No, You Don’t Need Polarized Sunglasses. Get These Instead

This story is part of our Summer Preview, a collection of features, guides and reviews to help you navigate warmer months ahead.

Most people think the best shades come polarized. They are, in fact, more expensive than normal sunglasses. But are they inherently better? Not at all.

“Polarized lenses are great for intense sunny days, the same way it’s great to wear a Gore-Tex coat on a wet winter day,” says Julia Gogosha, founder of independent Los Angeles boutique Gogosha Optique. The technology, a thin film sandwiched between two lens wafers, was developed in the 1930s and channels light in a way that reduces the eye fatigue that triggers headaches.

But just as you’re not always doing battle with cold and rain, you’re not always under a glaring sun, floating down a river or carving up a mountain. For daily wear, turn to something more versatile and, in many cases, more affordable: tinted shades.

Like their polarized counterparts, tinted lenses are treated to block UV rays from the sun. They just omit an extra step in the manufacturing process, meaning companies don’t have to sacrifice frame and lens quality to hit a more comfortable price point.

There’s another, arguably bigger advantage beyond value. Rather than limiting options to the polarized standard gray, brown and green, good old-fashioned tinted shades give you the option of virtually “every chromatic possibility you can see,” says Gogosha.

How you use the shades, of course, should dictate the color and saturation. “Think of it like how you would choose a band for a watch or how you use laces for a shoe,” Gogogsha says. “Are you trying to use it instead of a sunglass or do you want it more as a layering accessory?”

Early adopters of lighter shades — actors, directors, athletes and musicians among them — lean on them to reduce saturation and quickly turn the world down; or, as Gogosha puts it, to act as “hangover helpers.” Light lenses serve a function for the rest of us, too. “[People who] travel a lot, they’re going in and out of places all the time. They have very late nights,” Gogosha says. “There’s a lifestyle around just wanting to have something that you don’t have to take on and off all the time and keep track of.”

While style can inform usage, and vise versa, the most important aspect of tinted lenses is how you feel when you look through them. “Certain colors will evoke emotion or they’ll evoke mood or they’ll help calm or they can excite,” Gogosha says. “Colors do things.”

Colored lenses aren’t for everyone, but what product is? Unless your day-to-day absolutely demands a dark-colored polarized lens, it’s high time to consider something that blends functionality and style.

Start Here

Akila Legacy Sunglasses

Designed in Los Angeles, Akila’s sunglasses are produced in limited quantities and feature acetate frames with 5-barrel hinges and stainless steel temple cores. The brand’s Optical Class 1 nylon lenses are durable and come in colors like purple, red, yellow and gray, among others.

Moscot Lemtosh Sunglasses

These classic acetate frames from a five generation family-owned New York brand feature 7-Barrel hinges and diamond rivets. Available in four sizes, these sunglasses feature a blue gradient tint that is created by hand.

Jacques Marie Mage Sturges Sunglasses

Made in Japan from 10mm cured cellulose acetate, these shades pay homage to the acclaimed director John Sturges. Designed by Jerome Mage, they feature light bottle-green CR39 lenses with a backside anti-reflective treatment, 18k gold hardware, spur-shaped rivets and tension-secured custom hinges.

A version of this story originally appeared in a print issue of Gear Patrol Magazine. Subscribe today.

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Which Penny Loafers Should You Buy?

Loafers come in all manner of styles from tassel to Venetian to Belgian, but perhaps the most enduring style with the broadest appeal is the penny loafer.

Originating in Europe, the moccasin-style loafer made its way to the States in the early 1900s. It was adopted by traveling Americans who brought the style back with them to their college campuses where they would pair them with white socks and shorts, chinos and jeans. As for the currency moniker, that was a result of the Ivy set decorating their loafers with pennies inserted into the straps.

If you’re looking for a pair of pennies for yourself, you might be looking at the G.H. Bass & Co. Weejun. The brand introduced it in the 1930s and is responsible for making the style famous. In its wake, countless others tried their hand (or feet) at the style, not the least of which is premier American shoemaker Alden. Their 986 Shell Cordovan Leisure Handsewn Loafers have been praised by menswear aficionados for its quality and style over the decades, making it a staple in a discerning wardrobe. But which one should you get? We compared the two side by side to see which pair is the pair for you.

