Eyewear Trends for Men to Look for in 2019

Remember when narrow rectangular shapes and ugly plain metals were the only choices? Men’s eyewear has evolved tremendously over the last decade. Men’s apparel is becoming more trendy as we become a more casual society where streetwear and our lifestyles play a major role.

In general, we are moving in a direction that is less focused on big label brands, and into a culture of wanting to support smaller independent labels that focus on creativity and have great company values. No longer does one need to purchase the “hottest” brands like Ray-Ban or Oakley to attain the handsome looks and quality. In fact, many of the most reputable eyewear companies are no longer made by the company themselves. They have become licensed brands produced in mass production in China, which isn’t the most appealing quality when looking to up your eyewear game.

Smaller companies are making a statement in the world of fashion eyewear by producing trendy and versatile styles that can either be runway ready or great for your boardroom meetings.

 

Eyewear Trend No. 1: Aviators / Double Bars

Aviators or double bars are not just for police officers. They represent the most classic style of men’s sunglasses for that bold look that radiates confidence. Aviators are making the list this year due to the drastic change in metal-plastic combinations that are hitting the optical store shelves. By pairing plastic and metal together, allows for the fusion of color into the eyewear. A strong plastic front with thin temples creates a masculine contrast for the face.

FHONE

FHONE is a small German eyewear company who creates the cleanest and safe modern look for men. Your aviator frame should feature details that scream “my sunglasses are more than just a way to block the sun, they are apart of my lifestyle, attitude, and wardrobe!”

This striking pair of FHONE sunglasses feature a plastic acetate insert on the front, combined with a smooth gold temple to create a sporty, yet confident look. The fresh, yellow lime mirrored lens is what sets this frame apart from the rest.

Oliver Goldsmith

There’s nothing more classic than an Oliver Goldsmith pair of specs. This English brand has been crafting fantastic eyewear since 1926. They have an impressive celebrity following and have made glasses for Michael Caine, Peter Sellers, Diana Dors, Nancy Sinatra, and Audrey Hepburn, to name a few. Shop the latest Goldsmith styles at Brill Eye Center.

 

Eyewear Trend No. 2: Clear / Translucent

Believe it or not, but clear frames are still all the rage. These frames are not as simple as you may think though. There are so many fine details that go into making a simplistic pair of glasses. Since the frame is see-through, it has the capability to really complement men’s facial features and make them stand out. Most glasses tend to focus all the attention on the glasses themselves. But, clear frames focus peoples’ attention on one’s face and the beauty of it. When you pair up clear glasses on a gentleman with a nice thick beard or a great smile, it makes quite a statement.

When you’re shopping for a clear frame, observe the awesome details you can see inside the frame. The wire core that goes through the temple can be made from gold, silver, or fruitful color. You can also observe the filigree designs and patterns etched onto the wire, that add extra design flair. Lastly, be amused by how the hinges are expertly molded into the front of the frame. No glue here!

Clear frames come in a variety of colors too! Some of the hottest colors in clear are smoke, brown and citrine quartz. The translucent colors really set apart the typical clear frame from the pack!

 

David Kind

David Kind leads the way in classic designs of clear glasses with no detail left behind. Japanese manufacturing means the utmost quality and original design.

Gotti

Another brand to lay your eyes on is Gotti. This beautiful Swiss brand is known for its minimalism and simplistic design. The high luster polishes are outstanding, and the frames feel silky smooth when you try them on. Each frame is hand polished for that extra bit of craftsmanship you deserve.

 

Eyewear Trend No. 3: The oversize round or P3 shape

Round glasses have been the nerdy (and cool) thing for the past few years. The shape really popularized when Snapchat released its eyeglasses filter featuring the iconic round shape. Another term for a certain shape of round eyewear is called P3. Us glasses gurus have technical terms for everything.

As we move away from a world with attention fixed on athletes and celebrities, and more towards the fascination of intellectual experts and minds, like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk — the nerdy “smart look” is the new look.

When it comes to round, don’t think of Harry Potter. We’ve come a long way from that look. Round glasses today evoke a sense of smart style and sophistication. There are a variety of different shapes of round frames to express your unique, individual features.

Some round glasses are completely round, some are more oblong, while others resemble softened square shapes.

A quick tip: Be careful when buying round glasses and make sure that your eyebrows aren’t completely showing through your lenses. This a fashion no-no! Also, big round glasses should not sit on your cheeks, as it will cause discomfort.

 

Lindberg

The Lindberg N.O.W. Titanium frames offer a stunning take on classy (yet simple) frames for men. These glasses have been designed with 0 screws, and have a distinct lightweight feel you won’t get with most brands. Get the details on how Lindberg frames are made.

Neubau

Dani glasses are made by Neubau in Austria. These frames are comprised of high-quality materials, are extremely lightweight, eco-friendly, and feature an ergonomic design to give you the perfect fit. Dani offers a large collection of colors, and the matte finish adds a masculine touch.

