According to the Chinese zodiac, 2018 is the year of the dog, but move over pups, this year marks an even more momentous occasion. 2018 has undoubtedly been the year when tiny Matrix-style sunglasses have made their return to fashion. I mean if the dog the zodiac is referring to is wearing the same pair of tiny Gucci sunnies as Kim Kardashian I think every fashion blogger could get behind that, right?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not above admitting that I'm a sucker for following a celebrity trend, but this? I haven't been able to rally behind this one. Maybe because I look like a grown woman ramming my head into a pair of toddler's dress up sunglasses? I'm no Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, or Winnie Harlow, maybe that's the answer? It could be that I can't take this whole trend seriously when it was started by Samuel L. Jackson, love him but WHAT?
1. Practicality!!
When it comes to high-end fashion or celebrity fashion, practicality does not play a role in their decision making. They don't live normal lives like you or me, they don't make an average American salary, they live lavishly. We look towards high-end designers and big-name celebrities to push the envelope, battle the normal, inspire the art that is fashion. But for an average person, we dress to be practical, and there is no practicality in wearing a tiny pair of sunglasses that can't protect your eyes from the sun. Squinting while still wearing a pair of sunnies? Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of wearing sunglasses?
2. Are you scamming 90s fashion?
The 90s are back and in a big way, from flannel shirts to chokers, to tube tops, and fanny packs. Matrix-style sunglasses are just a small accessory in the rebirth of 90s fashion. So are you just buying those $8 Forever21 red glasses because you saw an Instagram of Bella Hadid in a similar pair? Or are you a true Matrix fanatic who has been rocking the style since 1999? I think we all know that answer. Most people who were around in the 1990s see this recharge of 90s fashion as a knockoff of the original. Isn't it time we make 2010s fashion its own thing?
3. Would you ever even watch a Matrix movie? Honestly...
I personally have never seen any of The Matrix movies, and I personally don't want to. I enjoy watching reality TV like "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and "RuPaul's Drag Race," not science fiction movies about a computer hacker saving the world from evil robots. Yeah, no. Most of the young girls rocking the signature Matrix style shades nowadays wouldn't either! Some people are too young to even know what The Matrix even is! Google it people!
4. Personal Style vs. Popularity. Who wins?
If your personal style revolves around a chic pair of tiny shades, more power to ya! Publications like Vogue think this style is all the rage stating, "Neo and Trinity, but make it fashion." It's a no from me, but maybe it's a yasss for you. That's the beauty of fashion! The simple act of putting on a pair of glasses when it's bright outside is a form of expression, showing the world who you are through clothes and accessories. Sure following trends is fun, but don't forget to express your individual truth along the way.
Fashion is meant to be fun, plain and simple. You should enjoy expressing who you are, and you should dress for yourself always. Don't let me tell you whether or not to join this new Matrix styled army, but I won't be Instagramming along beside you. In the famous words of queen RuPaul, "Sasha away, " those Matrix-style sunnies aren't for me!
