2024-11-15
Fashion moves in cycles, and eyewear is no exception. Styles that your parents or grandparents wore are showing up on runways, in streetwear, and increasingly on the faces of people walking through our shop. The difference is that today's retro frames come with modern lens technology, better materials, and improved fit engineering. You get the vintage aesthetic without the vintage limitations.
Here are the retro styles that are having the biggest moments right now, and some practical notes on how to actually wear them.
Round Wire Frames
The style most associated with John Lennon (and more recently, Harry Potter) is back in a big way. Small to medium round frames in thin metal wire, often in gold, silver, or rose gold.
These originally peaked in the 1920s and again in the late 1960s. The current revival leans slightly larger than Lennon's tiny circles. Think 46-50mm lens width, which gives enough room for a usable lens while keeping the round shape.
Who they suit
Round frames work best on angular faces, square jawlines and strong cheekbones. The contrast between the soft frame shape and the sharp facial features creates balance. If your face is already quite round, perfectly round frames can emphasize that. Consider going slightly oval instead, or choose a round frame that is wide enough to extend past your cheekbones.
Prescription considerations
Round frames are actually great for strong prescriptions. The circular shape means the lens is the same distance from the optical centre in all directions, which produces more even thickness. If you have a high minus (nearsighted) prescription that usually results in thick edges, round frames minimize the thick-edge visibility better than rectangular shapes.
Oversized 70s Frames
Big is back. Oversized acetate frames, often in warm tones like amber, honey, and rich tortoiseshell, are everywhere. Think Gloria Steinem, Diane Keaton in Annie Hall, or any 1975 yearbook photo.
The modern versions tend to be slightly more refined than the originals. The proportions are large but not cartoonish. Corners are softened. And the acetate quality is significantly better than what was available in the 1970s, with richer colours and more interesting patterns.
Who they suit
Oversized frames are surprisingly flattering on most face shapes because the larger lens area softens features and draws attention upward. They are particularly striking on people with longer or oval faces, where the height of the frame balances the length of the face. The key is proportion: the frame should be large relative to your face without overwhelmingly dominating it.
Prescription considerations
Here is where oversized frames have a genuine practical advantage. Larger lenses mean a wider field of corrected vision. If you wear progressive lenses, a taller frame gives more vertical room for the distance, intermediate, and reading zones. Many people who struggle with progressives in small frames find them much more comfortable in larger ones. The downside: if your prescription is strong, the larger lens area means more lens material and potentially more weight. High-index lenses help offset this.
Browline (Clubmaster) Frames
The browline frame, with its thick upper frame and thin lower wire, was the bestselling eyeglass style in America throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. It fell out of fashion completely by the 1970s. Then Ray-Ban reissued the Clubmaster in the 2000s and it has been one of the most popular frame shapes since.
The design draws the eye to the upper half of the face, emphasizing the brow line. It has a distinctly intellectual, mid-century aesthetic. Malcolm X wore them. So did Buddy Holly. The modern interpretation comes in both the classic metal-and-acetate combination and all-acetate versions with a thick upper rim.
Who they suit
Browline frames work on almost everyone because the strong upper line mimics the natural brow shape. They are especially flattering on people with softer features, where the defined frame adds structure. They also work well on heart-shaped faces, where the wider top balances a narrower chin.
Modern variations
The classic Clubmaster shape has spawned many descendants. You will find browline frames in round shapes, oversized versions, and all-acetate interpretations where the "browline" effect comes from colour blocking rather than mixed materials. There are more options than ever.
Cat-Eye Frames
Cat-eye frames, with their distinctive upswept outer corners, defined women's eyewear in the 1950s and 1960s. Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and every secretary in every mid-century movie. The style faded in the 1970s when oversized took over, but it has been surging back since the mid-2010s.
Today's cat-eye comes in a range of intensities. Subtle cat-eye frames have just a gentle upsweep at the corners, barely more than a soft rectangle. Dramatic cat-eyes go full 1950s with exaggerated points and bold colours. The trend right now is somewhere in the middle: clearly cat-eye, but not costume-level.
Who they suit
The upswept corners lift the face visually, which is universally flattering. Cat-eyes are particularly good on round faces because the angular shape adds definition, and on square faces where the upward lines contrast with a strong jaw. They also suit oval faces because basically everything suits oval faces.
And worth saying: cat-eye frames are not exclusively a women's style anymore. Subtle cat-eye shapes in darker colours are showing up in men's and unisex collections. The upsweep adds character without being overtly feminine.
Tortoiseshell Is Forever
Tortoiseshell is not really a frame "style" but rather a pattern, and it deserves its own mention because it is the single most enduring trend in eyewear. Real tortoiseshell (from hawksbill sea turtles) was banned in 1973 under CITES, but the acetate imitation has been the most popular frame pattern for decades.
The appeal is practical: tortoiseshell's mix of warm browns, ambers, and dark tones is essentially neutral. It works with almost every skin tone, hair colour, and wardrobe. It reads as slightly warmer and more interesting than plain brown but far less bold than bright colours.
Current trends lean toward richer, higher-contrast tortoiseshell patterns with more variation between the light and dark tones. Honey tortoiseshell (lighter overall with golden highlights) is having a particular moment.
Aviators: Still Here, Never Left
The aviator shape, originally designed for military pilots in the 1930s, has been continuously popular for so long that calling it "retro" feels wrong. It just is. The teardrop lens shape, thin metal frame, and double bridge are instantly recognizable.
Aviators are tricky as prescription glasses because the curved, wrap-style shape can cause optical distortion with strong prescriptions. If you love the aviator look and have a prescription beyond about +/-3.00, talk to your optician about lens options. Flat-front aviator styles (less curve) work better with prescription lenses than the deeply curved originals.
Matching Vintage Styles to Modern Prescriptions
One practical concern with retro frame shapes: some of them were designed in an era when lens technology was much more limited. A few things to keep in mind:
- Small frames and progressives do not mix well. If you want tiny round Lennon frames but you need progressives, the vertical space may be too small for comfortable multifocal use. You need at least 28-30mm of vertical lens height for most progressive designs to work well. Some compact progressive designs can work in smaller frames, but the reading zone will be narrow.
- Very large frames need high-index lenses for strong prescriptions. If you are drawn to oversized 70s styles and your prescription is above +/-4.00, budget for 1.67 or 1.74 index lenses to keep weight and edge thickness manageable.
- Curved frames (aviators, wraparounds) need special attention. Strong prescriptions in curved frames require decentration calculations that not all labs handle well. Stick with shops and labs that have experience with this.
Our Advice
Do not pick a frame just because it is trending. Pick a frame that makes you feel good when you look in the mirror. Trends give you permission to try something different, and that is their real value. If round frames catch your eye but you have never tried them, the fact that they are trending is a great excuse to see if they work on your face.
Come in and play around. We keep a diverse selection of retro-inspired styles alongside modern designs, and we are always honest about what works on your face and what does not, regardless of what is on the cover of a fashion magazine.