G.H. Bass & Co. Weejun

Price: $110

Materials: The Weejuns feature a leather upper that is fairly pliable and has a decent sheen to it. The leather itself is a corrected grain leather which is how it gets its sheen.

Construction: As far as construction, the Weejuns are unlined and use a blake stitch technique that stitches the uppers directly to the outsole.

Design: The Weejuns are a classic beefroll penny loafer, named after the stitching at the strap across the top of the shoe where it resembles a cut of beef tied with butchers twine. The toe features moccasin-style stitching and is neither aggressively pointy nor too stubby.

Sizing: I usually opt for a EU41 or a US8.5. However, the sizing of the Weejun is smaller and, while the pair we tried was a EU41 / US8, I needed a whole size up to a EU42/ US9.

Alden Leisure Handsewn Shell Cordovan Loafer

Price: $732

Materials: The shell cordovan upper is absolutely gorgeous. The so-called Color 8 shade of Horween’s infamous cordovan starts out a deep, dark burgundy before giving away to lighter tones and even shades of walnut. It’s tough to break in compared to many shoes and especially paired next to the Weejuns.

Construction: The construction of the Leisure Handsewn loafer is great. It features a Goodyear-welted leather sole with decorative fudging, a leather lining and insole, a cork filling and a steel shank for stability.

Design: Alden’s penny loafers are more refined and sculpted than the silhouette of Bass’s iconic Weejun. They feature a flat strap with a simplified penny cutout. If the Weejun is the icon, Alden’s might be its fraternal twin.

Sizing: Alden’s 986 is a bit wider and my feet fit well into the size 8. For reference, I wear 8.5 in Vans and an 8 in Red Wings.

Which One Is Right for You?

Bass Weejun: The Bass Weejun is the prototypical penny loafer. The design, the silhouette, the name — you can’t get much more authentic than this. It’s more lightweight, more flexible and more affordable than most other pairs.

The construction isn’t anything that will stand out in a shoemaking competition (yes, those exist), but you can still have these resoled. It won’t go as many rounds as a Goodyear-welted pair, but will go a few more than a glued sole. The story is the same with the upper. The corrected-grain leather starts out nice enough but won’t age as well as other uncorrected, full-grain leathers.

Sure, you get what you pay for. And in this case, it’s a fair amount.

Alden Leisure Handsewn: It’s hard to compare a shoe that’s literally seven times as expensive as another shoe. You’re asking for Manny Pacquiao to go toe to toe with a random pedestrian. In terms of construction and materials, it’s no contest. Because of the construction and materials, it’s not just heavy on the wallet — it actually has some substantial heft — and the formidable break-in period can be a turnoff for many.

That said, if you’re looking to have a pair of penny loafers that will last you over a decade, these are it.

G.H. Bass & Co provided this product for review.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The 10 Best Conditioners for Men

A lot of guys have never used a conditioner. Or, they’ve accidentally used one, only to grow frustrated with its lack of lather — hey, that’s no shampoo! Many have walked through life with a blind eye to this essential haircare step that keeps their strands strong, healthy and cooperative (when it comes to styling, that is).

Conditioners should be used daily — by anyone with hair — whereas even the best shampoos should be used every other day, every third day, every week, depending on how grimy or greasy yours gets between washes. In theory, though, a conditioning rinse should help flush away much of that buildup between washes, while also packing the hairs full of vitamins, proteins and other nutrients. Conditioner fortifies hair but also softens it so that you have a more natural bounce and shine—especially after the overdrying, moisture-stripping effects of shampoos.

Yes, you read that right: You should use a conditioner on the daily, even on the days you don’t shampoo. And you should always use a conditioner after a shampoo — never together since it restores moisture and adds nutrients, while the shampoo pulls those things away.

Here are our ten favorite conditioners, for all types of hairs and concerns. Find the one (or few) that suit you best, and order two bottles for every one of shampoo. (You can start with one bottle for now, if you’re new to this. But seriously, scale back on the over washing!)

