They say that trends are recycled every 20 years and right now we're having a '90s renaissance. Everyone from Ace & Tate to Weekday has thrown our sunglasses style straight back to one of fashion's most significant decades. So what are the archetypal '90s shades? A quick look through back-in-the-day photos of Drew Barrymore, Tyra Banks, Cameron Diaz and Destiny's Child will give you an idea, with smaller frames, a nod to futurism, and – of course – plenty of minimalism.
Ahead, we've got the lowdown on the influences behind this season's most coveted shades, from Kurt Cobain's bug-eyed pair, to Matrix -inspired sci-fi sunnies.
Oval
You've probably seen the minimalist oval pair on everyone from Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid to Selena Gomez, but these micro sunnies are a staple of nearly every '90s fashion throwback. Then-couple Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt worked matching pairs, while Jennifer Aniston's were the perfect accompaniment to her staple tank top and cargo trousers. Beverly Hills, 90210 's Kelly Taylor regularly sported an oval pair , and who can forget Mary-Kate and Ashley's matching tinted sunnies in '98's Billboard Dad?
Kurt Cobain
Celebrity photographer Jesse Frohman shot Nirvana in '93, just five months before Kurt Cobain's death, producing what would become a much-referenced image: the leopard-print jacket, the trapper hat and, most importantly, the sunglasses. A hybrid of Jackie O shades and bug eyes, the cartoonish white frames became the centre of one of the most famous shots of the Nirvana frontman. We saw the return of this pair in YSL's SS16 collection, which paid homage to Cobain with cardigans and plaid shirts. Harry Styles and Pharrell followed suit, and it wasn't long before Rihanna and bloggers like Chiara Ferragni rocked their own pair.
Cat Eye
You can thank Adam Selman for the return of these sunglasses. A fresh take on the shape of old Hollywood glamour, the new cat eye sunnies are almost futuristic. Everyone from Gigi Hadid to Adwoa Aboah has been fighting the sun with a pair from Selman's Le Specs collaboration. But back in '99, Julia Roberts was wearing these glasses with a black beret and leather jacket as Anna Scott in Notting Hill. Now, designers from Fendi to Max Mara have styled models with the angular specs, while fans of the most flattering of all the '90s sunnies range from Olivia Palermo to Solange.
The Matrix
Remember the super-thin glasses worn by Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in 1999's The Matrix? This season, the hacker-cum-activist look returned, in large part thanks to Demna Gvasalia's Balenciaga AW17 show, where models with cropped hair donned inch-thick glasses that gave an almost wraparound look. While the original pair was probably something your dad would've worn, 2017 has spun out a fresh way to wear them – with white frames à la Rihanna, or paired with a choker like Attico cofounder, Gilda Ambrosio.
Tinted
Sure, you may associate tinted specs with the '70s, but the 2017 refresh has been heavily influenced by the '90s. Think of the shades rappers Eve and Lil' Kim used to wear, and 1998's surreal Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Johnny Depp's Raoul Duke spins around the Nevada desert in a Hawaiian shirt and yellow-tinted, wire-framed sunnies, but this statement-making pair needs no dress code. Pandora Sykes added more pink to her two-piece at Copenhagen Fashion Week, while Alessandro Michele styled models in head-to-toe yellow (including lenses) at Gucci's Resort 2017 show. And we don't need to remind you of Drake's June outing in a pink soccer shirt and rose-tinted specs, do we?
Further reading
It's Time To Introduce Some Texture To Your Wardrobe With These Faux Fur Pieces
Wake Up Summer With These Bold, Bright Shoes
Make Do & Mend: The New Patchwork Dresses For Summer
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