6 Best Ray-Bans for Men, According to GQ
ShoppingFrom military roots to Met Gala runways, Ray-Ban’s shades have graced the faces of legends and tastemakers for nearly a century. These are our favorite models.By Leon Hedgepeth and Michella OréMay 14, 2025Photos: Getty Images; Everett Collection; Collage by Sarah CassutoSave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products featured on GQ are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.So you're looking for Ray-Ban’s best sunglasses? A word of warning: even distilling down hundreds of styles to just a few favorites, you'll still have to make some hard choices. The Sovereign of Shades has been at it for decades, and it’s got more classic frames than an art museum. You already know the biggest hits: boxy retro-cool Wayfarers; intellectually charming Clubmasters, ice-cold Aviators. But there’s more to the brand than the golden oldies.But before we dive in, it's worth knowing how Ray-Ban became the go-to shades for presidents, pop stars, and average Joes. In 1936, Bausch & Lomb fielded a request from U.S. Army Air Corps Colonel John A. Macready: he needed sunglasses that could reduce glare at high altitudes without fogging up mid-flight. Just one year later, the signature Aviator was born. Back then, the brand was called “Anti-Glare." When the company started selling to the public, cooler heads (or a marketing department) prevailed, and the name was changed to Ray-Ban—literally, to “ban rays.”Since then, the brand’s earned co-signs from almost literally everyone: JFK to Jay Z, Ray Charles to Robert Pattinson. Just months ago, A$AP Rocky stepped in as Ray-Ban’s first-ever creative director. (He's already supersized classic silhouettes and worn them at the Met Gala.)Which is to say, the best Ray-Ban sunglasses still include those big names: Wayfarer, Clubmaster, Aviator. But the brand has plenty more styles that pack just as much of a design punch…and ban rays with ease.The Best Ray-Bans for Men Shopping GuideThe OG Pick: Ray-Ban Original Wayfarer Sunglasses, $191The Revolutionary Pick: Ray-Ban Clubmaster Square Sunglasses, $191The Maverick Pick: Ray-Ban Classic Aviator Sunglasses, $221The Angular Pick: Ray-Ban Hexagonal Sunglasses, $207The Aggro Pick: Ray-Ban Balorama Sunglasses, $168The See & Be Seen Pick: Ray-Ban Mega Hawkeye Sunglasses, $191Created in 1936 by American-Canadian manufacturer Bausch & Lomb, Ray-Ban was born for the sky. Looking to reduce glare experienced by pilots mid-flight, a prototype of the brand's trademark “anti-glare” green lenses was introduced with impact-resistant frames that had big teardrop-shapes in front. In 1937 they went on sale to the public, and the next year got metal frames and a new name: the Ray-Ban Aviator.But the silhouette that catapulted the brand from military innovator to pop culture dominator would be the Wayfarer. Created in 1952, the design—wide, brash, all black—appealed to rule breakers, like James Dean and Muhammad Ali. Then came the Clubmaster, which somehow framed JFK's I'm-on-a-boat cool and Malcolm X's all-business determination.And those aren't even all of Ray-Bans greatest hits.The brand's been worn by everyone from Joe Biden to Bob Dylan, Will Smith to Robert Redford—and somehow its iconic shades feel cool. To help you find the pair that'll make you feel like a legend, we've put together this guide to the best Ray-Bans for men.The WayfarerChances are, seeing a scarfed-up Timothée Chalamet cosplay as Bob Dylan is not your first encounter with Ray-Ban’s most iconic silhouette. The brainchild of in-house designer Raymond Stegeman, the Wayfarer was released to the public in 1952 and almost immediately became a hit. Everyone from James Dean and Muhammed Ali dug the frames' clean lines and elegant curves, which add a layer of slicked-back cool to suits and blue jeans alike. While trends come and go, the Wayfarer has never left the zeitgeist, instead resurfacing every decade or so in pop culture—Tom Cruise’s Risky Business, The Strokes, Chalamet as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown—to remind us that it's still rock-n-roll in sunglass form.Ray-BanOriginal Wayfarer Sunglasses$191 AmazonRay-BanReverse Wayfarer 53mm Square Sunglasses$193 NordstromThe ClubmasterIntroduced in 1986, the Clubmaster takes its cue from the jazzy browline frames that were ubiquitous in the Sixties. Acetate and wire combine for a look that's half academic and half rebellious, which is why it tends to be on the face of the cultural powerhouses who shake things up. Of the sunglasses here, its the Clubmasters that can hold down both an Oxford shirt and shorts or closing a multi-million-dollar deal on a hedge funder's yacht.Ray-BanClubmaster Square Sunglasses$191 AmazonRay BanClubmaster Tortoiseshell Acetate and Gold-Tone Sunglasses$180 Mr PorterThe AviatorWhat do Top Gun’s Pete Mitchell and former President Joe Biden have in common? Aside from full-blown patriotism, both men appreciate Ray-
All products featured on GQ are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
So you're looking for Ray-Ban’s best sunglasses? A word of warning: even distilling down hundreds of styles to just a few favorites, you'll still have to make some hard choices. The Sovereign of Shades has been at it for decades, and it’s got more classic frames than an art museum. You already know the biggest hits: boxy retro-cool Wayfarers; intellectually charming Clubmasters, ice-cold Aviators. But there’s more to the brand than the golden oldies.
