The Coolest Photos of Celebrities in Sunglasses

sunglasses - Shirley Maclaine, Mary J Blige — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Trends come and go, but one fashion rule is here to stay: A great pair of sunglasses can elevate any look. From classic shades to novelty sunglasses and everything in between, these are the coolest photos of celebrities in shades.

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe had particularly chic style in her 30s (this is in 1956, shortly after her marriage to Arthur Miller). These look to be one of her favorite styles, the Ray-Ban Wayfarer, with their gorgeous soft square shape. A classic for a reason.

Grace Kelly

This is 1956, and a young Princess Grace of Monaco (formerly Grace Kelly) is in Paris with her husband. These are slightly rounded but still a classic shape, less sharp and styled than cat-eye or oversized options. She apparently owned and loved dozens of pairs of Oliver Goldsmith sunglasses.

Audrey Hepburn

The Oliver Goldsmith Manhattan sunglasses that Audrey Hepburn wore in the opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany's were (no surprise) made custom for her. The “Audrey Hepburn sunglasses" became an extremely popular style: full, circular, but not too wide or oversized.

Debbie Harry

The '80s brought us some fun sunglass frame colors. Debbie Harry, whose style was a mix between classic and edgy, debuts a white-framed pair that complements her platinum blonde hair perfectly. The shape of the lens remains as classic as ever, obviously.

Anna Wintour

Anna Wintour's been wearing a pair of round "power sunglasses" for decades at this point (this is back in 1999). She's worn all sorts of couture brands, including Chanel, Prada, and Celine. It's part of her signature look, right alongside her blunt haircut.

Jeff Goldblum

Jeff Goldblum is never a bad style reference! The modern iteration of a classic pair of sunglasses is sharper and more structured. Goldblum has been wearing great shades since the '80s, and these offer nice contrast to his softer, more textured outfit.

Taylor Swift

This is a slightly softer version of a sharp-but-classic pair of sunglasses. Taylor Swift looks awesome in this tortoiseshell pair, which is Stella McCartney and therefore extremely chic. If you need a single pair of sunglasses, may it be a fuller shape and slightly oversized.

Gregory Peck

Celebrities have loved aviators for a long time, and they bring an effortlessly cool vibe. Gregory Peck wears his to great effect here; this would be years before he'd play the bespectacled Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird, but this is still a great example of how the shape of sunglasses can change a person's whole vibe.

Robert Redford

Robert Redford was made for aviators. In popularizing the style, he imbued them with that mysterious, sexy superstar quality. Case in point: this is a still from spy thriller Three Days of the Condor, and these mirrored aviators are a perfect match for the role.

Julia Roberts

Aviators have evolved over the years, but the classic narrow shape (Ray Bans, in this case) will never go out of style. Julia Roberts deploys them expertly here: you can add them to any look for a retro, cool style. Matching black frames are a nice touch.

Meghan Markle

This is probably one of the more notable instances of a modern celebrity wearing aviators. Meghan Markle is at the Invictus Games 2020 in the Netherlands here, and these are considered some of her best sunglasses ever (they're apparently by Linda Farrow and plated with 22-carat gold).

Brigitte Bardot

A long, thin pair of sunglasses adds an instant dose of chic. Here, Brigitte Bardot and Sami Frey are in a car in Rome together. The year might be 1963, but Bardot's chic black sunglasses wouldn't look out of place on a red carpet today (as you'll see).

David Bowie

If David Bowie wears it, it must be cool. The singer's dressed in a smart suit but elevates it with some long rectangular frames—which instantly make him look like the counter-cultural icon he is. Sunglasses really bring structure and dimension to a softer look.

Brooke Shields

The '90s really did bring us innovation in sunglasses...some of which were more effective than others. This goggles-esque pair is a smidge intense for everyday-wear (even though Brooke Shields is pulling them off as well as anyone can). A more modern iteration would be less thick.

Usher

Our long, thin sunglasses have taken on a more classic shape in the 2020s after several decades of experimentation. (This is 2023 at the "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" Met Gala, and it's a pretty clear reference to the designer's signature shades.) I love the detailing on the side.

Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa's got an impressive throwback style, and her sunglasses are no exception. This is a look from 2024, but the shape of the frame looks a bit reminiscent of the Y2K era. If you like a classic shape with a twist, this would be a great pair to try.

