Eyewear has a knack for betraying the kind of man you are. Too safe and you look like you’ve borrowed something from HR, too showy and you risk slipping into midlife-crisis-DJ territory. Unlike most accessories, you can’t just take them off when you get bored – they live on your face, every day, shaping how the world sees you. Which is why the right pair matters. 2025 isn’t about reinventing the wheel, but it is about subtle shifts: vintage revivals, slimmer profiles, bolder shapes, even a bit of creeping tech. Here are the 2025 eyewear trends worth paying attention to, whether you're looking for sunglasses or spectacles.
Retro revivals
Eyewear has always borrowed from the past, but 2025 is leaning into it more heavily than usual. Think frames your dad might have worn in university, or the ones you’ve seen on old record sleeves: big aviators, round Lennon-esque lenses, chunky tortoiseshell. The appeal is obvious – nostalgia is cool again, and these shapes carry a certain ease that modern minimalism sometimes lacks. They’re flattering, too, softening the face without trying too hard. The key is balance: pair them with modern clothes so you don’t look like you’ve stepped out of a period drama. Heritage, but not costume.
Minimalist frames
If you prefer your glasses to whisper rather than shout, slim frames are where it’s at. Stripped-back metals, rimless or semi-rimless silhouettes, almost disappearing against your face. They’re practical, comfortable and discreet, but crucially, they feel modern. It’s a reaction to the maximalism we’ve been seeing for years, a kind of palate cleanser for your face. The trick is in the subtleties – brushed finishes, architectural lines, muted tones. Think design-led rather than flashy. They let your clothes, your haircut, even your personality, do the heavy lifting.
Bold statement frames
Not everyone wants their specs to fade into the background. Oversized, angular frames are back with a vengeance, and they’re not interested in blending in. Thick acetate, oddball shapes, loud colours – the kind of glasses that make strangers on the Tube wonder if you’re in a band. And maybe you are. The point is, eyewear as identity, eyewear as attitude. They’re a shortcut to style when the rest of your outfit is just jeans and a T-shirt.
Colour play
For years men stuck rigidly to black, brown, maybe grey if they were feeling adventurous. This season? Glasses are going technicolour. Pastel frames, tinted lenses, translucent acetates that look like boiled sweets. It’s playful, a bit daft, but surprisingly wearable. A pale yellow lens, for example, can make you look like a louche Italian film director – and who doesn’t want that? The trick is restraint. Let the frames do the talking and keep the rest of your look simple. Consider it a small way of signalling that you actually enjoy getting dressed, without having to resort to novelty socks.
Lightweight materials
Comfort doesn’t always get talked about in fashion, but it should. Glasses that feel like nothing on your face – featherweight metals, titanium wireframes, innovative plastics – are not only practical, they’re also chic in a low-key way. They’re the glasses you forget you’re wearing until someone compliments them. Slim temples, barely-there bridges, subtle details that reveal themselves up close. They’re the opposite of “fashion” glasses, which makes them stylish in a different sense. Think of them like well-cut wool trousers: timeless, versatile, unshowy.
Function meets fashion
Utility has been bleeding into fashion for years thanks to gorpcore, so it was inevitable that eyewear would catch up. Glasses that double as sports gear – durable acetate, wraparound lenses, mirrored glass – are moving from runs and rides into everyday wardrobes. They look good, but they’re also built to withstand more than just the office. Think of it as the eyewear equivalent of cargo trousers: once derided, now oddly chic.
Nostalgic shapes
Sunglasses are in a romantic mood this year. Soft curves, wire aviators, round Lennon lenses – frames with a bit of history baked in. They’re evocative, cinematic even, but crucially, they’ve been tweaked for modern proportions so you don’t look like you’ve raided your uncle’s drawer from 1984. The best ones tread a fine line between nostalgia and novelty, giving you that sense of familiarity while still feeling current.
Mixed materials and texture details
The devil is in the detail, especially when it comes to glasses. Frames that blend metal with acetate, mattes with glosses, even wood with plastic, are quietly becoming the most interesting thing you can put on your face. It’s less about bold shapes and more about subtle depth – a flash of steel at the temple, a translucent front with solid arms. Textures you only notice up close, but once you do, you can’t unsee them. It’s the eyewear equivalent of selvedge denim or Goodyear welts: design touches that don’t scream, but make all the difference.
Next up: Yoovy is a new eyewear brand with a clear vision.
