What Are Cat Eye Sunglasses?

The cat-eye is one of the most recognisable and identifiable spectacle shapes ever made. With an elegant upswept brow line and pointed corners, this feminine and sophisticated shape is reminiscent of 1950's movie stars.

Oliver Goldsmith first made cat-eye glasses in the early 1930's, back then the cat-eye tended to be much smaller and simplistic in it 's shaping.  The 1950's cat-eye, which is the one we stereotypically think of, was much more exaggerated, with movie icons such as Marylin Monroe and Grace Kelly sporting iconic versions of this renowned shape.

Grace Kelly was particularly famous for her collection of eyewear and many a cat-eye spectacle and sunglass adorned her spectacular face, in fact she owned over 30 pairs of Oliver Goldsmith frames!  She wore many different styles and shapes, but it was a small and stylish pair of Oliver Goldsmith cat-eye sunglasses that somewhat became her trademark. We relaunched this frame in our ICONS collection and it was befittingly named‚ Grace.

By the 1960's, the cat-eye had taken on many alternatives including the Manhattan worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's.  Although not a typical cat-eye, these sunglasses still fit into this category due to the top line of the frame.  Today, the cat-eye comes in many forms, from the more traditional retro style, to an expanse of wide, narrow or deep styles, but all of course with that elegant cat like brow-line and feminine upswept shaping.   

Why not explore our selection of cat-eye sunglasses, including the ultimate classic, the Sophia, famously worn by Sophia Loren. The Poland, Lancelot or a more modern-day version can be seen in the 2000's from our Decades Collection.  The cat-eye is universally flattering, consistently chic and the retro chic silhouette cements it as one of the most popular styles to exist.  Find your purrrfect pair today‚ pun most definitely intended.

Oliver Goldsmith