5 Factors That Determine the Best Glasses for Your Upcoming Summer Vacation

Whether you’re a sunglasses lover, you’re dependent on corrective eyeglasses, or both, you’ll know the struggle of finding a pair of glasses that perfectly suits the occasion, no matter what that occasion is.

Glasses play a particularly important role in our lives: they have to both help us look, and help us look good. That means there’s a whole set of factors to take into account when picking out the perfect glasses. These factors range from your body and face type, like when you’re picking out the best dress to wear, to the physical characteristics of the glass that may help protect you from sun damage.

This summer, as borders open up and the pandemic begins to recede, many people have travel plans lined up and ready to go. This guide will help you find the perfect pair of glasses for your upcoming summer holiday, both in terms of style and function.

1. Select Based on Your Face Shape

Of course you want to look your best on holiday! The truth is that there’s no one-design-flatters-all, though, especially when it comes to something like sunglasses or eyeglasses. Every face is unique, but there are a few common characteristics that can make it easier to pick the right pair off the bat.

To start with, different people have different face shapes, and sometimes this is inherited, based on different ethnic origins. The “Asian face shape,” for example, known for being difficult to shop for, especially when it comes to glasses, as EZContacts points out. “A low nose bridge and high cheekbones make it difficult to find glasses that sit on the face properly,” fashion blogger Victoria Hui recently lamented in an interview with Mic.

By picking sunglasses or eyeglasses that are built for your face type specifically, you’re not only choosing a more flattering fit, but you’re also going to find glasses that are far more likely to stay on and not fall off when you’re adventuring around this summer.

2. Prioritize Durability

At home, a more sedentary, less active lifestyle means you’re just less likely to break, shatter, or scratch up your glasses. On vacation, when you’re out, about and without the spots in your home where you routinely keep fragile items, it’s a whole different story. Not only is it more likely that they’ll get broken, but it’s also a lot harder to find a suitable replacement if you’re in some kind of exotic locale.

When picking the right glasses for your trip, make sure you factor in durability to increase the odds that your glasses stay functional the whole time. You’ll want to look for glasses made of durable, sturdy material, and ensure that the glasses have a coating to make them scratch- and smudge-resistant. You can also invest in a proper glasses case to leave less to chance and make it more likely your glasses will survive your thrilling trip in one, functional piece.

Jesper Wirdén, the author behind Thinking of Travel, suggests a few different options in his blog post on the subject of keeping your glasses safe on holiday – including learning how to tighten screws on your glasses with a repair kit, so you can avoid things getting so loose that you lose a lens.

3. Experiment With Colors

In “real life,” you wear sensible, workplace-appropriate glasses. But this summer, you’re not at your day job – you’re having a wonderful time on vacation. On holiday, you can fully go wild and experiment with more festive colors that you wouldn’t normally wear at the office or at home.

Take this opportunity to try styles you might not normally feel comfortable with, such as bold jewel tones or peachier hues. You can opt to have them match your wardrobe – or don’t! It’s all up to you. For an extra avenue of colorful exploration, you can also check out whether tinted glasses might be a fun option to try out.

No matter what experiment you run with, you won’t be alone. Who What Wear’s Adrienne Faurote predicts that brightly-colored glasses will be the trend in 2023, so you’ll be in great and colorful company. “From smoky red to olive green, these colors are instantly uplifting,” she notes.

4. Invest in Anti-Fog Options

While holidays are (for the most part) amazing, you will probably sweat a lot more than you might in your normal life. To make sure you’re free to see every scintillating detail of your trip away from home, make sure your glasses are equipped with anti-fog and anti-slip properties.

Although not all vacation moments will be in the sun, it’s just a fact that you’ll probably move more and simply be more active when you’re away than at home. You’ll also spend more time outdoors, maybe even wearing slippery sunscreen.

Don’t spend your time wiping your glasses or pushing them back up your nose – make sure you invest in a pair of glasses that defog quickly, stay where they’re supposed to, and won’t hamper your view of the incredible mountainside, dunes or monument you’re admiring.

5. Don’t Forget About the Sun

Aside from making you sweat, the sun also produces UV rays that are harmful for your eyes and skin. On holiday, even if you’re not in a sunny locale, it’s likely you’re spending a lot of time outside – certainly more than normal.

When choosing your glasses (both eyeglasses and sunglasses!) make sure they’re actually up to the test of protecting your delicate eyes and skin. The American Academy of Ophthalmology lists the risks of sun exposure: anything from cataracts to eye cancer to sunburned eyes, and everything in between.

The danger is that many older and cheaper sunglasses don’t actually stop UV rays, they just stop you from squinting. Eyeglasses nowadays also have coatings to help you deal with the sun, even though they’re transparent. Sun damage can really cause harm, so this consideration is helpful both for this sun-drenched holiday, but also regular life afterwards.

Your Perfect Vacation Is One Pair of Glasses Away

In an ideal world, your eyeglasses or sunglasses aren’t really a factor in your holiday – they’re just there, working exactly as they should, and helping you make the most of your holiday. Maybe they act as a cute accessory or fashion statement.

In reality, because they can be so delicate, and your eyesight is of such crucial importance, it makes sense to do your research and find the best glasses for you and your holiday. You want a pair that will last your trip, stay where they should on your face, and hold up to all the adventures you’ll encounter along the way.