Lookalikes

As with most of today’s breakout fashion hits, the Ray-Ban Wayfarer inspired many designers to produce their own takeoffs on the signature look--you can still find a wide selection of these today, including oversized. If the Ray-Ban XL Wayfarer doesn’t quite click with your style, don’t shy away from trying out the oversized trapezoid frames offered by other fashion lines.

Bonus UV protection

Yes, fashion can be practical, especially when it’s in the form of increased sun protection for your eyes and the sensitive skin that surrounds them. That’s exactly what you get with oversized shades, particularly those that have thick, wide arms to protect the outside corners of the eyes and the temples--as the oversized Wayfarer styles do. That makes them a winning choice over smaller, slim-framed sunglasses that expose your eyes and area around them to more UV light--something that can cause serious eye health problems!

On this note, you may wish to opt for the New Wayfarers over their true old-school Classic, which slant outward away from the browline at the top--creating a gap for sunlight to filter in. Remember that any pair of sunglasses you purchase, oversized or not, should be labeled 100% UV protection or UV400.