Now every berk in the world and his dog has a pair of sodding Wayfarers, the pressure is back on to drop some nickel-brass alloy on a nice pair of cans and claw back the same admiring looks you won back when you first blagged a pair of 5022′s off your dad. Once again, the time has come to dispose of that which was hitherto desirable, but what to choose?

Selecting a suitable pair of sunglasses is no trifling matter and you need look no further than the hoards of bug-eyed girls sporting Dennis Taylor’s cast-offs to appreciate that something complimentary to your facial structure is more important than blindly following trend.

Much of Wayfarers’ enduring popularity can be attributed to their iconic lines. Neither ovoid nor angular they occupy a pleasing middle ground that flatters sculpted cheekbones and recessive chins alike. Pretty much everyone looks good in Wayfarers which is probably why we’re all clinging onto them like photo’s of ex girlfriends and Barbour Bedales.

Opinions aside, there are a slew of alternatives knocking about on and offline this summer and at prices to suit every pocket. The high street shows no sign of slowing down the rip and release model that sees big retailers like ASOS and Topshop reproducing designer frames for pocket money. Bad luck for snobs, thumbs up if you want to cop a pair of reasonable Moscot copies for the price of a couple of ales

It’s been a good year for fashion behemoths Ralph Lauren, who have presented one of their strongest collections to date.

If you can pull them off these Illesteva Leonards are the absolute business, both the honey and contrasting tortoiseshell colourways are very nice indeed.

Mosely Tribes, an imprint for Eyewear heavyweight’s Oliver Peoples are another burgeoning US brand yet to make a serious impression on European Shores. Their Lyndel model is especially snappy and bang on trend with keyhole detailing and acetate frame. Uk distributors, please stand up.