Photo: Trisha Weir / Flickr

Stay on trend this summer by getting your hands on a pair of cat-eye sunglasses. Retro cat-eye glasses first made their appearance in Alexander Wang’s line last summer and now just about everyone is wearing them, including Nicole Richie, Gwen Stefani and Rihanna. Say goodbye to the oversized square sunglasses of seasons past or the designer sunglasses from Ray Ban and welcome in a new era of retro inspired by the classic style of the 50s and 60s.

Then meets now

Today’s cat-eye sunglasses come in plenty of different styles. Smaller shades stay close to the styles of the 50s and 60s, while oversized ones combine last year’s trend for huge sunglasses with this year’s look. The pointed edges of cat-eye sunglasses have a striking, sharp look and come in designs to suit every face shape.

Picking the right pair

One of the reasons that cat-eye sunglasses are so popular right now is that they come in many shapes and sizes and suit everyone. A general guideline when choosing your pair is to opt for smaller frames if you have a small face, and to go big with oversized frames if you have a large face. Square faces will benefit from the curved bottom line of cat-eye glasses, while round faces will be balanced out by their sharp points.

Celeb style

If you want to go bold with your shades, take some inspiration from the stars. Christina Ricci was recently spotted in a pair of oversized tortoise shell cat-eyes, while Scarlett Johansson kept her look classy with a dramatically shaped plain pair worn to the David Letterman show. Nicky Hilton was recently spotted in a pair of cat-eyes with a dramatic zipper effect and Kim Kardashian has been seen out and about in a pair with a bling gold accent on the frames.

Wondering what to wear with your new glasses? Do them justice by pairing them with an edgy outfit. Think fitted jeans, kitten heels and button-ups.

Tags: fashion, Fashion trends, sunglasses