But before we dive in, it's worth knowing how Ray-Ban became the go-to shades for presidents, pop stars, and average Joes. In 1936, Bausch & Lomb fielded a request from U.S. Army Air Corps Colonel John A. Macready: he needed sunglasses that could reduce glare at high altitudes without fogging up mid-flight. Just one year later, the signature Aviator was born. Back then, the brand was called “Anti-Glare." When the company started selling to the public, cooler heads (or a marketing department) prevailed, and the name was changed to Ray-Ban—literally, to “ban rays.”
Since then, the brand’s earned co-signs from almost literally everyone: JFK to Jay Z, Ray Charles to Robert Pattinson. Just months ago, A$AP Rocky stepped in as Ray-Ban’s first-ever creative director. (He's already supersized classic silhouettes and worn them at the Met Gala.)
Which is to say, the best Ray-Ban sunglasses still include those big names: Wayfarer, Clubmaster, Aviator. But the brand has plenty more styles that pack just as much of a design punch…and ban rays with ease.
The Best Ray-Bans for Men Shopping Guide
- The OG Pick: Ray-Ban Original Wayfarer Sunglasses, $191
- The Revolutionary Pick: Ray-Ban Clubmaster Square Sunglasses, $191
- The Maverick Pick: Ray-Ban Classic Aviator Sunglasses, $221
- The Angular Pick: Ray-Ban Hexagonal Sunglasses, $207
- The Aggro Pick: Ray-Ban Balorama Sunglasses, $168
- The See & Be Seen Pick: Ray-Ban Mega Hawkeye Sunglasses, $191
Created in 1936 by American-Canadian manufacturer Bausch & Lomb, Ray-Ban was born for the sky. Looking to reduce glare experienced by pilots mid-flight, a prototype of the brand's trademark “anti-glare” green lenses was introduced with impact-resistant frames that had big teardrop-shapes in front. In 1937 they went on sale to the public, and the next year got metal frames and a new name: the Ray-Ban Aviator.
But the silhouette that catapulted the brand from military innovator to pop culture dominator would be the Wayfarer. Created in 1952, the design—wide, brash, all black—appealed to rule breakers, like James Dean and Muhammad Ali. Then came the Clubmaster, which somehow framed JFK's I'm-on-a-boat cool and Malcolm X's all-business determination.
And those aren't even all of Ray-Bans greatest hits.
The brand's been worn by everyone from Joe Biden to Bob Dylan, Will Smith to Robert Redford—and somehow its iconic shades feel cool. To help you find the pair that'll make you feel like a legend, we've put together this guide to the best Ray-Bans for men.
The Wayfarer
Chances are, seeing a scarfed-up Timothée Chalamet cosplay as Bob Dylan is not your first encounter with Ray-Ban’s most iconic silhouette. The brainchild of in-house designer Raymond Stegeman, the Wayfarer was released to the public in 1952 and almost immediately became a hit. Everyone from James Dean and Muhammed Ali dug the frames' clean lines and elegant curves, which add a layer of slicked-back cool to suits and blue jeans alike. While trends come and go, the Wayfarer has never left the zeitgeist, instead resurfacing every decade or so in pop culture—Tom Cruise’s Risky Business, The Strokes, Chalamet as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown—to remind us that it's still rock-n-roll in sunglass form.
