Big sunglasses are back!

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Not too long ago I saw them popping up on the faces of Hollywood stars, and now they're becoming ubiquitous. That's right--BIG SUNGLASSES ARE BACK!

And I rejoice. I always thought big, ginormous sunglasses looked so glamorous and chic. They called to mind the ever-elegant Jackie O and Sophia Loren. But then, trendsetters starting running around in teensy granny glasses, looking like a bunch of John Lennon wannabe's...and suddenly it was painfully unfashionable, even laughable, to sport sunglasses that covered up not only your eyes, but half your face.

So I gave in and started wearing the teensy ones, even though they really weren't my best look. And it's not just a looks matter either, when you get to be my age---you're fighting wrinkles with every weapon in your arsenal, but your itsy bitsy granny glasses aren't even shielding your crow's feet? Come on! (I remember reading in one of Fran Drescher's books that she wasn't giving in to the tiny sunglasses trend, on skin-protection grounds alone. I had to admire her chutzpah in going against the fashion grain.)


Paris Hilton

Halle Berry

Finally, the tide is turning. Style mavens everywhere started turning up with good-sized eyewear again (of course, one of the first celebrities I saw wearing big sunglasses again was one of the miniscule Olsen twins, and anything would look big on them! They look like little insects with their huge sunglasses on!)

The delightful Kathy and Judy of WGN Radio were talking about the fact that large eyewear is back...not only in sunglasses, but in regular glasses. They gave kudos to women like Jackie O and Sophia Loren, who never stopped wearing them!



And remember, as recently as Ronald Reagan's funeral last year, we wondered why Nancy didn't update her maxi-glasses for more fashionable smaller ones? I read that Nancy's kids had tried to urge her to do just that, but she stuck to her guns. Those were the glasses she liked, and she was going to wear them!


Nancy Reagan

As for me, I now wear my got-them-at-TJMaxx-for-10-dollars big black Steve Madden sunglasses without fear of reprisal from the fashion police. And I couldn't be happier...because if big sunglasses are back, can big hair be far behind? :)