Embarking On a Quest: Sunglasses Shopping On a Budget

It’s happened to all of us at one time or another: you shove your sunglasses in your bag and the next time you pull them out, the lenses are scratched. Perhaps you’ve left them on the passenger seat of your car and picked up a friend who proceeds to crunch them when they get in. You may be heartbroken; especially if you saved up the leftovers of four pay checks to buy them. Sunglasses can be quite pricey, yet you shouldn’t have to treat them as if they’re prescription bifocals every time you take them off. Life’s too short to treat your sunglasses as if they’re made of tissue paper and cellophane. There has to be a better option.

Sunglasses manufacturers have went to extraordinary lengths to create tough and functional shades, but maybe durability isn’t the issue. We all want to look good, and we all want to own quality accessories, but is it really necessary to spend so much money on something as fleeting as a pair of cheaters? There are many fashionable options out there for people who aren’t concerned with wearing big name shades. We just want something that is just as charismatic as the pairs made by the big brands.

Affordable doesn’t equal inferior

People are drawn to nice things. The ‘powers that be’ want them to believe that buying an expensive purse or sunglasses means better craftsmanship, but consider the source. Let’s be realistic: unless your designer sunglasses are made of 24 karat gold with diamonds for lenses and platinum hinges, you’re pretty much paying for the emblem on the side as opposed to the product itself. 8Wake sells affordable sunglasses, and because this is their main focus, you can trust that every pair is crafted with the utmost of quality in mind. Don’t get caught up in brand wars. If Hamilton Beach decided to take up the art of making storage containers and charged double, would it mean that they provide a product that’s superior to traditional Tupperware? Absolutely not. The key is to avoid being tricked into thinking that affordability is synonymous with cheap junk.

Product Flexibility

One of the upsides to purchasing inexpensive sunglasses is their flexibility. They can be worn out on the town, up a mountain, on camping trips, road trips, and vacations. You don’t have to amass an extensive collection of sunglasses for separate occasions, and if you lose them or damage them, it’s not as difficult to replace them because you won’t have to break the bank to buy a new pair. You need shades that can be worn in nearly every situation. The best part is that you can buy a second pair with a different style of frames and lens color with little impact on your finances.

Polarized lenses and UV protection

A common misconception in the world of eye wear is that you have to spend a fortune if you want sunglasses with polarized lenses and UV protection. People think that special features such as these are exclusive to budget busting eye wear collections, which is false. Features like polarized lenses encourage companies to charge more even though they’re fully aware that they aren’t spending much more to produce them. These days, UV protection is more of a standard feature than a unique selling point. As a matter of fact, even the cheapest brands of sunglasses offer some, if not total UV protection. Naturally, we want shades that include these features, but leave the outrageous markup behind.

What’s most important?

The whole point of purchasing sunglasses is protecting your vision from the sun. Style is a positive byproduct, but again, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to own a quality pair of shades. Plenty of online stores sell products with fashionable frames, polarized lenses, and a variety of lens colors that add a personal touch to your wardrobe. We all want to look good, and we all want to have nice things, but nice things don’t have to come with an enormous bill. Needlessly overspending on sunglasses and ending up with the same pair that 4 million other people own is pointless. There are other options. Look for functionality and style. Save your money; you may be able to purchase two pairs instead of one.