Tyla has drawn attention online after taking part in the viral sunglasses waist challenge, with photos showing the singer placing a pair of sunglasses around her waist. The moment has brought attention to a social media trend in which people use sunglasses to show how small their waists are.
While some viewers treat the challenge as a playful fashion moment, others have questioned the beauty standards behind it and whether the trend encourages unhealthy body comparisons.
Viral Sunglasses Waist Challenge
Tyla took part in the sunglasses waist challenge in photos shared on Instagram in late October 2025. The images appeared as part of a post connected to her appearance at the 2025 Glamour Women of the Year event, where she wore a revealing George Trochopoulos look. The Blast reported that the third and fourth slides showed her placing sunglasses around her waist.
The challenge involves placing the arms, or temples, of a pair of sunglasses around the waist to demonstrate whether they can fit around the body. The trend went viral on TikTok in 2025, with reality television personality Olandria Carthen's participation helping it gain further attention.
tyla was INSANE for this pic.twitter.com/xm2Gf4Cmrj
— ໊ (@tylajpg) November 20, 2025
Fans responded to Tyla's post with comments about her waist and appearance. One fan said she had passed the 'sunglasses test with flying colors', while others joked about how small her waist appeared. Another commenter wrote that Tyla had the body they had always wanted.
The Sunglasses Trend
The sunglasses challenge became a wider social media debate in October and November 2025. The Daily Dot reported that users were divided over whether the trend was harmless body confidence or a form of body checking that encouraged comparisons between women's bodies.
The trend became particularly associated with Olandria after her video went viral. Critics argued that showing whether sunglasses could fit around someone's waist could reinforce the idea that a smaller body is more desirable. Others defended the participants and argued that thin people should also be allowed to celebrate their bodies. Olandria later said she was not encouraging people to look a particular way and that she supported all body types.
Cosmopolitan also examined the trend through the perspective of Dr Lauren Hartman, a double board-certified specialist in adolescent medicine. Hartman described the challenge as a form of body-checking content and argued that presenting smaller bodies as an ideal can reinforce harmful beauty standards.
Fans React to Tyla's Tiny Waist
Tyla's participation became another celebrity example of a trend that was already attracting attention online. The documented reactions to her post were largely focused on her appearance. Comments included jokes about her waist and praise for her figure, rather than evidence of a separate controversy specifically involving Tyla and the challenge.
Much of the criticism surrounding the sunglasses challenge has focused on the wider trend rather than on Tyla personally. The Daily Dot documented criticism of the practice as body checking, alongside users who defended participants and rejected the idea that taking part automatically promoted a particular body type.
For Tyla, the post therefore connects her fashion and social media presence to a trend that has generated both admiration and criticism.
Trend That Goes Beyond Fashion
The sunglasses challenge may look like a simple social media stunt, but its reception has turned it into a broader discussion about body image. Critics argue that the format encourages viewers to compare waist sizes, while supporters see it as a playful way for people to show confidence in their appearance.
Tyla's participation does not establish that one body type is healthier or more desirable than another. Her post illustrates how quickly celebrity fashion content can become part of a wider social media trend and the debates that come with it.
