Celebrate National Sunglasses Day With These Must-Have Pairs Of Summer Shades

There's a holiday for everything. Talking like a pirate? Check. Hamburgers? Check with cheese. Tequila lovers? Check with salt and a lime wedge. The list goes on and on, and this week's big holiday is National Sunglasses Day, because if one of your travel accessories deserves to be celebrated, it's your shades.

That's no joke. Think about everything your sunglasses do for you. They protect your eyes from extreme rays, and they look good doing it. Some sunglasses even come with little windshield wipers on them. (I really wanted a pair of those when I was a kid.) And while these styles don't come with wipers or built-in speakers (the other kind I really wanted way back when), they are from some of our favorite brands and will do the trick on a variety of occasions, from hitting the beach to filling up the kiddy pool and turning your backyard into an oasis.

All in the name of National Sunglasses Day, of course.

The Sampan is Mark Healey's signature frame, and that pretty much says it all. But for the sake of elaborating, this is a style that was created for the adventurous among us. The lovers of water, from beach bums to big-wave surfers. A pair of sunglasses for those of us who dream of pulling a massive fish from the ocean or simply ordering one from a beachside restaurant with an incredible sunset view.

This is a frame that was designed to handle the burden of an active lifestyle, but Healey also created it to fit his laidback vibe as well, which means the Costa Sampan is perfect for going from the boat to a hammock. Or, if you prefer, never leaving the hammock at all.

The unisex Huntington Beach style is named for Surf City USA because it reflects the upbeat, active vibe that draws millions of people each year to the legendary beaches. Even cooler, though, is how the eco-friendly frames are constructed from amber acetate, which is a common theme with Cali Life Co.'s sunglasses. Most of the styles are constructed with bamboo, wood and annatto seed, in addition to acetate, so they'll make you feel as good as you look. 

Cali Life Co. also knows how risky it can be to bring expensive sunglasses on the water, which is why the "bad sunglass karma" insurance program helps customers replace their shades should they be sacrificed to Poseidon or simply left at a restaurant in Cancun.

Blenders was born from an idea that probably resonates with almost anyone who has ever stressed over something as simple as purchasing a pair of sunglasses: they're too danged expensive. And with one company reigning supreme over the industry, and many customers relying on brand recognition to make decisions, it will take a lot to change that. For Blenders, it begins with an increasingly positive digital reputation and prices that put that one brand to shame.

The Blenders North Park line features a variety of cool, unique styles that look great for any occasion, and they were designed with a concept we've always appreciated—simple is good. 

Raen was founded out of a consumer frustration for high-end sunglass brands not living up to a similar standard of quality. As such, the company uses high quality materials to make long-lasting sunglasses for men and women, and the result has been another independent company building an overwhelmingly positive reputation online.

Raen's Norie style puts a modern twist on a classic cat eye style, as these sunglasses are oversized but lightweight, and they're still built to handle the bumps and drops that come with globetrotting.