Love Them or Hate Them, Oversize Sunglasses Are Back
Whether you're ready for their return or dreading it with every fiber of your being, oversize sunglasses are on their way to a monumental comeback, with the brands on everyone's lips right now, from Saint Laurent and Khaite to Phoebe Philo and Tom Ford, putting aside their love for microscopic eyewear in favor of styles of the larger, more shield-like variety. And now that their stance on the subject's been solidified on the runways, there's no turning back.
Here's why I'm not mad about it. As much as I've played into the tiny-sunglasses movement that started in the late 2010s and has flourished until just recently, the styles simply aren't as practical as their more substantial counterparts. Half the time when I'm wearing small shades, I'm not getting any actual sun protection, which is hardly the case when I grab for my larger aviators or '70s-inspired square pairs. But that's not all. The oversize styles rising the ranks ahead of 2024 are simply more impactful sartorially speaking. Scroll down to see their return for yourself.
Ever since the first Oliver Peoples x Khaite drop arrived, the NY-based brand's been at the forefront of eyewear, showcasing chic, trend-determining options season after season.
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Of all of the larger sunglasses styles out there right now, the ones getting the most attention are aviators, whether they're framed in acetate or metal.
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Saint Laurent was the first brand to make me rethink my previous opinion on oversize sunglasses, with the below Blaze style making a stellar case for going big or going home in the eyewear department.
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The large sunnies at Saint Laurent's S/S 24 show were but one aspect of the French label's ongoing '80s push.
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Given how ever present large sunglasses are on Tom Ford himself, it should come as no surprise that Peter Hawkings's first collection for the brand would highlight the eyewear style.
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Big sunglasses are a power move, plain and simple. Just look at this Tom Ford NSFW office look, pencil skirt and all. It's great on its own, but the addition of these large sunnies really adds to the intimidation factor.
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Eliza Huber is a New York-based senior fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and the intersection of sports and fashion. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 after almost four years on the fashion team at Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a marketing degree from the University of Iowa. She has since launched two monthly columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled the likes of Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top trends from fashion month, season after season. Eliza lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, running in Central Park, and scouring The RealReal for discounted Prada.
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