The Y2K trend exploded in 2021 and has shown no signs of stopping since. In fact, super popular streetwear brand Supreme unveiled its Spring 2022 sunglasses collection last year to reveal four new shapes inspired by the early 2000s.
These Y2K sunglasses include the Koto, Club, Velo, and Levy — all uniquely designed to imitate silhouettes the stars like Paris Hilton would proudly wear during the height of the era.
From glamorous rhinestone details to eye-catching purple shades, these sunglass styles promise to add that retro touch to your outfits. Is this a style you want to wear? Read on as we discuss four sunglasses styles that will bring your outfit back to the fashionable late-’90s and early 2000s.
Oversized Square Sunglasses
Seen on Lady Gaga in her ‘Bad Romance’ music video and even Kim Kardashian in her casual wear, oversized square glasses promise to emulate ‘futuristic diva realness’ in your outfit. These perfectly fit oval or round face shapes, adding more angles and balancing out the softness of your features.
With the right color, these sunglasses can definitely make you stand out from the crowd. Eyewear retailer FramesDirect carries a wide selection of stylish women’s sunglasses, including square retro Chopard SCHG32V sunglasses, perfect for channeling the carefree vibes of summer.
Shield Sunglasses
If the size of the square glasses is what appeals to you the most, you’d be happy to know that you can also go for the much larger shield sunglasses. Y2K icon Paris Hilton popularized these in her hit reality TV show ‘The Simple Life,’ and some of these shield sunglasses are even big enough to cover more than half of your face.
These serve to elevate your outfit and make a clear statement of retro-future in big, bold letters. Brands like Balenciaga, Prada, and even Gucci carry their own edition of the infamous shield sunglasses. From mirrored to polarized, you can definitely make use of this style to turn every casual stroll into a high-fashion runway.
Retro Oval Sunglasses
On the other side of the spectrum are retro oval glasses. These are small and slim and often come in neutral shades. The Outta-Love oval frame from Le Specs is known as one of the best pairs of stylish sunglasses to up your shade game in the summer and can help you embrace your love of ’90s minimalism as well.
This pair is often compared to the DMY by DMY pick, which celebrity Hailey Bieber wears for her effortless, LA model-off-duty look.
If you want an edgier style with a bit of fun, you can take cues from singer Olivia Rodrigo, whose style skews heavily towards Y2K fashion. She’s been spotted wearing oval frames from Prada, and she has other similar shades with tinted lenses for a pop of color.
Cat-eye Sunglasses
The effortless cat eye was a go-to silhouette in the 60s – and later seen again in the 90s – perfectly capable of giving you a classic and fresh look today.
They have an upward curving shape that’s inspired by the Harlequin masks in Italy and meant to frame your eyes. These can look incredibly stunning on oval, round, square, and even diamond face shapes.
They’re also easily paired with an outfit — as seen on Lucy Liu in the iconic 2000s film ‘Charlie’s Angels’ when she donned a sleek, leather outfit and a pair of cat-eye glasses.
You can go for the blackout lens options, dab a little lip gloss on your lips, and wear the statement piece with a simple outfit in neutral coloring.
Y2K Sunglasses Inspiration
Have any of these Y2K sunglasses inspired you to try the retro aesthetic? Don’t be afraid to experiment with different designs and figure out what best works for your face shape and fashion sense to find a pair that flatters you and suits your vibe.
Y2K is all about having fun, and with the right shades, you can express your sense of style in different ways.
