It wasn’t so long ago that wearing glasses came with a certain social stigma. If you grew up in the ’80s or ’90s, you might remember the clichés—class swots, quiet kids in the corner, or awkward characters in coming-of-age films fumbling to push their specs up their noses. Glasses were a necessity, not a choice. But as trends tend to do, the narrative shifted—gradually, then all at once.
Today, glasses are as much a fashion statement as they are a functional item. Whether it’s oversized tortoiseshell frames, slimline metal rims, or tinted prescription sunglasses, eyewear has secured its place in the style conversation. And what once marked someone as a ‘nerd’ is now a badge of taste, individuality, and sometimes even subversion.
Pop Culture’s Role in the Shift
The turning point arguably began in the early 2000s, when the “geek chic” aesthetic gained traction. Films like Ghost World and Amélie brought quirky, intelligent women with bold glasses into the spotlight. Meanwhile, male leads in indie films and television shows began to wear square black frames with quiet confidence. Suddenly, looking like you spent your weekends reading French novels in cafés wasn’t a bad thing.
Celebrities followed suit. When style icons like Alexa Chung, Zoë Kravitz, and Donald Glover were spotted in prescription glasses outside of film sets or red carpets, it wasn’t because they were trying to hide. Quite the opposite—it was clear these were chosen with care.
Then came the fashion industry’s full embrace. Models on catwalks wore glasses not as props but as essential parts of the look. Designers like Tom Ford and Gucci began releasing eyewear collections that leaned into boldness, not subtlety. Glasses were no longer something you quietly picked out at the optician’s after your eye test. They became something to covet, collect, and co-ordinate with your outfit.
The Rise of Street Style Influence
The boom in street style photography and Instagram-era fashion played a big part in normalising and celebrating glasses. Rather than seeing the same polished, unattainable looks curated by fashion houses, we were looking at real people—stylish, experimental, and confident—in their everyday clothes and eyewear.
This movement helped push glasses further into the mainstream of fashion. Chunky frames became a statement. Clear acetate had its moment. And vintage styles—cat eyes, aviators, wire-rims—cycled back into popularity thanks to fashion bloggers and TikTokers mining their parents’ wardrobes for inspiration.
Prescription sunglasses followed the same arc. Once relegated to a tiny, uncool selection at the back of the shop, they’re now just as desirable as their designer non-prescription counterparts. And with more people buying prescription sunglasses online, the options have exploded. You’re no longer limited by what’s in stock at your local optician—you can now find the exact shape, shade, and tint that suits your face and your personal style.
Glasses as Self-Expression
What makes glasses interesting from a fashion perspective is their closeness to the face. Clothes can change daily, but eyewear tends to stick around. Because of that, your glasses become an extension of how you present yourself—almost like part of your identity.
That’s why so many people now own multiple pairs. It’s not about indecisiveness; it’s about adaptability. A clean, wire-frame pair for work meetings. Bold red cat eyes for brunch. Slightly tinted prescription sunglasses for weekends away. Your glasses can shift with your mood, just like any other accessory.
It also helps that we’re seeing broader representation across the board. From campaigns featuring older models, to influencers with disabilities, the diversity of people wearing glasses—and being celebrated for it—has grown. This matters. Because when fashion reflects real life, people start to see themselves in it. And when people see themselves in it, they start to feel more confident expressing themselves through style.
A Nod to Nostalgia
There’s also something inherently nostalgic about many modern eyewear trends. We’re constantly circling back to earlier decades—oversized ’70s shades, thin ’90s ovals, bold ’80s squares. But the difference now is choice. We’re not bound to the trends of the moment; we get to pick and remix styles from different eras, wearing them how we want.
Nostalgia is especially powerful in the world of glasses. The frames our parents or grandparents wore—once seen as dated—now feel timeless, cool, and full of character. Combine that with modern materials and lens technology, and you get the best of both worlds: vintage aesthetics without the impracticality.
Where We Are Now
It’s fair to say glasses have completed a full 180 in public perception. From awkward necessity to fashion staple, they now sit comfortably alongside handbags, jewellery, and footwear in the accessories hierarchy.
The accessibility of online eyewear shopping has only helped fuel this evolution. Sites offering prescription sunglasses online and custom-fit glasses mean you can experiment without compromise. You’re no longer at the mercy of in-store trends or limited frame options. Your glasses can now be just as considered as your favourite jacket or your go-to trainers.
The beauty of it all? You don’t need to wait for glasses to be ‘in’—they already are. And if history has shown us anything, they’re here to stay.