Sunglasses, the ultimate practical accessory, have been a hallmark of style long before we had any reason to fear UV rays. While some of the most iconic trends, like aviators and wayfarers, may come from utilitarian military use, everyone who’s been anyone over the last 60 years understands that the distance provided by shades over your eyes instantly ups your cool factor.
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The most popular sunglasses trend the year you were born
Sunglasses have been trendy for decades. From cat eye to robotic frames, here's how sunglasses have looked over time and changed over the years.
Early '60s - Dramatic cat-eye sunglasses gave way to more subtle frames.
Late '60s - Oversized and dark shades were the height of fashion.
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Early '70s - John Lennon made teashades a favorite among music fans.
Late '70s - Saturday night gave us big and bright frames.
1980 - Robot sunglasses had a moment in the future-oriented early '80s.
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1983 - Wayfarers returned for some risky business.
1984 - Austrian label CAZAL made an iconic hip-hop look.
1985 - Long before Don Draper, Bruce Willis brought browlines to TV.
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1986 - Tom Cruise (again) brought back aviators.
Early '90s - Hologram lenses were a grunge-goth staple.
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1993 - Colorful ovals exemplified the intensity of the early 90s.
1994 - Small, round, and colorful glasses came back in a big way.
1995 - "Clueless" changed the fashion rules of the '90s.
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1996 - Futurism returned, this time with less cheesiness.
1997 - The "Insect Woman" made creepy bug-eyes cool.
1998 - Teen pop stars lightened up with colorful lenses.
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1999 - Brad Pitt made glam shades hypermasculine.
2000 - Chloe’s tinted aviators were all the girly-girl rage.
2002 - Oversized frames made a comeback.
2003 - Paris Hilton had everyone thinking pink.
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2004 - Shiny shields were on every celebrity "hiding" from the paparazzi.
2005 - Reflective lenses went glam.
2010 — Aviators were everywhere ... again.
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Aviators got yet another new life in 2010 especially if they were in big sizes or bold colors.
2011: Rectangular sunglasses were bold and on trend.
Sunglasses stayed larger than life in 2011 with the rise of rectangular sunglasses often in bold bright colors and combinations.
2015 - Mirrored sunglasses were a hit.
While flashy and colorful sunglasses had been on trend for years, in 2015, people began putting those colors directly on the lenses. These glasses were often reflective and shiny with a mirrored effect.
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2018: Tiny sunglasses were a thing again.
Tiny sunglasses took the world by storm in 2018 and you'd be hard pressed to find a star that hasn't tried this trend on for size.
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