[NSC] How much do you spend on SUNGLASSES ?

[Wes Tupper]

Anyone bought Meta Wayfarers? I’m very tempted.

 

[theboybilly]

I bought a lovely pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers from the duty-free in Gatwick on the way to Gran Canaria last year, which cost me £140 (apparently reduced from £180), and they were very much excellent. Sadly, on a drunken wobble home from the pub last autumn, I fell off my bike. Scuffed up my arms, my chin and my eye socket, and then amongst my trauma as I hobbled home, must have left my sunglasses in the gutter. No doubt dutifully scooped up by some deformed degenerate urban pustule who's gums I would not piss on if they were on fire.

Anyhoo. During the festive period, I've had a bit of LUCK on the old accas, creaming in around £268 from Ladbrokes. So I went into BOLLOCKS mode, went down to Sunglass Hut (despite knowing they the biggest rip-off merchants), to have a mince round and buy some new ones. The long and short of it - they had a 50% sale on many brands, so I've sloped off with a pair of Ray-Bans polaroid, priced at £215, but for £107.50. And visually, they really are the biz. Delighted. They're Ferrari (with the logo). And I drive a Honda. But they just "sat right" on my boat, so I went with it.

Being as I was only spending winnings (ie free money), I'd probably have gone up to about £180, but didn't need to due to the January sales.

So I put it to the class. What would, or have, YOU spend on sunglasses ?

Temu is your friend

 

[US Seagull]

Absolutely baffled by the amount some people pay for sunglasses. I get most of mine from the gas station, since "when driving" is usually the time I need them. Wouldn't pay more than about $20 tops.

I've also noticed people wearing Oakley, or other designer sunglasses, exactly zero times. The only people you are impressing is other sunglasses nerds.

 

[mile oak]

Nothing never wear them, no idea why ppl buy them, but there again im not a sun worshipper

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I don't think I've ever noticed someone's sunglasses before and thought "they look expensive".

I can see it in cars
I can see it in houses

But not an item where they are all basically exactly the same shape and colour.

If you told me a £200 pair were £20 I'd believe you

 

[Taybha]

I live in Wales,so £0.00p per year.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I don't think I've ever noticed someone's sunglasses before and thought "they look expensive".

I can see it in cars
I can see it in houses

But not an item where they are all basically exactly the same shape and colour.

If you told me a £200 pair were £20 I'd believe you

If you told me a good pair were from the pound shop, and a pound shop pair were high spec, I'd perhaps believe you.

My EYES would know though, if I had to wear them on a sunny day.

Unlike clothes, or watches, or shoes - sunglasses are absolutely NOT a status symbol for me - but they do have to actually do the job.

 

[Denis]

Nothing never wear them, no idea why ppl buy them, but there again im not a sun worshipper

I don’t wear expensive sunglasses, but every time I go to the opticians, I’m told to wear sun glasses, even in the winter, to prevent cataracts forming.

 

[Is it PotG?]

A lovely pair of polarised Ray-Bans (£150) and a poncey pair of expensive ice blue Oakley's where I recently had to splash out £25 as the rubber nose bit went.

 

[highflyer]

Absolutely baffled by the amount some people pay for sunglasses. I get most of mine from the gas station, since "when driving" is usually the time I need them. Wouldn't pay more than about $20 tops.

I've also noticed people wearing Oakley, or other designer sunglasses, exactly zero times. The only people you are impressing is other sunglasses nerds.

'As far as I can tell, fashion is nothing more than a handy visual system that gives people with no personality some palpable criteria to judge each other by'

Charlie Brooker, 2007

 

[clapham_gull]

A lovely pair of polarised Ray-Bans (£150) and a poncey pair of expensive ice blue Oakley's where I recently had to splash out £25 as the rubber nose bit went.

Both effectively manufactured by the same "company" ?

Haven't Luxottica over time basically bought the entire sunglasses industry ?

 

[Whoislloydy]

Mine are prescription, non brand and they were like $200.

 

[PascalGroß Tips]

Nothing never wear them, no idea why ppl buy them, but there again im not a sun worshipper

They protect the eyes against UV light even when it's a dull winter day. I wear varifocals with transition lenses. They go dark when outside even when it's not sunny because of the UV light. Like today when I went for a walk - really grim with cloud and horrid wind. But my lenses went dark.

As @Denis posted - his optician recommends wearing sunglasses in the winter to help protect against cataracts forming.

 

[Lethargic]

If you told me a good pair were from the pound shop, and a pound shop pair were high spec, I'd perhaps believe you.

My EYES would know though, if I had to wear them on a sunny day.

Unlike clothes, or watches, or shoes - sunglasses are absolutely NOT a status symbol for me - but they do have to actually do the job.

I have to agree, I have had issues with bright sunlight for years and tried many different options, yes I probably pay over the odds but spending that bit more works for me. It took me years to buy my first pair of Ray-Bans I felt like many others, but when I did it was a completely different experience, they were much better than anything I had worn before. Maui Jims were another level again, one of the biggest positives is all their glasses are polarized and its built into the lens rather than the additional coating other manufacturers use.

 

[Notters]

Nothing never wear them, no idea why ppl buy them, but there again im not a sun worshipper

I find them essential for driving when the sun is low and the windscreen is covered in salt. And also for reading the bright white pages of a book in the sun when on holiday, but that's about it.

 

[Notters]

If you told me a good pair were from the pound shop, and a pound shop pair were high spec, I'd perhaps believe you.

My EYES would know though, if I had to wear them on a sunny day.

Unlike clothes, or watches, or shoes - sunglasses are absolutely NOT a status symbol for me - but they do have to actually do the job.

How though? I've had beautiful crisp polarised sunglasses for £8.

 

[Easy 10]

Absolutely baffled by the amount some people pay for sunglasses. I get most of mine from the gas station, since "when driving" is usually the time I need them. Wouldn't pay more than about $20 tops.

I've also noticed people wearing Oakley, or other designer sunglasses, exactly zero times. The only people you are impressing is other sunglasses nerds.

I used to think like that, till I tried on a mates polarised Ray-Bans. The difference in clarity between them and my cheapo £20 jobbies was genuinely startling (and no, mine didn't just need a wipe). I was an immediate convert. Its got nothing to do with wanting to "impress" people, I just like the crystal clarity a decent pair gives you.

My missus still wears cheap crap sunglasses mind. But then she doesn't even notice the difference between SD and 4K UHD, so she's no judge.

 

[METALMICKY]

I wear varifocals so having fancy prescription sunglasses is just too expensive and invariably they would be lost or broken. Much simpler to just make do with varifocals with Transitions lenses.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I paid €5 for a mirrored pair in Torromolinos in 2012, when I'd forgotten my other cheap pair. Brilliant investment and they shield my eyes from the sun....win win
Maybe I'm missing something here, but what is special about a named variety of eye wear? Is it the prestige, or do they give you special powers or summit?

They give you special powers. My polarised Ray-Bans give the best and clearest vision in sun of any sunglasses I have ever had. In answer to the question, £105 in Tenerife last year.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

How though? I've had beautiful crisp polarised sunglasses for £8.

If you’re happy with them, I’m happy for you.