What is it about putting on a really great pair of sunglasses that makes you feel instantly cooler? A pair of seriously slick shades has the power to lift a mood and elevate a look – all while making you feel just a tiny bit invincible. It’s no wonder Steve McQueen, Elton John and John Lennon all made them part of their trademark and Anna Wintour never takes hers off.
With an incoming heatwave and holiday-smattered horizons, now’s the time to pick your perfect pair. But which to choose? Classic cat-eye devotees might consider switching to an oval silhouette, spotted on the likes of Hailey Beiber and Bella Hadid in recent weeks. Celine has a dropped an excellent oval shape for SS22, while Aussie brand Le Specs does a similarly lovely style for a fraction of the price. Elsewhere coloured lenses have replaced coloured frames as the versatile way to see things full spectrum.
Perhaps the most exciting eyewear for summer 2022 is crafted from eco materials; look to brands like Akile, Pala, Clean Waves and James Ay which fashion frames from plants and ocean plastic.
The ongoing Y2K revival brings with it big and sporty shield-like silhouettes, like those seen on the runway at Balenciaga and Paris Hilton c.2000, and a return to pastel-hued rimless lenses, which accompanied every other look at the Blumarine show. If you’re looking for a muse, early Noughties Britney and Anastasia are your poster girls.
All oval it
Celine, £310. sunglasshut.com
Linda Farrow x The Attico, £190. brownsfashion.com
Le Specs, £55.56. lespecs.com
DMY by DMY, £140. selfridges.com
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Coloured lenses
Jimmy Fairly, £129. jimmyfairly.co.uk
Bottega Veneta, £295. brownsfashion.com
Jacquemus, £300. Selfridges.com
Dior, £370. mytheresa.com
Y2K Revival
Hot Futures, £105. hotfutures.co.uk
ASOS design, £14. asos.com
Ace & Tate, £200. aceandtate.com
Blumarine, £169. blumarine.com
Chloe, £355. brownsfashion.com
Sustainable shade
James Ay, £140. jamesay.com
Akila, £85. akila.la
Salvatore Ferragamo, £219. ferragamo.com
Pala, £110. palaeyewear.com
Finlay, £150. finlayandco.com
