Sunglasses: A Decade in Review

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a full 10 years since we first started seeing those pesky little plastic cat-eye sunglasses EVERYWHERE. Oh, how naive we were back then. We thought that was the peak of sunglasses trends, little did we know what the next decade had in store for us.

Fast forward to 2013, and we were all about the wayfarer. Everyone and their mother (literally) had a pair of those bad boys. They were the ultimate cool-guy sunglasses, and we were all trying to channel our inner Don Draper.

But just as we were getting comfortable with our wayfarers, along came the round sunglasses trend. Suddenly, everyone was rocking a pair of John Lennon-inspired shades, and we were all feeling a little bit more bohemian. But let’s be real, some of us (ahem, me) looked more like a bug than a fashion icon in those things.

2015 brought us the return of the aviator. But this time around, they were bigger, badder, and blingier than ever before. Suddenly, we were all channeling our inner Top Gun pilot (minus the whole flying a fighter jet part).

2016 was the year of the mirror lens. Suddenly, everyone was wearing sunglasses that looked like they had just stepped out of a disco. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love a good reflective lens? It’s like a built-in Instagram filter!

2017 was all about the oversized sunglasses. It was like, the bigger the better. The bigger the sunglasses, the cooler you were. These shades were so big, they were practically earmuffs. But hey, at least we were all looking like supermodels, right?

“These shades were so big, they were practically earmuffs.”

2018 was the year of the colorful lens. Suddenly, everyone was rocking shades in every color of the rainbow. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love a good pop of color? But let’s be real, some of us (ahem, me) looked like a giant walking Skittle in those things.

2019 saw the rise of the tiny sunglasses trend. And let’s be real, these shades were so small, they were practically a fashion accessory for your eyes. But hey, at least we were all looking like a Kardashian, right?

2020 was the year of the mask, and sunglasses were no exception. We all had to adapt to the new normal, and sunglasses with mask were the perfect solution. This trend was all about functionality and safety.

And finally, here we are between 2021-2023, and it looks like we’re all about the retro sunglasses. We’re talking thick frames, bold colors, and a whole lot of nostalgia. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love a good throwback trend?

So there you have it, folks. A decade in sunglasses trends. Who knows what the next 10 years will bring? But one thing’s for sure, we’ll all be looking fly as hell doing it.