Prose Conditioner

The Best Custom Conditioner: Tell Prose your biggest hair concerns, goals, frustrations, and more. Their survey assesses everything from your texture, length, oil levels, color, density, thickness, hair fall and more. When all is said and done, you end up with a customized formula, enriched with ingredients that help you achieve whatever goal it is — growth, fullness, preservation, color quality, definition… the list goes on. They’ll send it to you with a personalized label and everything—this is your conditioner, and it’s nobody else’s.

Saunders & Long Conditioner

The Best Conditioner for Fine Hair: The newest brand in haircare is Saunders & Long, which launched out of London last year. Their formulas have been perfected by some of the experts behind Kiehl’s and Bumble & bumble, and their assortment enriches, plumps, and defines the hair. If your hair is fine and in need of some lift and life after an over-drying wash, just massage in some of this luscious conditioning cream. Rinse, then enjoy your new bounce.

OUAI Thick-Hair Conditioner

The Best Conditioner for Thick Hair: People with coarse hair have a difficult time taming frizz, flyaways and even getting their hair to relax enough to style. OUAI’s conditioner uses shea butter, marshmallow root, and avocado oil to condition and command control over each strand. After your shower, you’ve got relaxed, cooperative hair, at least for the day ahead.

OGX Tea Tree Conditioner

The Best Conditioner for Oily Hair: If you have oily hair, you don’t need conditioner as desperately as others. But you still need it especially following a shampoo. Conditioner is doubly important if your hair is long and your oily scalp only hydrates and weighs down the first few inches of hair, whereas you need to make sure it’s all hydrated. OGX’s uses tea tree oil, which soothes and calms the scalp; in turn, tea tree oil can balance oil production on the head the same way it neutralizes unsightly pimples on the skin. More consistently, however, tea tree oil cleans and clarifies the hair itself, while nourishing it and adding a healthy pinch of shine — but not the kind of shine you loathe. This conditioner even gives you a tingly peppermint sensation in its wake.

Modern Mammals Conditioning Rinse

The Best Conditioner for Dry Hair: Engineered for the anti-shampooers out there, this conditioner is an effective rinse that flushes dirt, product, sweat and grime from your hair and scalp while doubling as a conditioner. It prevents your hair from ever frying to a crisp and restores vibrance, shine and liveliness to your fragile or brittle strands. It’s packed with aloe to soothe the scalp too, and even has skin-clearing salicylic acid (it’s much gentler than it sounds) to prevent flaking and peeling as well — and in turn, promoting strong growth for each of your hairs.

Wella Detangling Conditioner

The Best Conditioner for Curly Hair: Frizz and limp curls are things of the past: Wella’s conditioner delivers definition, body and healthy shine to the hair. It uses jojoba oil and wheat bran extract to restore bounce, control and texture to otherwise untameable, tangled hair. You’ve never had this kind of reassurance towards your temperamental curls. It also works excellent on wavy hair, too, since it emphasizes movement, smoothness, and, again, texture.

R+Co Conditioner

The Best Conditioner for Long Hair: Long hair requires a good, everyday conditioner that preserves body, shine and strength. It’s got to tame flyaways, prevent limpness, soothe the scalp, and it must massage easily throughout all of your hair. R+Co’s everyday conditioner checks all of these boxes with gusto, thanks to juniper berry extract and babassu seed oil. It’s great for many hair types — dry, damaged, thinning, dandruff prone — and thus is perfect for all kinds of longer styles, too.

Oribe Volumizing Conditioner

The Best Conditioner for Thinning Hair: Whatever your hair woe, you can trust Oribe for the solution. Their volumizing conditioner uses lupine protein and saw palmetto extract to slow hair thinning; these also promote thicker, coarser hair strands. Plumping polymers cling to the hair shaft and give it the fullness and volume you’ve longed for — with a side helping of healthy shine and keratin-fueled fortification.

Shu Uemura Colored-Hair Conditioner

The Best Conditioner for Dyed Hair: Thanks to goji berry extract, this conditioner prevents your expensive dye job from fading. Meanwhile, musk rose oil penetrates through the compromised cuticle to strengthen and soften the hair, all at once. Pair it with a color-preserving shampoo and follow your colorist’s advice on other measures—regarding the styling products, heat tools, and everyday habits—that can diminish your hair’s shine. This step, however, is perhaps the most important part of that regimen.

