‘80s style men’s sunglasses

Summary in 30 seconds

TLDR: The 1980s were known as the decade of excess. From big shoulder pads to loose pants, everything was a little bit extra…And that included men’s sunglasses. From Tom Cruise sporting an iconic pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers in the movie Risky Business to Michael Jackson appearing everywhere in his trademark aviator glasses, men in the ‘80s loved their shades.

Most Popular Men’s Sunglasses Shapes

Square Aviator Wayfarer Rectangle Oversized Round

Jump to content:

• ‘80s-style was over the top, but men’s sunglasses were amazing
• The 2 most popular men’s sunglasses styles in the ‘80s
• A few fun things to know about ’80s-style men’s shades
• Looks we love

It seems like recently an entirely new generation of fashion-forward folks discovered some of the best looks from the 1980s, including men’s sunglasses.

‘80s fashion was questionable, but men’s sunglasses were amazing

While the ‘80s were mocked for the over-the-top fashion of the era, one thing has stood the test of time: ’80s sunglasses for men. For some reason, while lapels have grown and shrunk, ties have gone from wide to narrow and back again, and pants started out baggy then tight and everywhere in between, men’s ‘80s sunglasses have retained an effortless sense of cool. 

The two most popular styles of men’s sunglasses in the ‘80s

If you take a look at photos from the era, you’ll notice two main styles of shades on men: 

• Ray-Bans in some variation of the Wayfarer.
• A slightly larger aviator-style sunglasses. 

Shop Wayfarers

Shop Aviators

Most interesting, while men in the ‘80s wore statement sunglasses,  they were never the centerpiece, merely a cool accessory that enhanced an outfit.

Remember Don Johnson on Miami Vice?

If you ever watched a rerun of Miami Vice, you might have snickered at Don Johnson wearing a pink or turquoise suit with linebacker-sized shoulder pads. But despite Sonny Crockett’s unpredictable hairstyles, his sunglasses were always on point.

Fun information about ‘80s shades

If you love the look of ‘80s men’s sunglasses, here are a few things you should know:

• 80s men’s sunglasses look great on women too. Maybe it’s the slightly oversized glasses frames or full rim, but pretty much everyone looks fantastic in these sunnies.
  
• The materials may have changed, but the styles are consistently chic. It may seem like there are a bazillion new styles of Wayfarers on the market since Tom Cruise slid around in his tighty-whities in the movie Risky Business, but for the most part, they’re variations on a classic. Did we mention that they’re also available as prescription sunglasses?
  
• They were part of many ‘80s-icons trademark look. If you think back to Michael Jackson at the height of his fame, you’d be forgiven for thinking his tipped fedora or single sparkly glove were the accessories he wore most often. But have another look. In almost every concert, publicity, or paparazzi pic, MJ is also wearing an oversized pair of aviator sunglasses, either embellished or plain metal. In fact, many men’s glasses in the ‘80s had a similar look, and that look has stood the test of time (the aviators, not the single sparkly glove!)

Looks we love!

Ready to start shopping for a new pair of glasses online? We took some of the guesswork out of the process and picked a few pairs for you. 

• Not ready to commit to a full ‘80s sunglasses makeover? We love the way Classic Ray-Ban Wayfarers flatter nearly any face and come in multiple sizes and slightly different shapes. You definitely can’t go wrong with a classic black shiny pair.

• Combine your fondness for ‘80s-retro with of-the-moment pinky-gold lenses for sunglasses that take you from sunup to sundown. We’re only slightly obsessed with these Michael Kors Hvar aviator men’s sunglasses which also come in a cool blue lens variation.