Classics, Club Kids and Boho Chic—5 Sunglasses Trends That Tell People You're in the Know in 2026
This year, sunglasses trends are dividing the fashion set into camps. Wondering which group you fall into? Keep scrolling to see the new fashion archetypes, and what sunglasses they're wearing now.
At Who What Wear UK, you can always trust our thorough and precise reporting on the next major runway trends. We were one of the first to declare florals for spring as genuinely groundbreaking, and if you started wearing a funnel neck jacket this season, you may well have seen it here first. But now we've checked off every print, colour, shoe and bag set to dominate this season, it's time to get more granular. With warmer days ever closer, there is no better time to take a look at one of the most underrated but hardest working accessories in our arsenal. The sunglasses trends you need to know about for 2026.
Just like ready-to-wear, designers offered up a range of styles, shapes and colours for spring/summer 2026. Some charmingly nostalgic, others a glimpse into what could be the next big thing, but it's fair to say that in all of the cat-eye, rectangular, circle and oversized pairs, there is something to suit every personality.
As it turns out, 2026's most important sunglasses trends can be categorised not just by shape, but also by the wearer. If you have a penchant for the pared-back, ultra-clean, Jil Sander-esque brand of minimalism that gained traction in the '90s, I might steer you towards a classic or oval pair of sunglasses. If however you prefer print-clashing, haphazard layering and have ever been described as "loud", I would draw your attention to Loewe's aviator 2.0.
Curious to find out the sunglasses trend that works for your style tribe? Keep scrolling to see and shop the styles we're confident you're going to see everywhere this year. Your outfit won't feel complete without them.
The Biggest Sunglasses Trends of 2026
1. The Classicist
Style Notes: Eternally chic, classicists are not one for flash-in-the-pan trends, they are looking for the pair of sunglasses that will go with everything they own. Ready to invest in styles that will last a lifetime, you won't find classists in anything "buzzy", instead they prefer to focus on sleek styles in their favourite colour (read: black), and if anything can make them stray away from Ray Ban Wayfarers and Celine Triomphes, it's going to be this season's soft cat-eye and "squoval" as seen on the runways of Coperni, Magda Butrym, Courrèges and Givenchy.
Shop Black Sunglasses:
I always recommend Le Specs for a chic but affordable option.
These will never go out of style.
Such an elegant silhouette.
Blacked out lenses always read as elegant.
Such a fun new shape, and for under £30.
2. The Alt Insider
Style Notes: The future is bright, like, really bright according to the alt insider. Never one to blend in with the crowd, this experimental dresser is most likely to be sporting 2026's most divisive sunglasses trend: supersized, colour-pop aviators that wrap around the face. Always the person with multiple pairs of sunglasses in their rotation for different looks and moods, insiders will appreciate the rich colour palette and sculptural shapes sported at Loewe, Miu Miu and Pierre Cardin as the fun way to introduce a little (extra) drama to their look.
Shop Aviator Sunglasses:
I rushed to get a pair of these as soon as they landed.
I predict a new street style hero.
This shade of green is so good for monochrome outfits.
The lenses! The tortoiseshell! Theres a lot to love about these.
If brights aren't your thing, these come in a creamy neutral.
3. The Boho Spirit
Style Notes: With the return of boho chic in the wake of Chemena Kamali's viral debut at Chloé, it was only a matter of time until one of the trend's key accessories made a comeback too. Not not disc belts, but large, seventies-inspired bug eye sunnies. Free sprits and romanticists will love the ethereal, rose-tinted lenses (as seen quite literally at Zimmermann and Chloé), and vintage fans will be happy to see larger than life square and circle frames back on the agenda for this year too. Now all you need to complete the look is a billowing blouse, flared jeans and a great pair of platforms.
Shop Oversized Sunglasses:
Now these are guaranteed to invite compliments.
Sunglasses connoisseurs are already big fans of Jacques Marie Mage.
A special addition to any outfit.
Chloé have the look down to a T.
You can even shop the look on the high street too.
4. The 90's Minimalist
Style Notes: The nineties called, and oval sunglasses are back, but any self-confessed minimalist will already know that. If you've got plenty of slip dresses, white tank tops, knee length skirts and court shoes in your wardrobe, oval sunnies will slip (pun intended) into your roster along with all of your Ralph Lauren separates. After the last few months have given us a new found obsession for ladylike dressing, kitten heels and all things CBK, the forecast for the rest of the year is "polished to perfection", and whether wire rimmed or acetate, oval sunglasses are the perfect finishing touch.
Shop Oval Sunglasses:
I always start at Linda Farrow when looking for investment styles.
It doesn't get more nineties than this.
The perfect oval.
If you'd told me these were vintage, I'd believe you.
I love the pop of colour in the tortoiseshell.
5. The Y2K Devotee
Style Notes: The tech boom of the early noughties was directly responsible for the ultra-slick, high-shine glamour of the 2000s. Gadgets, metallics, sparkle and gloss, the new age of excess was all about logomania and dare I say, "bling", and those who have caught the millennium bug all over again are leaning into the "more is more" approach to fashion with aplomb. Expect Y2K devotees to be first one on and last one off the dancefloor (and they wear the 24/7 Party Girl title like a badge of honour). They might not have much else in their tiny handbags, but there will be a pair of statement sunglasses in there, and in all likelihood it will be a cyber-inspired metallic or a decadent designer pair perfect for a bleary eyed morning after. Take tips from Casablanca, Valentino and Jean Paul Gaultier and look for silver frames, eccentric shapes or heavy branding to get the look.
Shop Designer Sunglasses:
These could have stepped straight out of 2002.
Pure metallic perfection.
Just get a load of the subtle F logo..
These are made to be seen.
For when you want to tell everyone where you got your glasses from.
