When Adele showed up to the 2023 Super Bowl to watch Rihanna’s half-time show, her lip-smacking antics instantly became a meme - but there was something else we couldn’t take our eyes off: her sunglasses.
The award-winning singer, a fan of large-framed sunglasses, showed up in full Fendi including a £360 pair of the fashion house’s baguette sunglasses. It’s not the first time the singer has made a statement with her sunnies. At Glastonbury 2015, Adele was spotted among the crowd wearing a pair of Karen Walker’s Super Duper Strength Crazy Tort sunglasses (£155).
While her style is classic, other stars like Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid have pioneered the return of certain retro styles, with both models sporting the slimline sunglasses look in recent years.
What brand of sunglasses is most-favoured by celebrities?
If there had to be one sunglasses brand favoured among the Hollywood glitterati, it’s Ray-Ban.
They brand, which is known for its Wayfarer and Aviator-style sunglasses, have shielded the eyes of everyone from Kate Middleton, to Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Reese Witherspoon, Emily Ratajkowski, Kaia Gerber, and Jennifer Aniston to name a few.
Ray-Ban began producing its now-iconic Aviator sunglasses in 1937 for the US Air Force whose cadet’s eyes needed protection from the sun’s rays - hence the brand’s name.
How can you pick the right sunglasses for your face shape?
Before you buy a pair of sunglasses, it’s best to know what are the best fits for your face shape.
Oval faces can get away with wearing almost any pair of sunglasses as they have the most versatile shape, while heart-shaped faces should opt for wider-set frames to balance out narrower chins. Meanwhile square frames look best on round faces, while round or oval frames suit a square face shape the best.
What should you look for in a pair of sunglasses?
Besides style and how they look (obvs) the most important thing to consider when buying a pair of sunglasses is the amount of UV (ultraviolet) protection they offer.
UV radiation is what comes from the sun, so choose sunglasses with 100 per cent UV protection. This may be shown in a description as “UV absorption up to 400mn”, which is the same thing as 100 per cent protection.
Other factors to consider include lens colour, the size of sunglasses you prefer, what you will be using them for (i.e. sport or everyday activities), and whether you prefer polarised lenses or not. A polarised lens filters out light and reduces glare from reflective or bright surfaces, which makes it useful for those who live by or work on bodies of water.
Best celebrity-inspired sunglasses at a glance
- Best for giving Adele: Fendi First Mint green acetate sunglasses, £360, Fendi
- Best for giving Meghan Markle: Le Specs Air Heart Sunglasses, £60, hush
- Best for giving Kate Middleton:Finlay & Co Henrietta sunglasses, £150, Findlay & Co
- Best for giving Kaia Gerber: Ray-Ban Daddy-O II, £109, Sunglass Hut
- Best for giving Bella Hadid: Poppy Lissiman Caidyn sunglasses in terracotta, £85, Poppy Lissiman
- Best for giving Jennifer Lawrence: Lu Goldie Salome Sunglasses, £148, Free People
- Best for giving Taylor Swift: Ray-Ban Wayfarers, £184, Sunglass Hut
- Best for giving Hailey Bieber: Hailey Bieber X Vogue Eyewear VO5442S in dark havana, £84, Vogue Eyewear
- Best for giving Adele (again): Karen Walker Super Duper Strength Crazy Tort sunglasses, £155, Karen Walker
- Best for giving J.Lo: Quay High Key aviator sunglasses in gold brown, £59, ASOS
- Best for giving Kendall Jenner: Velvet Canyon Zou Bisou square-frame acetate sunglasses, £205, Net-A-Porter
See and shop like a star with the best celeb-approved sunglasses.
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Fendi Fendi First tortoiseshell oversized sunglasses
As seen on: Adele
Exact match available? Not in white but in different colours.
Besides statement necklines, the other fashion statement you can almost guarantee that Adele will always make is large face-framing sunglasses. Case in point: the white-framed Fendi sunglasses that she wore to the 2023 Super Bowl.
While the exact colour isn’t available to buy, the Fendi First style is available on Fendi’s website and over at Harvey Nicks in a chic tortoiseshell design.
Buy now £310.00, Harvey Nichols
Le Spec Air Heart Sunglasses
As seen on: Meghan Markle
Exact match available? Yes.
When Meghan Markle’s friends threw her a baby shower at The Mark in New York City in 2019 before the birth of baby Archie, there was only one (very public) way to enter and exit the hotel - so sunglasses were a must.
