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Let's face it, men's sunglasses are an absolute essential in summer. No outfit is complete without them, and let's not forget, a decent pair of shades will protect your eyes from UV rays, which in turn will protect you from serious conditions such as photokeratitis and cataracts.

Plus, in summer with so much of our socialising now outside, there's never been a more important time to invest. So, to save yourself from squinting your way through your engagements in the next few months, add a pair to basket ASAP.

The question then isn't whether you need news shades, it's which sunglasses are best for you? How can you tell what suits when you're shopping online? Should you be dropping a wad of cash on designer pairs or will a high-street alternative do the job?

In short, you can make a judgement call based on the shape of your face. If you've got a rounded face, go for something angular. Shorter, square shapes can get away with wearing on-trend small shades, whereas longer faces should stick to bigger lenses that offer more eyebrow coverage. If you've got a heart shape or oval face, you're sorted. Pretty much anything goes.

As for the budget, good news: a few years back, EU regulations tightened up, imposing all sunglasses block 99-100% of UV rays. Anything from market stalls or bought from second hand sites could be dangerous, so stick to the trustworthy retailers we all know and love.

Need some inspiration? Keep scrolling to see 23 of our favourite sunglasses for men to buy in 2022.

If you’re not into fully square or completely round sunglasses, these hexagonal shaped Ray Bans are the perfect compromise. We love how the classic gold frames are tempered with the brand’s iconic green lens, but you can also customise your own pair on the site. Pick from black, brown, and silver mirrored lenses.

Orange lens sunglasses are seriously having a moment this year. They’re appearing all over Insta and we’ve even spotted Tom Holland and George Clooney wearing them. Our pick of the trend is from Axel Arigato – just look at that cool angular shape and the statement logo on the arm.

Oakley's sunglasses are from the brand's latest neon yellow collection and are made for hardcore cycling. They're ergonomic, yes, but also pretty stylish, too, in that futuristic early-noughties way.

If you're looking to tap into the Wayfarer sunglasses trend but don't want to pay a fortune, Fat Face's warm-brown style will do nicely.

H&M's sunglasses really stand out from the crowd thanks to that round frame and those blue tinted lens. For less than a tenner, they're also a total bargain.

ICYMI, tortoiseshell glasses are still effortlessly cool — the Frankie Brown style is bold and evocative of the ’60s. We like the gold hardware and chunky rims on these babies, too.

ASOS has some great budget sunglasses for men on its site. Our favourite pick? Quay Australia's pair – we love how the brand has updated the traditional aviator with ’70s-inspired yellow tinted lenses.

The German style behemoth might be known for the sharp cut of its suits, but it’s a dab hand at turning out slick pairs of sunglasses, too. This lightweight round pair is super versatile and will easily elevate any outfit – from basic white T-shirts to your favourite loungewear set.

No-one does it better than Oakley, and it doesn't get cooler than the Sutro Prizm sunglasses — whether you're training outside or raving at a festival.

With Le Specs, you get high quality glasses (comparable to likes of Ray-Ban and Jimmy Fairly), for a really reasonable price. The lenses on this matte black pair are shatterproof and scratch resistant – a win-win in our eyes.

Taylor Morris is the London-based sunglasses brand loved by celebrities such as David Gandy, Jack Whitehall and Jim Chapman. We like these mirrored sunglasses from its collaboration with Formula E driver, Mitch Evans. This pair is a special edition, so make sure you 'add to basket' ASAP to avoid missing out.

Fancy something a little different? These Ray-Bans are exactly that. We love the brand’s modern spin on its classic Wayfarer style and can’t wait to wear this chunky rectangular pair on upcoming summer holidays.

Just in case you needed confirmation that these sunglasses were cool: Privé Revaux is the eyewear brand founded by Jamie Foxx. These babies come with an anti-glare and scratch-proof coating, so you can wear them all day every day.

Named after the iconic street in Notting Hill, Taylor Morris’ Westbourne sunglasses have a hexagonal shape and matte black finish. Worried about buying shades online? Give the website’s virtual try on service a go, with a selection of your favourite styles.

Bose's sunglasses are magic (we would know, we've tested them) and well worth the investment. Developed using Audio Augmented Reality, this pair will play music directly into your ears (vibrations transfer via the arms, rather than through speakers), allow you to take calls, navigate maps and use apps. The best bit? You can do this all hands-free, because it's controlled through your head movements.

Ray-Ban is to the eyewear world what Rolex is to horology. The brand’s cult styles – the Wayfarer, the Aviator and the Clubmaster – have spurned numerous copycat imitations over the years which certainly reinforces the brand’s status in the field of optical design. This season’s classic Clubmaster gets our thumbs up – its ageless shape has lost none of its appeal since its launch in 1986. They’re the sort of all-rounder which will go with pretty much anything, whether that’s a three-piece suit or just a louche weekend sweatshirt.

Saint Laurent's round-frame sunglasses are set on delicate wire arms – so not only do they look chic, they feel weightless when you're wearing them too.

The Wayfarer is a world-famous style which tends to suit most face shapes. RayBan has upped its versatility by creating this foldable version which can slot easily into your pocket.

Obviously we couldn't resist including the OG Wayfarer – because this baby never dates, especially in tortoiseshell. Just ask Jude Law, R. Patz and David Beckham if you don't believe us.

Silhouette's Accent shades are a little work of art – just clock that double-bar detailing and the delicate silver gradient lenses.

Coral Eyewear is the sustainable eyewear brand you need on your radar. This sleek Vaquita style is made entirely from recycled plastic and fitted with polarised-mirrored lenses, which help to enhance both sunny and cloudy conditions. Even the shipping is carbon neutral, for those extra eco brownie points.

For when you want a luxury experience for less, Jimmy Fairly is a go-to. This sunglasses brand is not only impossibly cool, the in-store experience is second to none – so if your sunglasses arrive and they don't fit like a glove, take 'em in for free adjustments.

We just had to include Gucci in our edit because SO many people are searching for its sunglasses every month. They're pricey, yes, but they'll make you look badass.