You might not believe it but the perception of what we can or should wear on our faces has changed dramatically in the last 20 years.
When I first started writing about eyewear in 1999, there was a tendency to focus on ‘subtlety’, ‘unobtrusive, gentle colorations’, or tried and tested ‘traditional’ – the offer in terms of frame styles was limited and opportunities to try something different relatively scarce, or close to impossible!
Today we are lucky to have an extraordinary choice of eyewear brands, frame types, shapes, materials and a spectrum of exciting colors designed to enhance personality and personal style.
Bright statement tones have finally earned their place next to the ‘safer’ bets in eyewear. They include easy-to-wear shades of red or purple (a good place to start if you are new to brighter color tones), unexpected neons – shocking pink, acid green or fresh turquoise, and patterned designs or intricate color combos that use a rainbow of tones in one single frame.
It’s as if eyewear has evolved beyond recognition when it comes to these lively, eye-catching mixes or trend-led one-tone proposals. Perfectly in tune with the latest fashion trends or straight off the catwalk, the new choices elevate the unique features of our eyes while exploring materials, textures and shapes with fresh creativity and flair.
Color Forecast: Optimistic + Vibrant for 2020
At this year’s international eyewear fair Mido in Milan (Italy) – a fair I attend each year to gain insights about eyewear trends and innovations ahead, the international trend forecasters WGSN predicted that the palette to expect at the start of the new decade would resonate with vibrant ‘optimistic’ tones highlighting a cool, crisp direction.
In fashion, mustard, gold, neo-mint, purist blue, cassis, cantaloupe and yellow are among the predicted hues that we’ll see most widely, and some of these will come through in eyewear or in details and treatments on the frames.
One thing to remember: color is a personal choice. Go with what you love, but don’t be afraid to try something new, something bright. Just as soon as you’ve done it you’ll be wanting more…before long you will be wearing the most daring shades of fuchsia and canary yellow as if it were the norm!
