I feel like, as a child, it is one of the unspoken rights to make fun of your parents, like telling them they’re not cool &, etc. However, the more I learned about style and fashion trends, the more I realized they had it. In this post, I will be dipping into the classic “dad shoes” trend and the skinny trendy sunglasses that I like to call “moms sunglasses”.

There was a time when dads wore cell phone clips and had no sense of style. They made a club and decided their next big power move would be to start wearing dad shoes.

That’s not true, but it sounds like it could’ve been accurate. If you aren’t familiar with these “dad shoes,” look up Dad shoe memes; it explains it perfectly. The chunky unstylish, usually New Balance or Reebok brand shoes, have made a reappearance, but this time with a twist.  Originally made in the 80s for style and comfort are now worn by young women everywhere. It’s a universal thing. Why is it that when dads wore them, they were gross, but now women are wearing them, and they are all the rage? These shoes have jumped significant numbers in price points from the 80s to the current day.

Now let me touch on “mom’s sunglasses.” I’ll start by adding some background context. I call these glasses “mom sunglasses” because about a year ago, I looked at old photos of my family and found an image of my parents when they were younger. I noticed my mom had on some pretty stylish shades, and I recognized them because I had seen them all over TikTok. I recently bought a similar cheaper pair on Amazon. I was shocked, and that’s when it hit me full circle. All trends do come back like they are stuck on this revolving loop. 

This trend started in the ’90s and was then known as its more formal name, “Matrix Sunglasses,” which resurfaced in 2017. Stella Mccartney is directly linked to branding these new glasses on their comeback. However, credit is also given to designer Adam Selman who collaborated with Le Specs to create these sunglasses again. Sleek and stylish, these glasses can disguise or elevate your look. Worn by all celebrities with streetwear or extravagant met gala outfits. Why did they come back, though

A movie screening of the Matrix was a start. However, there are other theories of why the trend came back. Before tiny sunglasses came back, the stylish trend was oversized glasses. “According to Dr. Vanessa Brown, a professor at the School of Art and Design at Nottingham-Trent University, once a fashion trend has reached its aesthetic peak, it will instantly go in the opposite direction.” Is it fair to say that it was time to go as small as possible because we peaked the oversized look? I think this is a strong possibility, even looking at iPhones. We’ve watched the industry go from small to big and back to small again. What does this say about trends?