Oversized sunglasses are a timeless choice. They’ve been a fashion mainstay for many years, and they’re definitely sticking around. For this look, shape is less important than size — so go bold and pick a pair that dominates your face. This style is a great option for women with a larger face, as the big frame makes the face actually look smaller.
Over the last few years, round-rimmed glasses have shifted from a vintage style to the mainstream — thanks to runway and red carpet appearances. Ashley Olsen, Victoria Beckham, Rihanna and others have all been spotted donning round sunnies. Round-rimmed sunglasses are most flattering on women with sharp, angular features, with square- or oblong-shaped faces, as the round shape softens and balances facial features.
Strictly speaking, “Aviators” can only be made by Ray-Ban. It’s their design from back in 1937 when they were tasked to come up with a pair of sunglasses for US Air Force pilots. But you know how these things work! The fashion world got hold of the Aviator design and did what it always does: experimented. As a result, we have a range of Aviator-style sunglasses from other designers that took the classic, top-heavy Aviator design in strange new directions. Judging from new collections and exhibitions, we’ll continue to see twists on the classic Aviator design in 2017.
I think we’ll also see flowers, gems, and sparkles on sunglasses throughout 2017. Now this trend obviously caters to women, but who knows? Maybe we’ll see some guys flashing a little sparkle this year. (Girls, we’ve been wearing masculine styles for years, right?) What’s fun about this look is you can choose an embellishment based on your mood. Are you flowery and pretty, or blinged-up and luxurious? You decide.
Havana is another name for the classic tortoiseshell pattern that was so popular in the 60s and 70s. It’s a marbled effect, usually of two colors, but it can be more complex also. As with round and cat-eye sunglasses, this began as a movement back to a vintage style, but it has taken on a life of its own. So the longer Havana sunglasses and other retro styles are popular, the less retro they seem. Havana style sunglasses frames can come in all kinds of colors and shades beyond the traditional brown and blonde tones.
Colored lenses were a trend during fashion month, and we know they’ll be big in spring/summer of 2017. Look out for dark/black frames matched with beautifully bright lenses. The only drawback of colored lenses is that they are often pretty definite, vibrant colors — which means they’re a touch less versatile than your traditional black or brown lens.
The cat-eye look was popular in the ’60s, and then it disappeared for a while. This style has made a comeback over the last several years, and it’s no surprise. It is an elegant, feminine and versatile style. Cat-eye glasses are especially flattering on women who have pointy chins — the peaked outer corners of the frames draws the eye up and adds visual balance. Women with heart- and diamond-shaped faces will get the most out of cat-eye sunglasses, but they also suit any face shape.
A new variant on the cat-eye sunglasses style has emerged and I bet we’ll see a lot of it in 2017. The style is a combination of round sunglasses and cat-eye sunglasses: the rims and lenses are round, but the frame peaks up on the outer corners to create that feline effect. I’m seeing several versions of this style now, and expect to see even more in 2017!