The Clubmaster
Introduced in 1986, the Clubmaster takes its cue from the jazzy browline frames that were ubiquitous in the Sixties. Acetate and wire combine for a look that's half academic and half rebellious, which is why it tends to be on the face of the cultural powerhouses who shake things up. Of the sunglasses here, its the Clubmasters that can hold down both an Oxford shirt and shorts or closing a multi-million-dollar deal on a hedge funder's yacht.
The Aviator
What do Top Gun’s Pete Mitchell and former President Joe Biden have in common? Aside from full-blown patriotism, both men appreciate Ray-Ban’s take on the sky-high frame. Designed in 1937 for pilots who needed superior sun protection on account of flying at Icarus heights, the modern Ray-Ban Aviator features a durable wire frame and glare-reducing, anti-scratch lenses. All sorts of variations—flat lenses or curved, reflective or see-through, a raised brow bar or deeper bend on the cheeks—mean you can find a version that works for you. Because even if you aren't strafing the air traffic control tower for your day job, the swanky shades will keep you looking like an ace.
The Hexagonal
Aviators, Wayfarers, Clubmasters…Ray-Ban’s greatest hits have long been defined by arcs and swoops. But the brand’s no stranger to a protractor. Designed in 1967, the Hexagonal ditches Ray-Ban’s usual curves in favor of flat crystal lenses and a stop-sign’s angles. It stands out without shouting. .
Typically outfitted in metal—gold, silver, or black—with ultra-thin arms and adjustable nose pads, the Hexagonal offers lots of options. Gold frames with brown lenses bring a leading man from the ’70s vibe, while lenses in blue or pink lean a little playboy (in the best way) when worn with linen trousers and a severely unbuttoned polo.
The Balorama
Looking at the Balorama, you’d be forgiven for wondering when Ray-Ban started sponsoring X-Games athletes. Except the frame style showed up in the mid-’60s, long before Monster made merch. But just looking at the Balorama, you already start to feel more aggro.
The aerodynamic wraparound frames are made from lightweight acetate that can handle workouts, adventures, and weekend errands. You can also grab polarized lenses, which come in handy for cutting reflective glare (though annoyingly they’ll make your phone screen look dimmer). Go sport mode with a running jacket and compression tights or just channel your inner ’90s kid with big jeans and a bigger attitude.
The Hawkeye
Ray-Ban is usually known for its subtle, easygoing frame shapes, but the relatively new Mega Hawkeye sunglasses? Nothing subtle about ’em. Released in 2022, they’re a showoff riff on a ‘60s silhouette, with a classic shape done up in a thicker-than-usual acetate. They’re the kind of sunglasses a celebrity wears at the Chateau Marmont when they’re “trying not to be seen.” As a bonus, some sturdiness comes with all that extra charisma.
How We Test and Review Products
Style is subjective, we know—that’s the fun of it. But we’re serious about helping our audience get dressed. Whether it’s the best white sneakers, the flyest affordable suits, or the need-to-know menswear drops of the week, GQ Recommends’ perspective is built on years of hands-on experience, an insider awareness of what’s in and what’s next, and a mission to find the best version of everything out there, at every price point.
Our staffers aren’t able to try on every single piece of clothing you read about on GQ.com (fashion moves fast these days), but we have an intimate knowledge of each brand’s strengths and know the hallmarks of quality clothing—from materials and sourcing, to craftsmanship, to sustainability efforts that aren’t just greenwashing. GQ Recommends heavily emphasizes our own editorial experience with those brands, how they make their clothes, and how those clothes have been reviewed by customers. Bottom line: GQ wouldn’t tell you to wear it if we wouldn’t.
How We Make These Picks
We make every effort to cast as wide of a net as possible, with an eye on identifying the best options across three key categories: quality, fit, and price.
To kick off the process, we enlist the GQ Recommends braintrust to vote on our contenders. Some of the folks involved have worked in retail, slinging clothes to the masses; others have toiled for small-batch menswear labels; all spend way too much time thinking about what hangs in their closets.
We lean on that collective experience to guide our search, culling a mix of household names, indie favorites, and the artisanal imprints on the bleeding-edge of the genre. Then we narrow down the assortment to the picks that scored the highest across quality, fit, and price.
Across the majority of our buying guides, our team boasts firsthand experience with the bulk of our selects, but a handful are totally new to us. So after several months of intense debate, we tally the votes, collate the anecdotal evidence, and emerge with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best of the category right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the affordable beaters to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) designer riffs.
Whatever your preferences, whatever your style, there's bound to be a superlative version on this list for you. (Read more about GQ's testing process here.)
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