While Pride Month officially takes place in June annually, many brands and designers are committed to showing their support to the LGBTQ community all throughout the year, with the release of collections that proudly feature the rainbow flag design and other emblems of the celebration.
If you’d like to add some rainbow style to your wardrobe, LGBTQ sunglasses are a great option – and you’ll find our pick of the bunch below.
Goodr – Get Your Priorities Gay, and I Can See Queerly Now
This fun brand is known for its breezy and bright shades and its continued support of the LGBTQ community. Their popular Pride offerings, the Get Your Priorities Gay and I Can See Queerly Now sunglasses, have been designed to both look fabulous and be comfortable enough for all-day wearing. They incorporate grip-coated frames to prevent slippage and are lightweight and polarized, with lenses that offer protection from 100% of harmful UVA and UVB rays.
The Get Your Priorities Gay model features reto-look circular lenses, while the I Can See Queerly Now model boasts a square shape reminiscent of a pair of classic Wayfarers. The frames and armbars of both designs are emblazoned with the distinctive rainbow flag design – along with a little touch of glitter!
Blenders – Pride North Park
These limited edition sunglasses from Blenders were released to celebrate Pride month and feature a distinctive continuous single-lens design and sunset-rainbow mirrored lenses. The phrase ‘Love is love’ is etched into the lower left corner of the left lens, and the metal temple tips feature the rainbow colors of the Pride flag.
Designed to reflect the joy and sense of celebration of Pride, the North Park model offers an eye-catching design that’s built to last – plus, the lenses incorporate 100% UVA protection. And all the profits from the sale of these shades go to the San Diego Pride organization.
Levi’s – Pride
Levi’s Pride shades are almost clear glasses with iridescent, pastel, rainbow-colored round frames. Featuring stylish gradient detailing and a distinctive keyhole nose bridge, these sunglasses are also durable, lightweight, and comfortable enough for all-day wearing.
The shades form part of Levi’s exuberant Pride collection, which also features beautifully-designed vests, jackets, jeans, hats, dresses, and more.
Ralph Lauren – Pride
This brand has a long history of supporting the LGBTQ community through, for example, volunteer activations, financial grants, and corporate initiatives. The company has also made regular donations to the Stonewall Community Foundation, which benefits an international network of LGBTQ communities.
In 2000 Ralph Lauren released its iconic Pride Sunglasses, part of the brand’s capsule Pride collection of that year. Featuring chunky, round, partially transparent rainbow-colored frames, these shades quickly sold out – but if you’re lucky and keep a close eye out, you may be able to snag a pair on an online auction site, but you’ll need to be quick.
Zenni – Rainbow Browline Glasses
Those on a tight budget will love the Rainbow sunglasses collection from Zenni – and the Browline model is particularly of note. With a Clubmaster-style frame, transparent tips, and rainbow-colored armbars, these shades can be fitted with prescription, clear, or tinted lenses as necessary, offer UVA protection, and have lenses treated with a scratch-resistant coating.
Other frames in the collection include options with round, square, and rectangle-shaped shades, and kids’ options, too.
How to Choose the Best Sunglasses?
To choose the sunglasses that best suit your face, there’s a simple general rule to remember: opt for frames with a shape that contrasts with the shape of your face. So if you have a round face, go for an angular frame, such as the I Can See Queerly Now shades from Goodr. If you have a square face, Ralph Lauren’s Pride model will look great on you – if you’re lucky enough to find a pair! And if you have an oval-shaped face? Then the majority of glasses’ shapes and styles will suit you.
If you have a small face or petite features, some frames – especially oversized options – may look a little overwhelming. Consider transparent or semi-transparent frames, which tend to be more discreet, to allow you to have fun experimenting with these styles.
Pride Sunglasses: Fashion-Forward Frames That Celebrate the LGBTQ Community
With more designers and brands than ever before keen to show their support of Pride and the LGBTQ community, there’s a dizzying array of sunglasses on the market that look fantastic and are the perfect way to fly your own personal rainbow flag for all to see.