The Best Minimalist Glasses, According to a Fashion Editor

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The trend for minimalism is not only going strong. It’s coming for every part of your closet. From bags to shoes, sleek and pared-back designs are classic mainstays that never go out of style. The latest way it’s cropping up is right on our faces—in the form of streamlined, no-frame or wire-frame eyewear.

These styles are “an evolution of the quiet luxury wave,” said Cristina Calciati, who works in trends and foresight at the eyewear company EssilorLuxottica, which owns brands like Ray-Ban and Persol. “[It’s] a minimal, understated, and hyperwearable look that doesn’t sacrifice details.”

“This trend lives and breathes in a bigger scenario of very nostalgic comebacks mostly rooted in the ’90s and Y2K, especially as younger Gen Z, in particular, rediscovers those eras,” added Sofia-Marie Best, who also works at the company.

Indeed, this look easily recalls that era, and futuristic-chic, modernist brands like Prada and Armani leaned heavily into elegantly understated eyewear designs. Giorgio Armani was especially fond of them, and his recent passing may spur a new interest in them.

(Image credit: Getty Images/TheStewartofNY)

The trend easily crosses the gender divide, as evidenced by the excitement around the demure wire-rimmed eyewear Jonathan Bailey sports in the latest Jurassic Park film. Bailey cheekily called them “slutty little glasses” on the red carpet and later banked on that phrase’s virality by releasing a pair with the eyewear brand Cubitts, which benefited LGBTQ+ causes.

Funnily, Bailey hits on a fascinating tension that these styles possess: They’re both sexy and slightly nerdy. They often conjure images of librarians and studious pupils, but there’s a frisson of flirtation to them as well.

The other night, I happened to bump into a friend of mine—Renatto Balladares, a concept designer at Gap—and he was wearing a pair. “It’s a streamlined, sophisticated look,” he told me. “But it has to be authentic. It can’t be, like, ‘office siren.'”

“Plus,” he added, “it’s good for hiding bags under your eyes.”

The trend is a response to oversize, statement-making wraparound shades (think Charli XCX’s Brat summer shades), but it also exists at the same time as them. “While many consumers are into big and bold plastic frames—a style that really ruled the market for many years—others are now more drawn toward minimalism and lightness,” said Calciati.

“On top of that, the no-frame constructions are perfect to enhance tinted lenses—another big trend of the moment exploding for men,” added Best.

When you’re thinking about that finishing touch to your fall and winter outfits, barely-there eyewear just may be the perfect thing.