12 Top Sunglasses Tips and Buys Under $80

4. Choose frame color strategically

The two most popular choices are black and tortoise, which do flatter everyone. Matte black has a hipster attitude, while shiny black adds a touch of glow to your skin. Tortoise (often referred to as “tort") is brown but comes in a range of shades. Warm tortoise has golden or red undertones and flatters warmer skin tones. Cooler tortoise has cool undertones with subtle hints of gray, navy or purple and flatters cooler skin tones. Think again in makeup terms here — just like selecting foundation or lipstick. For even more of a statement try frames in blue, green or violet; or for a blushlike healthy boost of color try coral, melon or pink frames. These can be transparent, metal or opaque plastic.

(Clockwise from top left) Circus by Sam Edelman Women’s CC447 Cat-Eye Sunglasses with 100% UV Protection in brown; Jessica Simpson Women’s Oversized Butterfly Sunglasses with 100% UV Protection in black; Privé Revaux The Chosen 58mm Polarized Sunglasses

Walmart (2); Kohl's

5. Let angular frames give you bone structure

Our faces at 50 aren't perfect geometric shapes — the squares, circles and ovals usually used to match the ideal eyeglasses for a particular face. However, squarish frames like the Privé Revaux The Chosen 58mm Polarized Sunglasses ($35, kohls.com) or even softened squares with rounded edges — such as the Circus by Sam Edelman Women's CC447 Cat-Eye Sunglasses with 100% UV Protection in brown or black ($40, walmart.com) and Jessica Simpson Women's Oversized Butterfly Sunglasses with 100% UV Protection — can give the illusion of chiseled cheekbones and stronger brows. They contour round, full faces and counteract extra width or sag around the jawline. Don't let the terms cat-eye or butterfly fool you — look at the shape, not the words.

(Clockwise from top left) Privé Revaux The Hepburn 57mm Cat-Eye Polarized Sunglasses in black; Wild Fable Women’s Cateye Tort Sunglasses in brown; Foster Grant Afia in black

Kohl's; Target; Foster Grant

6. Let cat-eye or topline frames provide an eye lift

Any pair of sunglasses redirects attention to your eyes, but some go one step further. For a true uplift choose cat-eyes that extend and swoop gently up — like the Privé Revaux The Hepburn 57mm Cat-Eye Polarized Sunglasses in black or purple tort ($30, kohls.com) or Wild Fable Women's Cateye Tort Sunglasses in brown ($13, target.com). For a more conservative look with a similar effect (or if you simply don't like a cat-eye style) try a topline frame with a darker color on top — such as the Foster Grant Afia in black ($21, fostergrant.com), which also brings the focus up and out.

(Clockwise from bottom left) Nanette Nanette Lepore Women’s Aviator Sunglasses with 100% UV Protection in gold/brown; A New Day Women’s Aviator Sunglasses in bronze; Privé Revaux The Commando in antique silver/light blue mirror

Walmart; Target; Privé Revaux Eyewear

7. Aviators are a can't-miss classic

The lightweight metal of frames makes fans of anyone with sensitive skin or delicate features, but they really give everyone a sexy, sporty modern look. Choose a classic teardrop-shape aviator — like the A New Day Women's Aviator Sunglasses in bronze ($17, target.com) or Privé Revaux The Commando in antique silver/light blue mirror ($30, priverevaux.com) — or a new softly squared style like the Nanette Nanette Lepore Women's Aviator Sunglasses with 100% UV Protection ($40, walmart.com). If you're into trying mirrored or colored lenses, know that aviators are the one frame that works perfectly for these trendier styles.

8. Choose rounded frames to fill out a thin, long face

Some women lose volume in their cheeks as they age. This makes our faces appear longer, and downward expression lines around the mouth appear deeper. To compensate we muse about trying filler or keep adding width and volume to our hair. Roundish sunglasses are a good, quick fix … though not round sunglasses (the ones that look like circles), which are too trendy for most of us. Instead look for hybrid frames with a roundish shape — like the Foster Grant Round Combo Women's Sunglasses ($32, jcpenney.com); Simplify Clark Polarized Sunglasses, in tortoise frames and brown lenses ($63, hsn.com); or Wild Fable Women's Tortoise Shell Print Round Sunglasses in brown ($12, target.com). They combine the essential roundness on the bottom with a straighter top that gently curves along the brow line. They're a good choice for adding width at midface — right where you need it.

