Expert Advice
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Get To Know Our Top Shapes
Love sunglasses but having trouble deciding which shape is for you? We’ll bring you up to speed on the fashion evolution of our top sunglasses styles and the icons who made them famous along the way — plus, which faces they suit best so you can make an informed decision on buying your next pair of sunglasses.
Love sunglasses but having trouble deciding which shape is for you? Maybe you’re interested in finding out the origins of your favourite styles or struggling to keep up with the latest trends in eyewear. Sunglass trends come and go and come around again, we’ll bring you up to speed on the fashion evolution of our top sunglasses styles and the icons who made them famous along the way — plus, which faces they suit best so you can make an informed decision on buying your next pair of sunglasses.
AVIATOR
Also known as the Pilot style, the aviator is a well-known shape first designed in 1936 for pilots to protect their eyes while flying. Aviator sunglasses have a very distinctive design with teardrop-shaped lenses that dip down over the eye socket, held together by a thin, and usually metal, frame. Glamorised again in the 1970s and worn by the biggest film stars and in Hollywood, the aviator has an unmatched coolness and nostalgic feel. This style has been an enduring accessory throughout the decades, with its distinct shape being revisited time after time to keep up with the prevailing fashion trends. As aviators are typically wider at the top with tapered bottom lenses, they generally suit faces with strong jawlines and defined cheekbones, this style is best suited to an oval face shape. However, if you have a heart-shaped face, aviators are also a great choice as you’ll want to mimic, not contrast, your face shape.
CLUBMASTER
Made iconic by Ray-Ban, the Clubmaster is a mix of metal and acetate with a prominent brow line. Both bold and instantly recognisable, the famous browline style holds a special place in the hearts of classic menswear enthusiasts. Pioneered in the 1940s and revived in the 80s, the Clubmasters have long been associated with sophistication and intelligence mixed with nonchalant coolness and remain an in-demand style today. Browline frames suit many faces well including diamond, oval, square and triangle shapes. Like its famous counterpart, the Wayfarer, Clubmaster style sunglasses with a subtle upsweep as seen in Ray Ban’s design particularly suit round faces as the upsweep will accentuate your features while the squared shape will contrast and balance your face shape.
CAT EYE
First rising to popularity in the 1950s & 60s for its feline-inspired style, the cat eye is characterised by an upsweep at the outer edges of the frame. With both sharp and soft upsweeps, the cat eye style is acclaimed for its flattering shape that contours the cheekbones and balances bottom-heavy faces with a wider top half of the frame. Audrey Hepburn kicked off the cat eye trend after her starring role in the 1961 chartbuster film Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the feminine style has since associated with glamour and allure. Naturally, modern cat eye variations are featured throughout contemporary fashion and have graced the faces of today’s biggest celebrities. Wearable on many face shapes, they look best on round, square, and triangular faces for its flattering upsweep style that accentuates the cheekbones.
WRAPAROUND
Wrap around sunglasses provide better grip and offer the best form of protection by preventing the sun from entering the sides of the eyes. During the height of the 90s athletic wear trend, wrap around sunglasses were a staple for many people for their comfort and practicality. As one of the most prominent styles of the decade, wrap around sunglasses have risen in popularity due to the current revival of 90s retro fashion. With a head-hugging shape and additional coverage from the curved temples, wrap around sunglasses became a go-to for athletes and those with active lifestyles. Today, wrap around sunglasses take the form of advanced sports-performance eyewear to futuristic, high-fashion specs. The wrap around style is one of the most versatile eyewear shapes on the market and will remain in popularity for many decades to come. Wrap around’s are best suited to people with diamond, heart or oval shapes, however as they are associated with sports and safety, any athlete or outdoor enthusiast should own a pair of wrap around sunglasses.
ROUND
As one of the oldest shapes first seen in the 13th century, no sunglass shape has defied the test of time like round sunglasses. Taking the 1920s by storm and continuing to reign in the 30s, round sunglasses had its most famous revival in the 1970s when they were seen on superstar, John Lennon. Even referred to as “John Lennon” sunglasses, round sunglasses have an undeniable nostalgic feel as a symbol of the retro 70s. With everything bigger and bolder in the 80s, oversized round sunglasses were a fashion staple for many women where power dressing dominated the decade’s fashion. Whether big and bold or small and petite, round sunglasses are loved for their high-fashion and sophisticated appeal. However, they aren’t for everyone. A general rule of thumb is not to choose contrasting eyewear styles to your face shape. If you have a round face, steer clear; round sunglasses are best suited to square and angular face shapes.
SQUARE
Capturing the zeitgeist of the swinging sixties, square sunglasses in the form of large, bold frames, especially in bright neon colours, were among the most prominent shapes in the age of disco. Made famous by French singer-songwriter, Francoise Hardy, and regularly worn by fashion icon Twiggy, every woman who followed the latest trends owned a pair of oversized square sunglasses. Men’s eyewear in the 60s quickly followed suit with music icon Bob Dylan sporting a square-shaped Wayfarer that broke the boundaries of traditional eyewear. Square shapes continue to be a popular choice for both men and women for their fashion-forward look and functionality by offering excellent coverage. Round and oval-shaped faces look great in square sunglasses as the defined, geometric edges contrast and complement rounder face shapes.
RECTANGLE
From the early 90s to Y2K, nothing quite rounds up the decade like a pair of slim, rectangular sunglasses. Compared to the big and bold 80s, eyewear became smaller and more slimline with celebrities like Brad Pitt taking the lead in sporting tiny frames that became the new “cool”. Since the recent revival of the 90s, rectangle sunglasses have once again held the title of the most trendy shape with this style regularly gracing the faces of some of today’s biggest celebrities, models and social media influencers. For men, rectangular sunglasses are an easy choice as they are comfortable and offer great coverage while creating a bold and confident impression. With a wide frame and slim height, angular rectangular sunglasses work well on round and oval shapes and can add length to a short face by contrast.
