Backwards baseball caps might feel like a reference from a 90s rom-com, but the UK heatwave has brought them right back. Now, the female equivalent has been revealed: perching your sunglasses on top of your head.
TikToker @lifewithlexi08 posed the question: "What is the women equivalent of a backwards baseball cap on a man?" and the comments were flooded with people talking about shades.
@seabent wrote: "My husband says sunglasses on my head (specifically when my hair is down) and/or a milkmaid dress."
For @Hannah, whose boyfriend agrees that sunglasses are the way to a man's heart, it's "something about the way it makes the hair look and shows your face."
Being bisexual, I'm also attracted to women – and I can see what all the fuss is about. It's less about curating a neat hairstyle for these sunnies to sit gently upon, and more about quickly rushing them on top of your head, and embracing the messy, nonchalant aesthetic that comes with it. It's about being free. Who cares if your curls aren't perfect underneath? It's not that you should need to – or try to – impress anyone with a simple pair of specs, by the way. It's the summer, and we all need a bit of respite. Not everything needs to be for the male gaze. Who cares, right? But if you're doing it anyway, let's celebrate the win-win.
What men really think
A male friend of mine – let's call him Matthew* – is completely on board with this idea. The 24-year-old tells Metro: "It just looks cool. It's a good blend of looking laid back while still appearing put together.
"I've also noticed a lot of women using their sunglasses to change how their hair frames their face, like how you would with clips or a hairband, which can have a big impact on how people look.
"It's apparently the female equivalent of a guy wearing a backwards baseball cap, and I think there's a lot of truth in that."
A confidence boost
TikTok users are also feeling the power of the accessory. @Serenity added: "As a girlie who always has her sunglasses on her head…I feel so seen and hot asf rn."
@MJ penned: "Everyone saying sunglasses on your head, I've been doing that s*** for yrs and didn't realise it was a thing," while @Liv said: "I don't even use sunglasses for their actual purpose most [of the] time."
@appletoof said: "Why is it so attractive when women pull their sunglasses up! OOF."
Not everyone is convinced
@ifitsmeanttob lamented: "I feel like I'm the ONLY WOMAN IN THIS WHOLE UNIVERSE who feels like she looks SO silly with my sunglasses on like a headband," while @Safa argued: "I feel like we also pull off baseball caps."
@haileyrayne.18 wrote: "Idk what it is about a pair of sunglasses on top of my head but it automatically makes me feel 10x prettier."
So, the next time you're done wearing your sunglasses and plop them right on top of your head, know that they're not just holding your hair back.
