Small, sharp, and severely seductive – these aren’t your professor’s little glasses anymore.
The mid-2000s was an era that had many gaud trends. From the frosted tips faux pas, to wearing dresses over jeans, it has seen enough to cause a riot in today’s fashion society.
Wireframes always were the IT girl accessory of that time, and now they are back with a new attitude. They’ve re-established themselves no longer just for the finance bros or studious intellectuals – becoming a queer-coded fashion flex embraced by a new generation that values quiet luxury and subversive minimalism.
Celebrities have solidified their presence in high fashion, with the likes of Doja Cat pairing them with sculptural couture and cyber-goth theatrics, to Gabbriette, the indie sleaze poster girl, who wears them effortlessly – making them the ultimate IDGAF statement.
Queer Style, Androgyny, and the Unisex Appeal
With more people looking to adopt “androgynous style”, queer fashion is doing what it does best: breaking boundaries, disrupting norms and giving people the freedom to explore who they want to be. This trend isn’t necessarily about nostalgia. The eyewear style acts as a bridge between the intersectionality of mainstream fashion and genderless expression.
Icons have always played with the power of perception, From David Bowie’s geek chic to Grace Jones’s gender-blurring ways or even the cyber cool of The Matrix’s Trinity. This fluid quality is why they have taken root and been intertwined in queer style. Today you can find them worn with anything from the power suit to smudge eyeliner and denim hoochie shorts.
This goes beyond the simplicity of aesthetics. The way people present their identities and intentionality are key pillars in queer fashion, stemming from a need to be heard and seen. Vogue says, “If you pay attention to one trend this season, make it quite luxurious”. This trend has made subtle but intentional fashion choices more powerful than ever. If oversized acetate frames were a loud declaration, wireframes are a deliberate understatement.
The Pop-Culture Pipeline: From Megan Fox to Doja Cat
Trends don’t just pop out of thin air. There’s a trickle-down effect from everything consumed in media, celebrity influence, nostalgia cycles, and what’s hot on social media. Everything is always put on display, with wireframes having multiple cultural resets – each adding a new meaning to the item.
In the mid-2000s, Megan Fox immortalised the geek chic accessory, wearing them whilst on press tours, with the thin, sultry frames accentuating her cat eye look, making them a sex symbol. Fast forward to 2024, and TikTok is reclaiming them as the “Megan Fox glasses”. Meanwhile, X users (formerly Twitter) are describing them as “slutty little glasses”. Then there is the unpredictable Doja Cat, who has pushed them into high fashion. Styling them with experimental couture and villain-era energy – It’s a full circle moment. What was once an outdated relic is now a queer-coded fashion flex that’s back with a vengeance.
The Future is Fluid, and So Are These Frames
Going beyond the fashion, trends speak volumes to the future of queer style. This isn’t just about a Y2K revival but also a statement on how Gen Z plays with gender more freely, without boundaries.
As fashion moves from constricting formality into free fluidity, these frames have found a permanent place, shifting between the masc and femme, streetwear, and high fashion, mirroring a generation that refuses to be boxed into norms. With designers pushing tinted lenses, hyper-thin silhouettes, and architectural frames, the trend isn’t fading anytime soon.
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