(Clockwise from bottom left) Foster Grant “Grant”; Cyrus Fashion Tortoise Polarized Sunglasses for Women UV 400; Privé Revaux Biscayne Bae 54mm Polarized Sunglasses

Foster Grant; Walmart; Kohl's

9. Choose lenses for vision and style

Most ready-made sunglasses have lenses with a green, gray or brown tint, which is ideal since they decrease glare and don't distort colors. This is why airline pilots and pro drivers wear them. Classic color lenses — unlike pastels — also let your frames take the spotlight. You can vary the look with gradient lenses that start out dark on top and get lighter toward the bottom. However, pastel lenses are having a fashion moment and their own beauty benefits. Pink, lavender or blue lenses minimize eyestrain and camouflage puffy eyes, under-eye bags and lines.

(Clockwise from top left) Ann Taylor Rounded Cateye Sunglasses in Black; Old Navy Round Cat-Eye Sunglasses in taupe; A New Day Women’s Square Sunglasses in black

Ann Taylor; Old Navy; Target

10. Check out low-cost mall fashion sites for frames

Mass market retailers and chain stores usually stock lookalikes of the more expensive sunglasses you see around. These nonprescription sunnies are a good option if you wear contact lenses all the time or have had Lasik surgery. Often the frames will be having current features or specific colors for an upscale look. Look for a modern, soft cat-eye frame like the Ann Taylor Rounded Cateye Sunglasses in black ($48, anntaylor.com); an angular frame in beige (great for those with gray or blond hair!) like the Old Navy Round Cat-Eye Sunglasses in taupe ($13, oldnavy.gap.com); or a pair of chunky squares like the A New Day Women's Square Sunglasses in black ($15, target.com).

(From top to bottom) EyeBuyDirect Lima Cat Eye Purple Sunglasses; Zenni Optical Square Sunglasses in Tortoiseshell 125625; Zenni Optical Cat-Eye Sunglasses 2024421

EyeBuyDirect; Zenni (2)

11. Customized online Rx sunglasses

Here's where the price gets sticky. For prescription sunglasses your best bet is to comparison shop online for deals-of-the-day, promo codes and discounts at top eyeglass chain sites like EyeBuyDirect, Zenni Optical, LensCrafters and GlassesUSA. They have a wider selection than any actual store or optometrist and offer virtual try-ons. You get to quickly and efficiently sort by style, shape and color. Though the basic frames are fairly affordable (in the $35–$40 range), the price escalates quickly if you add special or progressive lenses and coatings. Your best bet might be to choose a simple single-vision prescription and limit the number of fancy extras to one. Be sure you have an accurate and current prescription on hand before you shop online, too.

(Clockwise from bottom left) Peepers To the Max Reading Sunglasses in amber; proSPORT Gypsy Reading Sunglass CatEye Tortoise; The Azalea Reading Sunglasses in tortoise/pink with smoke

Peepers; Walmart; readers.com

12. Sun readers may be your extra sunglass option

Women who don't need prescription glasses full time but have problems reading the small print in books and on labels, documents or menus or doing tasks like journaling or sewing on a button are no strangers to readers. These magnification glasses — sold in strengths from +1.00 to +4.00 — come in all kinds of stylish shapes and colors and are easy to whip out and on as needed. Sunglass readers like the Azalea Reading Sunglasses in tortoise/pink with smoke ($24, readers.com), Peepers To the Max Reading Sunglasses in amber or green ($25, peepers.com) or proSPORT Gypsy Reading Sunglass CatEye Tortoise ($22, for two pairs, walmart.com) carry on the benefits. Just choose a pair with the right magnification and tuck your e-reader, real book or journal in your tote bag and enjoy the summer.

Lois Joy Johnson is a beauty and style editor who focuses on women 50 and older. She was the beauty and style editor at Ladies’ Home Journal and a founding editor of More magazine. She has written three books: The Makeup Wakeup, The Wardrobe Wakeup and The Woman's Wakeup.