Small specs make a big impact
Tiny sunglasses may not be much at shading the eyes, but they are an outsize trend as fashion insiders ditch oversized Aviators for the new skinny specs look.
An edict from rapper turned fashion forger Kanye West should help fan the flames of the hot craze for micro-frames and small round sunglasses.
Prepare to throw out those oversized frames and giant lenses and follow the supermodels who have been stepping onto the catwalks sporting microscopic eyewear that looks as skinny as they do.
Small frame sunglasses became all the rage after leading designer Demna Gsalavia peppered his models with small black round sunglasses as they took to the runway at a smash hit fashion show.
The black round sunglasses looked great perched on the refined noses of his catwalk models, and the fashionwear followers were quick off the mark in taking up the trend. News spread that skinny specs were back in fashion.
Now small round sunglasses are perched on celebrity noses just about everywhere. The small frame sunglasses can be seen on such fashion trendsetters as Rhianna, Kylie Jenner and Bella Hadid.
Round sunglasses have become a must-have accessory for anyone wishing to make a statement in the modern world and bring extra features to their everyday outfit.
The small round sunglasses look is not new, of course. It all harks back to Matrix star Carrie-Anne Moss who was decked out in a pair of spoon-like shades for 1990s movie smash.
The micro-frames reigned supreme in the late nineties and early noughties as the ultimate in chic for the cool woman and they now make their comeback as the retro shades of choice for the It girls of today.
It may have taken around 20 years for small round eyewear to resurface but the swing to tiny sunglasses and nineties nostalgia has to be taken seriously.
It is what style insiders term a 'tricky trend' where the style rulebook goes right out the window, and postmodern flummery like luminous trainers and bright PVC begin to gain mass appeal.
The trend for small sunglasses dates way back to the 1940s when round circular sunnies were the sunglasses of choice way before John Lennon put them back on the style map again in the 1960s.
Some say today's fashion setter Bella Hadid has single-handedly spearheaded the return of the tiny sunglasses frame as she is rarely seen without them.
But Kanye's endorsement and their promotion on the Kardashian TV show could be enough to send small sunglasses mainstream and turn them an essential statement accessory.
The jury's out though on just how good these mini specs are going to look on us mere mortals. Some say the micro sunnies failed to flatter the pneumatic Kardashian despite Kayne's impressive proclamations.
And let's face it, small sunglasses frames can look positively weird when worn as they should be, halfway down the nose and peered over rather than looked through.
The mini lenses may earn some big style points but are hardly likely to shield the eyes against dangerous UV light or to be in any way practical for the beach or around the pool.
If you plan to join the bandwagon for slinky small frames on holiday this year then be sure to pack some extra sunscreen too.
Sunglasses manufacturers are making the most of the latest skinny specs trend with Ray-Ban's Oval Flat sunglasses, for example, echoing the nineties look with an iconic, timeless look and updating it for the modern world.
The thin metal frames emphasise the oval flat lenses which come with a super hi-shine and a multi-layered treatment to help reduce glare.
Of course, fashion goes in cycles and the recent trend for all things 90s has brought us a whole year of chunky sweaters, hoodies, slip dresses and even chokers.
It looks like eyewear is about to stretch the nineties nostalgia for a while yet. If you're in the market for a pair of these throwback small sunglasses, please heed this advice.
These tiny sunglasses accessories are hopelessly inadequate at providing the protection your eyes deserve so opt for sunglasses like the Ray-Ban that guarantee to block up to 100% of all UV light.
