7 Key Sunglasses Trends You’ll See Everywhere This Summer

We’ll never say no to timeless eyewear, but we’re still suckers for the cutest sunglasses trends of 2024. Whether you’re tired of your current frames or you just want to look now, our favorite summer trends are already taking over our feeds and city streets—and all you need to do to get onboard is invest in a pair (or 10).

This season’s best sunglasses largely remix retro inspiration; peep the chunky aviators, shield sunnies, and oval frames that defined decades past, all updated for our current moment. Most importantly, though, they’re all genuinely wearable. Some are perfect as everyday pairs, while others are more for special occasions like music festivals—but all will get more than a season of use. Ready to step up your eyewear game? These are our favorite sunglasses trends of 2024.

Glamour’s summer sunglasses wish list

• The Aviators: Aire Whirlpool Sunglasses, $39
• The Cat-Eyes: Kate Spade Aglaia Sunglasses, $195
• The Amazon Gems: Vanlinker Retro Oval Sunglasses, $14
• The Designer Sunnies: Prada Rectangular Sunglasses, $489
• The Under-$20 Pair: Sojos Retro Aviator Sunglasses, $15
• The Festival Frames: By Anthropologie Geo Wire Sunglasses, $38
• The Beachy Pair: Ray-Ban State Street Sunglasses, $241

1. Retro aviators

Cool girls are reclaiming chunky, ’70s-style aviators en masse—and we couldn’t be happier about it. While wire-rim options will never go out of style, the most popular of the moment is thicker plastic in solid colors and tortoiseshell. These picks—including Aire’s ultra-popular $39 sunnies—are bold enough to jazz up low-key outfits like white T-shirts and jeans, yet versatile enough for more eye-catching ’fits like full suits and trendy summer dresses.

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2. Hangover sunglasses

Based on the sheer number of huge frames we’ve seen in recent weeks, we’ll be channeling our misspent youth this summer; who hasn’t thrown on a pair of larger-than-life sunnies to hide the mistakes of the previous night? Whether or not you’re ordering a BEC after wrapping up your “night” at 4 a.m., oversized eyewear adds some welcome drama to whatever you’re wearing. (Might we suggest a tank top and linen pants?) Sure, there may be a pounding in your head—but as long as you look fabulous, you’ll get by.

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3. New-school cat-eyes

Cat-eyes evoke the glamour of the ’50s and ’60s, but this season’s best takes on the shape feel decidedly now. We’ve noticed a recent rise in wire-rim options, à la Sydney Sweeney’s go-to shades. And on the acetate side, our favorite cat-eye frames gesture at Space Age retrofuturism, but with exaggerated proportions that keep them contemporary. Your next beach trip won’t be complete without a pair.

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4. Black oval sunnies

Everywhere we look this summer, we keep seeing one very specific kind of eyewear: skinny black ovals. It’s no surprise, considering they look good with everything and will never read as dated. Of course you need a pair in your collection. The Celine Triomphe sunglasses arguably kicked off the trend, so that’s a great place to start; the silhouette is also available at every price point imaginable. Stick with a classic solid-color option—or switch things up with a tortoiseshell or pearl-studded pair.

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5. Geek-chic eyewear

Call it the Miu Miu effect: The sunglasses that might have gotten you made fun of in middle school are suddenly the hottest thing in fashion. After showing skinny “librarian glasses” a few seasons ago (kicking off the corporate-sleaze trend), the brand sent horn-rimmed glasses and oval shades down the runway for 2024. So the easiest way to look cool this summer might just be to embrace the slightly uncool—especially if pleated skirts, polo shirts, and penny loafers are involved.

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6. Shields, 2.0

We understand if you’re still wary of shield sunglasses after their mid-aughts heyday. But thanks to luxury brands like Loewe, they’re getting a big (genuinely good) reinvention for 2024. They’re certainly not for the weak of heart, but if you’re the type who isn’t afraid to stand out from the crowd, you’ll find they kick every outfit up to a 10. (We just spotted tons of those orange Oakley specs at Gov Ball 2024, by the way.)

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7. ’90s-inspired shades

Whether or not you’re old enough to remember the ’90s, the decade’s best sunglasses are officially back in the zeitgeist. If you’re headed to a music festival, you’ll be right on trend in a wire-rim pair with thick arms or a geometric shape. City streets, meanwhile, are flooded with skinny pairs that could have been plucked from the costume department of The Matrix. And any summer vacation could use a good pair of ’90s-does-’60s shades that could have been in Kurt Cobain’s rotation.

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