Better Not Younger Deep-Nourishing Hair Mask

The Best Deep-Conditioning Hair Mask Treatment: This buttery hair mask is a substitute for your everyday conditioner—but just a couple times per week. After washing and towel-drying your damaged or overly parched hair, apply this conditioner and let it sit for 3 minutes. It’s made with butters of mango, macadamia, avocado, and more, and is enriched with vitamin E. It’ll whip your hair right back into a lively, hydrated shape, all in the time it takes to brush your teeth.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The 8 Best Hand Lotions to Buy Now

Caring for your hands is imperative. They’re the tools we work with every day, after all. And seeing so much action can wear heavily on these precious tools.

Manual labor certainly takes its toll on our hands, leaving them dirty and calloused. But also, every time you wash your hands or take a shower, your skin is stripped of its natural oils which are essential for keeping it elastic and moist. Without them, skin can become dry and cracked. It’s essential to replenish these oils shortly after washing your hands or post-shower with a good hand moisturizer. If you’ve got sensitive skin like me, you already know that the need to keep your hands in good shape is doubly imperative.

Mrs. Meyers Hand Lotion

Mrs. Meyers has become a mainstay of household products and its line of hand lotions are a popular choice for good reason. The combination of almond oil and shea butter replenish the skin, helping it to feel soft and supple, but it’s still light enough so as to not feel greasy.

Aveeno Skin Relief Intense Moisture Hand Cream

Aveeno’s Hand Cream contains colloidal oatmeal which has several benefits. It helps provide a protective barrier between your skin and the elements, it’s effective at retaining moisture and it’s also anti-inflammatory.

Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Hand Salve

Burt’s Bees hand salve is great to have on-hand (literally) for several reasons. For one, the tin packaging makes it easy to stash in a pocket and carry with you. Another is its blend of natural herbs and oils. Olive oil is a main ingredient in the hand salve and provides a number of vitamins that are beneficial to skin health. Not to mention olive oil’s natural anti-bacterial properties which help prevent infections.

O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream

O’Keeffe’s Hand Cream is one of the most popular hand creams on Amazon thanks to its effectiveness and price point. It contains glycerin which is a humectant, meaning that helps not only to retain moisture but actually pull moisture to the skin since it attracts water to itself. Needless to say, it’s an attractive option for those with cracked and chapped hands.

Lovett Sundries Hand & Body Cream

Lovett Sundries’ hand cream contains several key ingredients that are life-saving for your skin, especially if you experience skin conditions such as eczema. One of those ingredients is coconut oil. In several studies, it’s been shown to help retain moisture, reduce inflammation and even accelerate healing of wounds. It also is effective at killing harmful microorganisms which can exacerbate wounds from cracked skin.

L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream

Shea butter has a number of positive properties that make it a go-to for skincare. It’s a naturally occurring material that’s harvested from tree nuts and is highly concentrated with vitamins and fatty acids that work together to help promote cell regeneration and moisture retention while reducing inflamed skin and stopping harmful microbes and fungi from forming. It’s also the primary ingredient in L’Occitane’s hand cream.

Aesop Reverence Aromatique Hand Balm

Aesop’s line of luxury grooming and skin care products isn’t just fluffy marketing. It really works. The Reverence Aromatique Hand Balm contains a formulated blend of shea butter, coconut oil, almond oil and glycerin to help enrich the skin. It also contains potassium lactate which, like glycerin, is a humectant and has high moisture retention. And with its sophisticated balance of vetiver root, petitgrain and bergamot rind, it smells lovely.

Byredo Suede Hand Cream

Byredo’s hand cream is one of the best-smelling options we’ve come across, as is to be expected of the French label which also specializes in premium fragrances. Byredo’s Suede Hand cream perfectly orchestrates bergamot and fresh aldehydes at the top with mid-notes of lily of the valley and violet as well as base notes of crisp amber, soft musk and velvet plum. Aside from its fragrant attributes, it’s light and greaseless on the skin and also contains butylene glycol which helps the skin to feel soft.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Borrow Some of Childish Gambino’s Style With This Relaxed Cardigan

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