The sun is shining, and there’s only one thing for it: sunglasses.
They might seem like a small detail, but as well as the practical factor of protecting your eyes from the glare of the sun, shades have an innate ability to make any outfit look instantly cool.
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I’ve started embracing them pretty much all year round. It also helps that I live by the beach, so avoiding sand in the eyes is a must – and I may as well add a dose of chic on my dog walks.
While I believe there’s a pair of shades out there for everyone, there are some styles we’re seeing more than others already this year.
It’s evident by looking at celebrities, who rarely step out without theirs. Take Kim Kardashian for example, who’s been styling Balenciaga’s bug eye pairs consistently, as well as a sleek Y2K-inspired pair from Prada.
Then there’s oval styles, favoured by Kendall Jenner and Emily Ratajkowsi. After seeing them in theirs, I’ve purchased a pair from & Other Stories ahead of my holiday next month.
Wherever you’re planning to wear yours, it can’t hurt to plan your summer accessories so you don’t get caught out when the sun shines.
So let’s delve into the sunglasses trends for spring summer 2022. From the aforementioned bug eye shades to tinted lenses, there’s a selection of new styles ready to inspire you.
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Y2K
Bella Hadid is the poster girl for all things Y2K, so we can trust her to show us how it’s done.
She’s modelling frame-free shades from Burberry on Instagram, but the trend was spotted at Fendi, Blumarine, Mark Fast, Givenchy and Armani so you can bet you’re about to see more of it.
Oval-frame sunglasses, now £171, Marine Serre x Vuarnet Swirl – buy now
Ultravox cat-eye sunglasses, £335, Prada Eyewear – buy now
Tinted lenses
As colour becomes a welcome addition to our wardrobes, designers embraced it whole hog and even added it to shades on the catwalk for SS22.
Seen at Giambattista Valli, Koché, Givenchy and Dior, we’re expecting to see a lot more of these retro sunnies.
If you’re worrying that colourful frames are over, fear not; Versace contrasted their sunglasses’ lenses to the frames and the result was dopamine dressing perfection.
Double G cat-eye frame sunglasses, £220, Gucci Eyewear – buy now
Oversized aviator sunglasses, £10, Monki – buy now
Oval shapes
Oval shaped sunglasses have been around for a while, but they’re not going anywhere.
It’s hard to name a designer that didn’t embrace them in their SS22 collections in some capacity. The 90s-inspired shades appeared at Mark Fast, Sunnei, Rick Owens, Miu Miu, Giambattista Valli, Balenciaga…the list goes on.
Carrarra tortoiseshell round-frame sunglasses, £235, Off-White – buy now
Show Up Sunglasses, £39, Quay – buy now
Modern cat eye
Cat eyes are becoming a timeless style but 2022 will see them get an update with modern details such as missing panels and sharper edges.
More is more when it comes to this trend, as seen at Lanvin, Stella McCartney, Dior and Tory Burch.
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The Linda, £149, Jimmy Fairly – buy now
Cat’s eye-frame acetate sunglasses, £235, Linda Farrow x Dries Van Noten – buy now
Visor shades
A difficult trend to nail but a present one nonetheless is the visor shades, as modelled by stars including Kim Kardashian and J-Lo.
They’ve taken inspiration from designers including Lacoste, Balenciaga and Balmain, whose approach is always the bigger, the better.
The Britt Visor, £30, Good Times at Urban Outfitters – buy now
Visor-lenses sunglasses, £208, Moschino – buy now
Bug eyes
Another style favoured by Kim K, the bug eye shades are a new addition to our collection.
Vogue credits them for creating ‘instant cheekbones,’ so if you’re keen to try them, look no further than Rick Owens, Acne, Prada and Balenciaga, who show us how it’s done for SS22.
Vandella Sunglasses, £395, Jacques Marie Mage at Net-A-Porter – buy now
Butterfly oversized sunglasses, £343, Victoria Beckham Eyewear – buy now
Aviators
If bug-eye and visor shades are too out there for you, why not try aviators?
A timeless classic, these suit almost everyone and never go out of style. What’s not to love?
Designers including Victoria Beckham and Tom Ford are embracing them for SS22
Camouflage-print pilot sunglasses, now £352, Chloé Eyewear – buy now
Aviator Classic sunglasses, £181, Ray-Ban – buy now