 

Eyewear Trend No. 4: No Screw Hinges

Most men like gadgets and engineering. Gone are the days of having big, beefy frames for sturdiness and durability. Just like cars, frames have slimmed down in size and have more cutting edge designs. Today, glasses are designed with many engineering features — believe it or not!

Glasses are first designed by artists and then checked by the engineers to make sure the components will work well together. Many men’s frames today feature 0 screws or springs in the hinges, giving glasses a sleek look and super lightweight feel. The fewer parts, the better the eyewear. When you have too many moving parts, you are waiting for something to fail.

Men want the security of knowing something won’t break. It’s such an inconvenience when you need your glasses repaired. Glasses without screws in them rarely have anything go wrong.

Monoqool

Our favorite frame with sleek hinge styling is made my Monoqool. They are a Danish frame manufacturer with cutting edge design and engineering. Find your favorite Monoqool frames to compliment you and your style at Brill Eye Center.

A few of our other favorite frame lines without screws or spring hinges are Lightec, Lindberg, Silhouette, Gotti, IC Berlin, Haffmans and Neumeister, and Von Arkel.

 

Eyewear Trend No. 5: Sleek Thin Titanium

As technology becomes more advanced, some of the apparel we wear is becoming more simple. We’re getting back to the basics. Sleek thin titanium frames with titanium nose pads make for the perfect pair of eyewear to compliment a day in the office or a night out with your friends.

The chunky thick plastic eyewear trends are well in the past. Skinny jeans have been hot for a number of years — here comes skinny frames.

Titanium is a preferred choice of material for eyewear due to its lightweight nature, strong resilience, hypoallergenic feature, and ability to come in many colors. It can be made super-thin and still remain strong. Add on a titanium nose pad in lieu of the traditional silicone or plastic nose pads for an ultra-luxury look and feel. There’s just something about titanium sitting on your nose that feels organic, soft, and comfortable. The best part? They never become discolored (or yellow) from absorbing your skin oils. It’s a win, win.

A thin titanium pair of glasses is for both young and mature men. The thin silhouette of the frame can really pop on the face, and provide a simplistic look of modernism. We usually think of simple metal frames as boring, however, titanium frames are beyond cool. They resemble a confident look that’s here to stay.

Lastly, thin frames help provide a slimming look on your face! What’s not to like about that?

 

Eyewear Trend No. 6: Wood

Organic materials are being introduced heavily into men’s lifestyles (interior design and apparel). Today, many men are looking for a more sophisticated and classy look. They’re tired of products that resemble a cluttered look, over-engineered.

Wood frames have been around for a while, but they are just now gaining popularity due to the variety of great frame companies out there offering them. You might think of wood frames as super delicate. However, the wood has all been treated in special ways and many times layers of wood are bound together to form a super-strong material combination.

These types of frames look great on men due to their subtle, natural colors that lend well to providing a casual, but also professional look. They are certainly a statement piece too, as each wood frame’s grain is unique. Wood glasses are also easy to care for (surprisingly). Simply keep them away from bodies of water, and you should be good to go!

Wood frames will naturally absorb your skin’s oil over time and develop a slightly darker look than when you initially bought them. This is part of the process of a frame that gives it character.

Some of the best wood frames on the market right now come from Feb31st, Schwood, Rezin, 3DNA, Lindberg, Gotti, Rolf, Gold & Wood, and Cartier.

 

Eyewear Trend No. 7: Rimless

Rimless glasses are for guys that want to see well but have that look and feel like nothing is on their face. For some, glasses are a fashion statement, but for others — it’s just a way of living life. You might think of rimless eyewear as having nuts and bolts and screws. This nostalgic eyewear has come a long way since then. Rimless glasses are made from high-tech materials, have slick designs, and can give a man that handsome look he’s after!

There are a few key benefits of rimless. One worth mentioning is the degree of customization you can do. The temples come in longer sizes, the bridges in different widths, and the lenses in any size imaginable. There are no physical restraints on the size of the lenses you can choose from. They can be made extra wide for larger men or super small for the slender guys out there.

Glasses back in the day used to come in 3 different sizes. But, that’s not the case today. Most just come in one size, leaving you hoping for a good fit. When you’re being fit by an optician for a pair of rimless glasses, it’s like getting fit for a suit. Every piece of the frame can come in different sizes — so you’re able to get the perfect fit that is comfortable, looks good and is unique to you.

Rimless frames have some notable engineering that goes along with them. Most are not just built with nut and screws. That’s the old school way (which is still pretty cool!). The new age rimless glasses use different ways to attach pieces like ultraviolet glue, 3d printed parts, and plastic compression pieces. A good rimless pair of glasses is made from stainless steel or titanium. These are strong, flexible, and the colors of the metals will never fade or turn green from corrosion as nickel-based metals do.

