Why It's Time for Tiny Glasses to Go

I have a confession: I think tiny sunglasses are ugly.

The tiny sunglasses trend, which originated in the 90s, is officially back in full force. Both men and women have been seen sporting the style as it has trickled down from Hollywood to the mainstream public.

One of the first sightings of this style was in the ‘70s, when John Lennon wore small, circular sunglasses. This was before the trend had become popular. Although these sunglasses were considered to be unusually small at the time, the public had yet to see tiny sunglasses.

Image via PicClick

In the ‘90s, the Olsen twins and Jennifer Aniston were amongst the stars who popularized this odd trend. As more and more celebrities began to wear these small, round, or oval sunglasses in various colors, the public began to pick up on the fad. Tiny sunglasses were all the rage during this decade, but once the 2000s hit, tiny sunglasses were out and huge frames were in.

Jennifer Aniston in 1996 via CR Fashion Book

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in their 1998 movie Billboard Dad via CR Fashion Book

Like most ‘90s trends, tiny sunglasses have made a major comeback over the past few years. Celebrities like Bella Hadid and Rihanna have recently been spotted sporting small frames. This recycled trend, however, has not been met with an entirely positive response. Many people have criticized the fact that while models and movie stars may be able to pull off this look, tiny sunglasses make the average consumer look silly.

Image via Marc Piasecki/GC Images

Image via Gotham/GC Images

I, too, am of the opinion that we need to just put this craze to bed. Before I get into why tiny sunglasses are so unsightly, there is something I should clarify: there is a significant difference between small sunglasses and tiny sunglasses. Small sunglasses, such as the circular ones that John Lennon wore, are not the issue. Small sunglasses can look good without being comically miniscule. So, why are tiny sunglasses so ugly, you ask?

Firstly, what purpose do they serve? They hardly seem to provide any coverage to our eyes. If you wear them the way glasses should be worn (sitting at the top of the nose) and they do, in fact, cover your eyes, you end up looking like you are stepping out of a tanning bed.

Image via TanningLotion

Secondly, if tiny sunglasses are not worn with the purpose of protecting your eyes, then the only function they serve is as a fashion statement. And in my humble and unimportant opinion, they are not fashionable. Tiny sunglasses are off-puttingly small, insect-like, and unflattering. While I do concede that Rihanna can make them look amazing (Although there’s not much that she couldn’t make look amazing. She could wear a lamp shade on her head and call it fashion), on most people, these sunglasses have a tendency to distort proportions of the face. I personally can’t seem to find a pair of tiny sunglasses that look quite right on me – or anyone else for that matter. So let’s just call a spade a spade, and stop trying to make this trend work.

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Graphics via Angela Cheng. Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images.