebrity-sized budget. Or does it? Accessorizing like an A-lister minus the price tag is possible – the experts at Olympic Eyewear say that you just need to know where to source discount sunglasses with all the features of premium brands and none of the painfully apparent ‘cheap’ hallmarks.

Go Bold with Color

Vibrant tones instantly energize any outfit and sunglass shape. And options bolder than classic black needn’t break the bank. Beautiful butterscotch transparent frames and bold blues make high-impact style statements for under $30. The right colorful shades make you appear Insta-ready wherever you are. Ditch black frames as your default for uplifting summer feels all year long.

Seek Out Alternate Materials

Luxury brands continue charging premiums for acetate or Italian acetate frames. Yet materials like TR90 thermoplastic deliver similar transparency, durability and pattern manipulation at a fraction of the price. Buying frames crafted from alternate yet near identical materials over acetate lets you save substantially without aesthetically compromising. See past assumptions that budget materials intrinsically appear or feel cheap. Advancements in manufacturing allow conservation of critical design and wearing elements that complete premium aesthetics without expensive acetate.

Scour Reviews Obsessively

While enticed by low costs, buying shades virtually heightens the gamble of receiving glasses failing to flatter your facial proportions. Combatting a lack of try-on ability when purchasing cheaper frames online comes down to obsessively scouring buyer reviews for clues.

Searching for people with similar face shapes who posted images gives insight into what flatters before hitting ‘Buy’. Check for mentions of:

Frame dimensions balanced against head size – oversized risks engulfing small faces.
Bridge width accommodating nose contour without pinching.
Arm length avoiding under or overextension of temples.

Reviews provide the depth of detail to make informed shade selections you’ll love owning.

Personalize With Lens Upgrades

Even with frames nailed, basic plastic lenses may cheapen overall perception where longevity and optical clarity are concerned. Upgrading lenses bolsters both quality and personal customization. Like manicures for the eyes, upgraded lenses conceal any budget roots through muted tones and matte treatments avoiding the appearance of low-cost materials without breaking budgets.

Beware Brand Dilution

As brands expand into sunglasses from clothing, fragrances and other lines, license agreements rather than in-house design can prevail. Outsourcing production risks quality corners being cut imperceptible in static brand campaign visuals. Warning signs betraying possible brand dilution include:

Reduced weight or cheap feel/smell – inferring generic plastics.
“Designed in” rather than “Made in” country of origin – outsourcing manufacturing.

Simplicity in design allows certain styles to retain integrity across production sources. Yet more intricate or weighty frames lose critical tactile and wearing sensory subtleties when outsourced. Know what to watch for.

Vintage and Pre-Love Now Vogue

Increasingly, heritage styles resonate as much as current season looks. Looking for well-maintained vintage frames means quality and uniqueness need cost no more than factional high street prices.

Charity and second-hand stores – donate old designer frames regularly.
Online pre-loved specialists – buying/selling authenticated vintage eyewear.

Cast aside assumptions vintage means boring 80’s styles. Curating discontinued 70’s cat eyes or Art déco shapes makes mastering modern retro styling affordable.

Conclusion

Sourcing beautiful sunglasses without hefty price tags merely requires shifting focus away from luxury names towards quality craftsmanship and materials. Prioritizing aesthetics over label through reviewing off-radar brands, and upgrading key components preserves covetable design appeal minus painful designer price tags. Remember, possibilities stay endless regardless of budget constraints when you know where to look.