Look for Less #6: Bottega Veneta Sardine Aviator Sunglasses (Pilot Aviators)

Bree's Lifestyle
Sep 8, 2025
2 min read

I stumbled onto a pair of golden aviators on SHEIN while casually browsing on the website. They were beautiful and the unusually thick temples drew me in. They looked like they had no business being sold on a site like SHEIN and would be more suited for sites that sold luxury goods. Now, I'm not a major aviators fan. They don't always look great with my face shape, depending on how large or small they are, but these made me pause with consideration. I had a sneaky suspicion the elevated design was the result of being an "inspired" version of a more expensive brand. At that time, however, I had no clue who the originator - if any- could be.

What appealed to me, besides the luxe framing, was the tint - light enough to keep the eyes on display indoors. Sometimes you want the framing of a sunglass without the incognito vibes of dark-tinted lenses. Think daytime cool. So, into my cart they went, along with the darker-tinted version for days when I DO want a bit of no-eye-contact mystique. They were inexpensive enough to get both pairs for less than $15. How could I not? And then I checked out, not really expecting much.

When they arrived I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did they look A-MA-zing, but they were heavy. Quality heavy. I'm certain they are plastic, but it's a thick plastic that could easily be mistaken for actual metal. I'm not sure if the original design is made of actual metal, but the SHEIN version gives the illusion of sleek heavy metal. Definitely heavier than any pair of sunglasses I've ever purchased from SHEIN or elsewhere. The craftsmanship was impeccable. It was at this point, I was certain these had to be inspired by a more luxe brand. I guessed maybe Tom Ford. They looked very Tom Ford-y.

It wasn't until maybe a month later when I saw an influencer unboxing the glasses on her channel that I found out they were Bottega Veneta branded sunglasses. Not only did they look identical to the ones I picked up from SHEIN, but I was immediately impressed with how well the "inspired" pair turned out. For the same look, I saved $640 and got 2 pairs to boot. The only distinguishable difference was the missing BOTTEGA VENETA engraving atop the bridge.

THE ORIGINAL

***Bottega Veneta Sardine Aviator Sunglasses - Gold, $655.00***

It was around the time I discovered who the sunglasses were made by that I began seeing other "inspired" pairs popping up on shopping sites like Amazon and Walmart. And they look just as good. Some are more yellow gold, while others are more on the champagne gold side. Either way, they are stunning. The cheaper ones, however, mean you're not going to panic if you accidentally sit on them, step on them, or lose them. If you can live without the branding on the bridge, I highly recommend the versions sold on SHEIN.