Looking back – an optical journey back in time

“The mind loves change; the heart loves repetition“,

repeatedly mentioned by Esther von Kirchbach. One cannot stress this enough, especially when it comes to fashion. Anyone working in this industry knows that trends come and go. It’s the nature of the industry that certain trends are in the spotlight and leave as quickly as they came about. That also applies to the most popular fashion accessories – glasses. Some styles have made more comebacks than Lindsay Lohan since Mean Girls, isn’t it?

With this article, I want to explore trends of the last century.

The 1920s – prohibition and emancipation

The 1920s were the decade of change. From the British Isles to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, a lot of social change happened. In the U.S., the women’s rights movement has given women their right to vote and also introduced prohibition as a way to counteract alcoholism, that contributed to increased domestic violence. However, prohibition lead to the emergence of a huge underground black market to meet its demand. Lots of films and series were based on it, such as Boardwalk Empire. Also, the 1920s in the UK had some fascinating moments, which becomes clear if you watch Peaky Blinders. It shows historic vehicles taking over and gangsters roaming the streets.

The intellectual look of the twenties is completed by the round metal glasses with its elegant frame. Nowadays, it is enjoying great popularity amongst hip students in Manchester or London. But these glasses still suit the Peaky Blinders’ protagonist Thomas Shelby best, who is played by Cilian Murphy.

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The 1940s and 1950s – Women at the centre of attention

During these decades, women were at the forefront of fashion. Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly wore cat eyed glasses. This particular style rose in popularity. Its curved form made the style appear very feminine, complementing women’s faces. This style has been rediscovered by designers in recent years and has thereby become a staple in different product lines. That’s why you can almost always find a pair of cat eyed sunglasses on various fashion websites and blogs. A popular brand selling this style is Vogue Eyewear (“Hola to Yola!“).

Who wouldn’t start a revolution in style with some cat eyed shades?

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The 1960s – the era of film

In the sixties, James Bond wasn’t the only spy in style, who dominated the cinematic scene. The infamous Martini-drinking Harry Palmer from Ipcress File was equally qualified to compete. His supervisors thought of him as arrogant, pretentious and refractory. Instead of obeying orders, he didn’t care about his performance.

A suitable accessory is the obligatory glasses, with which he can solve every case. While other men were slowly discovering glasses as a fashionable accessory, he already rocked the thick-rimmed glasses in Havana brown. These helped him fight criminals in the most stylish way possible!

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The 1970s and 1980s – even more cinema!

The constant arms race between the superpowers made its way into fashion. The most popular brands were competing against one another for better designs and increasingly thicker-rimmed glasses. It’s safe to assume that these oversized glasses originated in this decade. With oversized fashion styles coming back these days, this particular style suits the current trend better than ever. Girls feel comfortable wearing their brothers’ oversized hoodies and can almost wear their denim jackets as dresses. Boys are wearing sneakers like Balenciaga’s Triple S or similar dad sneakers. They end up wearing higher platform shoes than their girlfriends. Of course, that look is perfectly complemented with some large-sized glasses.

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The 1990s – shrill and bright

Colour-blind kids from the nineties have really missed out. This decade was full of pop, colour, glitter and glamour, more than ever before. The music videos playing on MTV – long before YouTube even existed – are living proof of these trends. This lifestyle influenced the design and shades of glasses. Their shape has increasingly become smaller, more oval and previously round glasses were now widely shaped. The colourfully tinted glasses in blue, yellow and pink were especially eye-catching. This trend has been revived, as you can see in the latest collection of JB by Jerome Boateng.

2000 +

The 2000s have been more turbulent than previous decades. There isn’t one significant event shaping this decade, but many small ones. But that’s the good part!

MeToo, Gay Pride, Black Lives Matter, Fridays for Future and other protest movements lead to social change, which also influences fashion. Hereby, fashion has become as diversified as its customers, from different cultural backgrounds to aesthetic preferences. That’s why there is not just one style dominating this decade. Instead, lots of different fashion trends in the industry challenge our taste and previously accepted designs. That is one of many reasons that make the upcoming years exciting. We cannot wait to see what the 2020s have to offer!