A big trend in rimless glasses is geometric shapes. Lenses that are shaped like octagons, hexagons, and even circles make cool statements for eyewear. Picking out your lens shape is the most fun part of buying rimless glasses. It gives you the creative freedom to see what looks best on your face. Also, when you update your prescription lenses the following year, you can change your lens shape if you get bored.

Rimless glasses can last for an eternity if you take care of them. Don’t be afraid of the eyewear being too fragile. That is a total myth! Keep in mind, you don’t need big, sturdy glasses for durability. The flexibility of rimless glasses and minimal parts makes them resilient to most accidental damage.

 

Eyewear Trend No. 8: 3D Printed

There’s something inherently masculine and exceptionally nerdy about a frame designed using computers and technology. 3D printed glasses are matte finish, lightweight, resilient, and feature a palette of colors that wouldn’t be found in your typical Crayola box.

You may have heard about people using 3D printers at home to craft items, but did you know they are actually being used to make useful things like eyewear? Now, these 3D printers that are used to make glasses are the size of a refrigerator and much more industrial.

The way 3D printing for eyewear works starts with a frame designer coming up with the architectural plans for the eyewear. This plan is then programmed into the computer, and lastly the 3D printer prints them.

After the eyewear is printed, there are several things that go on behind the scenes to make them look great. You can’t just put them on your face after 60 seconds of printing. The process is complicated and highly detailed! After printing, the eyewear has to be dyed to the desired color Many times the eyeglasses are rough and needs manually sanded down to create a smooth surface.

Next time you want to try some fashion of the future, try out a 3D printed frame, like Monoqool.

 

Eyewear Trend No. 9: Sunglass Clip-Ons

I know what you are thinking, there’s no way you will wear a lame sunglass clip! These are for old people. We’ve got news for you though… sunglass clips are so hip and made to perfection today. They blend right into the frame and even come in some pretty rad colors. As you know, it’s extremely important to wear sunglasses when you are outside. They help protect our eyes from UVA and UVB exposure. If you’re sporting a pair of eyewear you love, you might as well buy a clip for them too. It’s a convenient way of wearing sunglasses on the go. Men don’t have the luxury of carrying purses around and keeping all of their personal items with them at all times. With that being said, it’s easy for men to carry a sun clip or just keep in their car.

Sunglass clips either come with certain frames or can be made custom to fit any pair of glasses. When they are made to order, everything fits like a glove! If you’ve ever had countertops or cabinets made for your house, each piece of furniture fits precisely to your home. The same goes for sun clips. They are made to perfectly fit the eyewear.

The best sunglass clips available today come from the brand Chemestrie Clips. They use patented technology where magnets are actually placed in the prescription lens and then lenses are cut to mirror the shape of the lens exactly. The sunglass lenses come in 24 polarized colors in solids, gradients, and mirror coated. The 2 sun lenses are held together by a piece of titanium bridge and use a special compression mounting system. They are super lightweight, scratch-resistant, and durable too

There are several great brands making clip-ons that come with your glasses purchase such as FHONE and David Kind.

 

Eyewear Trends No. 10: Bespoke Custom Eyewear

We saved the greatest trend for last! Have you ever wanted to design your own pair of glasses? Now you can. Plus, we’re now utilizing 3D facial scanning technology to build you the most comfortable fitting pair of glasses you’ve ever owned. You are now the designer of your own custom pair. Choose your shape, choose your frame material, and have your name engraved on the frames to give it 100% customization.

Shopping for glasses off of shelves and racks can be boring sometimes. That’s why we are bringing you the ability to craft your own eyewear. Our process is really simple. The first thing you do is scan your head using a 3D facial scanner. You can do this in our office at Brill Eye Center or by using your iPhone X (other phone models will soon have the ability to scan). From there, you can meet with an optician virtually or in-person using the 3DNA eyewear application. Using this app, you can go through hundreds of options to design your perfect pair.

Eyewear can be designed in a variety of materials including wood, shell, buffalo horn, plastic acetate, titanium, carbon fiber, and even vinyl records. If you have a favorite vinyl record you don’t mind salvaging into a pair of glasses, we can craft your glasses from it! Seriously, we get pretty crafty at Brill Eye Center.

Gone are the days of never being able to find a pair of glasses you like or having to drive around to 3 different optical before finding a pair that you love.

Once you finish designing your dream glasses, expert craftsmen use 5-axis milling machines to cut them down to the exact dimensions of your face. Next, they are assembled and polished by hand. They then undergo strict quality control. Once they pass inspection, they are then sent to your home, optician or optometrist where you purchased them.

When you first try them on, you’ll be amazed how they need little to no adjustment.

2019 is your year to upgrade your eyewear fashion. Guys used to be limited by available options. Today, there’s a broad selection of glasses to give men the stylish game they want. Whether you want something pre-made, want to sport a cool sunglass clip, or design your own pair — the available options are endless. Be brave and try on a colorful pair, a round pair, or one made using some cool technology. If you have never bought a decent pair of glasses and spent the extra penny, do yourself a favor and invest in your appearance. You will be happy you did (and look like a boss!).