For the occasion, the Duchess of Sussex opted for this low-key pair from Le Specs. The cat-eye style has a thick frame with a metal top bar inlay, and quickly became a favourite among the style set.
Buy now £60.00, Hush
Finlay & Co Henrietta in Light Tortoise/Green Lenses
As seen on: Kate Middleton
Exact match available? Yes.
Despite attending up to 100 events per year, Wimbledon is where the Princess of Wales’ style is truly allowed to shine. The summer event often sees Kate Middleton don a pair of sunnies, and for the 2022 tournament the Henrietta style from Finlay & Co were her statement pair of choice. With nine different colours available, this cat eye style is hand made from luxury Mazzucchelli acetate and offers full UVA/UVB protection.
Buy now £150.00, Finlay & Co
Ray-Ban RB2016 Daddy-O II
As seen on: Kaia Gerber
Exact match available? Yes.
Everyone has that pair of go-to sunglasses that they reach for time and time again.
For model Kaia Gerber it’s the Ray-Ban RB2016 Daddy-O II, a pair she’s been seen sporting on several occassions. These rectangular black sunnies suit oval and round face shapes best, and they include the signature Ray-Ban branding on the top left corner of the left frame.
Buy now £109.00, Sunglasses Hut
Poppy Lissiman Caidyn - Terracotta
As seen on: Bella Hadid
Exact match available? Yes.
Bella Hadid has been a long-time fan of Australian-born designer Poppy Lissiman to complete her off-duty looks. She loves Lissiman’s sporty-style Caidyn sunglasses in particular for their pop of pink. The style comes in four different colours, has wide, wrap-around frames, and offers high UV protection.
Buy now £85.00, Poppy Lissiman
Lu Goldie Salome
As seen on: Jennifer Lawrence, Gigi Hadid
Exact match available? same style in different colours.
While Jennifer Lawrence may be rarely papped by paparazzi, when she is she is often seen wearing her favourite pair of rectangle shaped Salome sunglasses from Lu Goldie.
While the exact pair isn’t available in the UK, the style is sold by Free People in apricot, cotton candy, and black frames.
Buy now £148.00, Free People
Ray-Ban Wayfarers
As seen on: Taylor Swift
Exact match available? Yes.
Beloved by everyone from Taylor Swift to Reese Witherspoon, Rihanna, and Emma Watson, the Ray-Ban Wayfarer is iconic for a reason.
The square-shaped frames suit almost every face shape, and the brand recognition for these are instant. They are durable, long-lasting, and there is also a polarised lens option available.
Buy now £184.00, Sunglass Hut
Vogue Eyewear VO5442S
As seen on: Hailey Bieber
Exact match available? Yes.
One guaranteed way to know a celebrity is a fan of a certain brand or pair of sunglasses? When they’ve designed them themselves.
Hailey Bieber’s latest collection with Vogue Eyewear is full of the kind of sunnies the model wears on the regular. The new collection, her third with the brand, includes everything from rectangular to cat-eye style frames, but our personal favourite is this dark brown rectangular pair which just scream Nineties supermodel.
Buy now £84.00, Vogue Eyewear
Karen Walker Super Duper Strength Crazy Tort
As seen on: Adele (again)
Exact match available? Yes.
One of New Zealand designer Karen Walker’s signature styles, the Super Duper Strength sunglasses have large, round frames that flatter most face shapes. The style feels rather oversized, so you’re guaranteed to feel like a celebrity avoiding the paps in these. They’re very robust too, so perfect for festivals - Adele wore them to Glasto back in 2015.
Buy now £191.00, Revolve
Quay Australia High Key aviator sunglasses in gold brown
As seen on: Jennifer Lopez
Exact match available? Yes.
If there was one brand of sunglasses that has become synonymous with Jennifer Lopez’ off-duty style, it’s Quay Australia. The actor-singer seemingly has every pair the brand has released in her wardrobe which she wears on rotation - but her favourites are the aviators. Aviator-style sunglasses tend to have a very thin frame with colour gradient lenses, and they suit almost everybody hence the shape’s enduring popularity.
Buy now £59.00, ASOS
Velvet Canyon Zou Bisou square-frame acetate sunglasses
As seen on: Kendall Jenner
Exact match available? Yes.
Created by a sister duo who wanted to make eyewear with a “forever appeal”, Velvet Canyon quickly became a favourite for the Hollywood Elite after it launched in Los Angeles in 2017.
Kendall Jenner is a firm fan, having sported several of the brand’s designs, but her go-to is the Zou Bisou Seventies-style frames which she has both in black and brown.
Buy now £205.00, Net-A-Porter
