Why Do Celebrities Love Wearing Sunglasses At The Oscars?

It is common knowledge among us civilians, though a memo often missed on planet celebrity, that everyone looks like a bit of a prat when they are wearing sunglasses indoors and/or at night. Anna Wintour is the sole exception who proves the rule.

Still that doesn’t stop those dear celebrities from trying, bless ‘em. The sunnies were out at last night’s Oscars ceremony and the subsequent Vanity Fair after party. There they were on Kim Kardashian and Kendall Jenner, both clad in Balenciaga. Rami Malek, Benedict Cumerbatch and Travis Barker (surgically attached to Kourtney Kardashian, as per) also donned shades.

But, as the Internet might say: y tho? Let’s consider some of the possible reasons. Most generously, it could be that the Oscars ceremony starts in the mid-afternoon, maybe their eyes are sensitive to that Californian sun. But that doesn’t excuse their presence at the after dark portion of the festivities. Or could it be that when this much star power is gathered in one place, the optic nerves just can’t take it? Or perhaps, it’s just been a long awards season: sunglasses are cheaper than emergency Botox, and won’t smudge like concealer.

Probably, however, the motivation is about a simple desire to appear cool, rebellious. Sunglasses are a bit like smoking: against your better judgement, you have a sneaking suspicion that they make literally anything – even the most predictable and conservative of tuxedos – look a bit more James Dean.

For Kim, wearing sunglasses played into her current total-look-Balenciaga narrative. Last night she wore a skin tight, sky blue dress with built-in gloves. The closing look from the brand’s AW22 collection, on the catwalk it was styled with the same micro shades. So: why not? In coordinating – brand and glasses – the sisters ensured they got their allocated real estate of column inches even when much more dramatic events threatened to steal the entire show.

To be fair on the class of 2022, this isn’t the first Oscars where attendees have turned up in sunglasses. Jack Nicholson – quite possibly, the coolest man ever – wore aviator shades when he picked up his Best Actor award for 1976’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Glenn Close has worn her sunnies three times. Faye Dunaway wore them in 2000; Ellen de Generes, Goldie Hawn and Celine Dion (although, tbf everyone was distracted by the backwards suit) in 1999. In 1996, the year she took home the Best Actress gong, Susan Sarandon wore a pair of tortoiseshell frames with a bronze Dolce & Gabbana gown.

The thing about sunglasses is, they are convenient shorthand. The Oscars is a formal, pretty stuff affair but a pair of sunnies shakes things up a bit. Just a bit. They say, I’m kinda above all of this hoo-ha, but please invite me back next year.