Sunglasses styles have continued to change throughout the years. From oversized silhouettes on Jackie Kennedy to ultra-thin frames in the 90s, the trends evolve over time.
While sunglasses weren’t popularized until the 20th century, there are prototypes of sunglasses dating back to the Roman Empire when Nero would watch gladiator fights through glasses made of polished gems. However, it wasn’t until sunglasses were inexpensively produced in 1929 that people began to incorporate them into their everyday lives.
The trends of the time often took style cues from popular movies and the stars. From cult movie classes to feminist icons, there are often clear moments in pop culture that helped cement a trend of the decade.
Because fashion works in a cyclical motion, we often find trends having resurgences from decades ago, suddenly sprouting a new relevance. As you read about the trends over the years, you’ll recognize many of these from their third or even fourth time around the trend cycle.
Let’s take a stroll down memory lane to look at sunglasses trends through the decades.
