We ask a lot of our sunglasses. They should be, first and foremost, protective. The lenses should be dark and treated to block out the harmful rays of the bright sun. The frames should be sturdy enough to survive all the abuse we put them through—from tossing them into a bag to slinging them haphazardly onto our collars when not in use. And then, of course, we want them to look good, too. Which is why you should invest in a quality pair at the start of the season. Get some good ones and they will pay dividends for years. And we've found, through very unscientific research, that the more you spend on a pair of sunglasses, the less likely you are to lose them.

If you're not sure which is the right pair for you, trust the classics. You can't go wrong with an iconic pair of wire-framed aviators. Instead of the traditional teardrop lenses, we prefer the more squared-off version. They are a little more subtle, with a reserved, mid-century kind of cool. And they're the type of understated shades that instantly give the wearer a badass quality. They make you look distinguished, but also a little bit dangerous. We put about a dozen to the test and pulled out the three best options, in a range of price points. You can't go wrong, no matter which you choose.