Brad Pitt turned heads with his choice of aviator-style eyewear at Roland Garros. The actor, a heart-throb for over 40 years, is used to being watched, but this week, attention was drawn to his new accessory: retro aviator glasses. He wore them while watching tennis at Roland Garros and paired them with a pink trenchcoat during a dinner outing in Paris.
Older Men Embrace 'Hot Professor' Glasses
These glasses, typically associated with younger men, are now becoming a key part of a style shift for men entering their 'late life' era. They refuse to disappear into fashion invisibility associated with ageing. Gary Lineker, 65, sported similar glasses on Louis Theroux this week. Ian Wright, 62, known for his impressive eyewear collection, wore bold aviator styles as a pundit for the World Cup opener. Daniel Craig, 58, is perhaps an early adopter; after appearing in a Loewe campaign in 2024 with yellow-tinted glasses, he has doubled down on fashion-friendly specs. In January 2025, GQ called a pair he wore similar to Pitt's 'hot professor glasses'.
The Trend Beyond Celebrities
Johnny Davis, luxury director at Esquire, notes the trend is a clever trick. 'They're not trying to disguise the fact that they need spectacles due to age; they're making them part of their look.' For Pitt, the glasses are part of a broader reinvention. On last year's F1 press tour, he worked with stylist Taylor McNeill, known for creating viral looks for Timothée Chalamet and Kendrick Lamar. Pitt wore 90s silk shirts, crushed velvet, and tie dye, leading style commentators to dub it 'the reinvention of Brad Pitt'. Similarly, Craig has leaned into quirky fashion, including a skeleton jacket from Japanese brand Kapital and a sweater with holes. Wright, often on the front row at Burberry shows and a face of Marks & Spencer, maintains a fun yet attainable style.
According to Davis, these glasses do heavy lifting: 'They say: I have taste. I pay attention. I know who I am. You can wear a simple outfit, like Lineker's dark tops, and the glasses provide character.'
From Celebrity to Everyday Style
Jaki Baranski, senior frame buyer at Specsavers, notes that shapes like Pitt's are popular with men in their 50s and older. Specsavers' Glover design is a hit. She sees this as part of a wider trend: 'Men are taking more time choosing frames aesthetically, similar to how they select a watch or trainers.' Glasses are a shortcut for style. 'Not everyone feels comfortable with bright colours or fashion-forward tailoring, but distinctive glasses signal you care about style without trying too hard,' says Davis.
While Pitt enlisted McNeill for his reinvention, Baranski says many men his age are confident with their style. 'They know who they are and what they like. These frames express personal expression.' Davis agrees, noting the symbolism is often misconstrued. 'People compare this to a midlife-crisis Porsche, but it's the opposite. A sports car says "look at me", while interesting glasses say "this is who I am."'
