When it comes to building a legacy, few artists have done it better than Elton John. The acclaimed British musician has sold more than 300 million records in over five decades and remains a vital part of pop culture today. Earlier in January, John’s greatest hits collection, “Diamonds,” reached No. 1 on the U.K. charts, marking his ninth No. 1 album. It’s spent the most consecutive weeks inside the Top 40 compared with any other album in chart history.
Aside from his outstanding legacy in music, John is also known for his iconic style, particularly his diverse range of eyewear. As his stylist Jo Hambro states, style is in John’s DNA. And since we couldn’t get over the fact that The Rocket Man himself likes our website, we find fitting to pay homage to John’s style evolution throughout the decades.
Here’s a look at Elton John and his classic eyewear styles:
The story behind his bespectacled looks
John, who is currently dealing with limited vision due to an eye infection, nevertheless continues to bedazzle audiences with his eyewear choices today. For instance, during the gala performance of his new musical, “The Devil Wears Prada,” in December, the music legend wore red oversized sunglasses to follow the musical’s theme.
But how did John’s penchant for stylish eyewear begin? Well, the pop artist started wearing horn-rimmed glasses at 13 years old to honor 1950s rock ‘n’ roll legend Buddy Holly, who also liked to sport stylish men’s eyeglasses like the Ray-Ban Wayfarers back in the day.
These iconic frames have been favored by other stars like Billy Joel and George Michael over the decades, earning them a spot in pop culture history. But while Holly popularized the Wayfarers, John took a different route and sported more eccentric eyewear that showcased his colorful personality. Similar to how glasses became a distinct part of Holly’s image, so, too, is John also known for his flamboyant eyewear styles.
Elton John’s iconic eyewear
Sunnies with tinted lenses
Perhaps Elton John’s most recognizable eyewear style, the tinted lenses are a signature element to the musician’s outfit choices. John began wearing tinted sunglasses in the 1970s, often accompanied by similarly colorful outfit choices that the music legend wore as part of his Rocket Man looks. Since he’s known for wearing bold eyewear, John loves to sport red, orange, yellow, and blue lenses that truly stand out, which makes his sunglasses the focal point of his larger-than-life personality and branding. To this day, John loves to wear tinted glasses to ensure his looks are anything but dull.
Eyewear with bold shapes
What makes John’s iconic fashion style unique from his peers? His boldly shaped eyewear. The pop music legend is known for wearing glasses with wacky shapes, including the star-shaped sunnies he wore when he was inducted to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1975 and the jigsaw glasses he used during his Ice on Fire tour in 1986, which he paired with a green Mohican. His heart- and star-shaped glasses are also among his signature eyewear styles that he continues to wear up to this day, often accompanied by eye-catching ensembles that perfectly capture his creative self-expression.
Bejeweled sunglasses
When it comes to showcasing your flamboyant sense of style, you can never go wrong with sparkling jewels – and John knows that best. The singer’s proclivity for bejeweled eyewear was evident in his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, which concluded in 2023, where his sparkly cat-eye glasses became his signature accessory in his performances. Beyond the stage, John would wear his shimmering sunnies even on a casual stroll, like in 2018 when he paired his round embellished glasses with a sparkling suit and Gucci accessories on the streets of London.
Thick-rimmed glasses
Today, John favors thick-rimmed glasses that exude subtle luxury. During the Golden Globes in January, John presented the award for Best Score – Motion Picture wearing a thick-rimmed pair of black glasses paired with a sparkly black suit and jewelry. In other instances, like when he was interviewed by “Good Morning America,” John wore a similar frame style in green, highlighting the singer’s commitment to making his glasses his fashion centerpiece.
John’s bold, colorful, and eye-catching eyewear styles reflect the acclaimed musician’s flamboyant personality. It’s no exaggeration to say that, aside from solidifying his status as one of the world’s greatest performers, John has cemented his legacy as one of the most recognizable style icons of all time.