Sunglass trends might come and go (and come back again), but '90s silhouettes are forever. I think that if "Love Story" and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's rapid resurgence as a fashion icon have taught us anything it's that this sentiment applies to more than just sunglasses—'90s minimalism, in general, has been on an upswing ever since the internet went into a frenzy about the Netflix show. It has also taught us that, more frequently than not, a woman is more interesting, endearing, and worth talking about than her male counterpart—but that’s a topic for another story. We, at this moment and after being blessed with a series of days that have been over sixty degrees in New York City, have the sun on our minds. And with the sometimes blinding brightness of the sun comes the need to protect our eyes in style. So, we ask the question on everyone's mind when it comes to any fashion styling choice lately: what would CBK do? The short answer is this: she would pull out a pair of oval frames, her favorites being from New York brand Selima Optique.
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Oval shaped sunglasses were popular throughout the 1990s way beyond Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. After previous decades favored oversized frames, the '90s saw a bit of a shrinkage and an affinity for increasingly tiny shades, often with metal frames or in a neutral black or tortoise shell. The trend was, at the time, also co-signed by the likes of Kurt Cobain and Naomi Campbell, transcending categories as seemingly distant as grunge music and luxury high fashion. This style of sunglasses paired with sleek, minimal '90s ensembles resulted in an effortlessly cool energy that is really only true to that era.
"Love Story"
IMDB
The small sunglasses trend resurged in recent years, with Kim Kardashian being a modern endorser of the trend—and admitting that Kanye West strictly advised her against the oversized look that she was known for wearer at the start of her career. As all trends cycle in and cycle out, we recently noted that it girls—Kendall Jenner and Emily Ratajowski, for example—were once again embracing the "bug eyed" look. This isn't to say that small, oval-shaped sunglasses completely vanished from the fashion scene, but just that another look may have surpassed the style in popularity—for a little while, at least.
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As demonstrated through "Love Story" viewers everywhere searching far and wide for the best vintage Calvin Klein, stocking up on plain white button up shirts, and embracing camel as the neutral color of choice, we know that if anyone could singlehandedly re-popularize an item, style, or aesthetic, it's Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
"Love Story"
IMDB