Shirley Maclaine

The illimitable Shirley Maclaine "relaxes on the set of The Yellow Rolls-Royce," apparently. The cat-eye was a popular shape in the '60s (this is 1964), and this oversized, exaggerated version is both stylish and whimsical. You can just see her arched eyebrow underneath!

Grace Kelly

A cat-eye shape could be subtle and sweet, as is the case here with Princess Grace of Monaco (the erstwhile Grace Kelly) in 1962 in Monaco. The shape is still a bit dramatic, but the lens is smaller and more contained. If you like a "quiet" cat-eye, this is it.

Grace Jones

Grace Jones played by her own style rules (to impressive effect). This is at Bonds Disco in New York in 1980, and Jones is wearing her sunglasses at night, like the song says! This is a round-cat-eye hybrid shape, but I love the sharpness of the outer edge.

Anya Taylor-Joy

This exaggerated cat-eye shape is pretty par for the course for Anya Taylor-Joy, whose style tends to lean towards the maximalist. Since she's attending the Christian Dior Womenswear Spring-Summer 2024 show, it makes sense that her shades would be Dior (as is the rest of her look).

Florence Pugh

A longer, thinner, chic-er cat-eye is a nice style move. These are Miu Miu on Florence Pugh, and the elongated shape (plus the fact that they're sitting lower on her nose) makes her look super-cool. Case in point: even the cat-eye can have a variety of shapes, which means there's bound to be a pair that'll work for you.

Petula Clark

The "novelty" pair of sunglasses, as I'm calling them, have a strange and almost off-putting shape. But there's something about them that still looks cool, when deployed correctly. Petula Clark in a bandana tied around her head and a pair of diamond sunglasses: cool, right?

Drew Barrymore

The '90s really explored the limits of what you could do to a pair of sunglasses. Drew Barrymore in blue colored lenses and silver frames looks pretty emblematic of the decade. Very thin eyebrows aside, I think there's a correct context for this—probably in a matching color like her jean jacket.

Courteney Cox

Courteney Cox's ovular glasses are even thinner (and, likely, less practical). But the choice to pair it with a plain blue button-down shirt helps integrate the look and make the sunglasses look less "out there." This pair would be a throwback for sure—but a fun one.

Bad Bunny

The diamond shape strikes again! Bad Bunny is attending the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" 2024 Met Gala in custom Maison Margiela. The shades help offset the period-specific hat, making the look feel more modern (and Met-ready). I guarantee we'll see this shape on a celebrity again.

Marianne Faithfull

The over-over-oversized shades are a celebrity favorite! Singer-actor Marianne Faithfull demonstrates how a striking print pattern can look chic, not silly. Although in a more modern iteration, you might opt for a pair that's just a tiny bit smaller.

Jackie Kennedy Onassis

In the '70s, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis popularized this very round, very oversized shape. While this exact version is very "of its time," let's say, the concept of the big round frame is a good one. And frankly, Kennedy Onassis wore the heck out of these.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda rocked some large sunglasses of her own in the '80s—heavy-rimmed and ombre tinted, in this case. While a shape that hangs low to the mid-cheek is pretty clearly '80s-inspired, a rounder shape would be a nice way to modernize this general idea.

Mary J Blige

The '90s oversized sunglasses were more ovular. Mary J. Blige, iconic in soft leopard print, adds a bit of "toughness" with these black frames. But the gentle shape allows the outfit to feel cohesive. This is a more ubiquitous shape that would work in a variety of contexts.

Victoria Beckham

Having lived through the '00s, I remember these enormous sunglasses well (this is 2005, if you're curious). Victoria Beckham rocked a trend piece back in the day—and she still makes oversized shades work well for her. Maybe dial this back by about 40 percent, and you've got a cool (and still enormous) pair.

Kate Moss

This is exactly what I mean: Kate Moss, walking along the street in 2004, opts for a thick pair of oversized shades with a bit of teal contrast in the frame. This feels more manageable and certainly less dated—an oversized pair for everyday, in other words.

Charlie XCX

Charlie XCX has great taste in oversized sunglasses—so if you need inspiration, she's a good celebrity to follow. Here she's at the 2023 Royal Academy of Arts Summer Preview Party, and this structural pair is a perfect example of choosing a big, bold pair to elevate a look.

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.