Fashion trends often repeat themselves, and eyeglasses trends are no exception. Eyewear designers constantly look back over eras in history to find past trends that they can reinvent into something new and exciting. London Fashion Week 2011, for example, introduced us to some fresh designers exhibiting street style designs with retro eyewear looks such as the geek chic and the Wayfarers. Other more innovative designers displayed a stylish range of sunglasses made from bamboo.

[b]Cubic - or the "Sara Palin" glasses[/b]

Glamour and retro aside, eyeglasses trends in 2010 still focus on the professional look eyeglasses give a person. What started with the ‘Sara Palin’ look back in 2009, a trend characterized by boxy frame with 90 degree angles with either rimless or full-rimmed cubic eyeglasses inspired by sharp edges squares and rectangles.

This eyewear trend not only has undeniable chic and is ultra modern, but also projects a professional and intellectual air. Angular frames in black and silver with chunky side arms are fashion forward with a cutting-edge, futuristic feel.

Cubic eyewear is at its sensational best when paired with suits or edgy outfits. If these looks aren’t your style, then pair them with a clean cut plain white look. This will really make the eyewear

[b]"Geek chic" – from Buddy Holly to Johnny Depp[/b]

The arty-smarty look, can be summarized as "The bigger (and weirder) the better". This eyewear trend is celebrating a surge in popularity due to the current ‘geek chic’ trend among city hipsters ― making everything that was once nerdy or unpopular, fashionable again.

Rock-revolutionary Buddy Holly was the first who rocked conventional thinking and appearance wearing those famous over sized, geeky simple glasses. Pictured wearing his big chunky plastic frames he has been quoted by John Lennon as "Making it OK to wear glasses" and also influenced Elton John to wear glasses during his performances. There is no need to repeat the significance of Sir John to eyeglasses fashion and eyewear trends.

[b]Cut-out details[/b]

Cut-outs as a trend can been spotted all over the fashion world, from cut-outs in leather and suede shoes, to cut-out patterns in gold dangly earrings. Such a feature is incredibly attention-grabbing especially if the color showing through the cut-out pattern is of a contrasting color to the material itself. For instance, a pair of black glasses with sidearm cut-out details would look stunning on someone with blonde hair, as the light hair peeking through the cut-out would highlight the dark-colored glasses.

If you’re a woman, wear these glasses with your hair up, as most cut-out details on glasses occur on the side arms. You don’t want your hair covering your glasses’ best feature.


[b]Oversized[/b]

Oversized handbags, oversized t-shirts, and now oversized glasses- Bold, super-hip people should try their hand at big glasses and sunglasses.

Wear these glasses with anything you want – as long as it’s funky. But just as a tip, make sure their frame’s shape is flattering to your face, since round big ones might not be the best choice for very round full faces, or for a very small thin one.


In today’s accessorized pop culture, it seems that every fashion and art icon makes sure to hold a pair of those Buddy Holly classics. Take a look at Johnny Depp for example, who tends to mix them with tailored suites, exchanging the official geek look to one full off sex-appeal.

These geek chic glasses are best worn to casual occasions and art affairs like film screenings, parties, luncheons, museums and galleries.

Wayfarers were designed in 1952 by optical designer Raymond Stegeman, and from the very beginning won great popularity. Although the model sold well for ten year, the official style was born in 1962 with a guest star appearance of Audrey Hephburn in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. From this point on these pilot glasses became a hot eyewear trend in Hollywood. 50 years on, the Wayfarers are as popular as ever.