Sunglasses Through History

Today when it comes to sunglasses fashion usually dictates what different types of sunglasses are trendy. There have been many models that have gone in and out of fashion over the last 70 or so years. The following are just 5 models of sunglasses that have been fashionable at multiple times throughout modern history.

1) Aviators
The Aviator design was introduced in 1936 specifically for U.S. military pilots and was not made available to the public until a few years later. In 1986 Tom Cruise popularized Aviators as ace pilot Maverick in the movie Top Gun.

2) Oversized Sunglasses
Oversized sunglasses first became popular in the 1960's when women purchased them to mimic the ones famously worn by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. They have recently made a comeback once again in the 21st century and their popularity is largely due to fashionistas like Paris Hilton.

3) Teashades
Teashades, also known as John Lennon glasses, were very popular in the 1960's, but have largely fallen out of fashion since then. It is rumoured that they are making a comeback with recent paparazzi photos of famous actresses and musicians sporting the teashade frames.

4) Ray-Ban Wayfarer
Created in 1952 Ray-Ban's Wayfarer sunglasses opted for plastic frames rather than the tradition metal ones. Originally developed for pilots, Wayfarers quickly became popular amongst Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. In 1961 Audrey Hepburn wore them in the film Breakfast at Tiffany's and Tom Cruise sported them in the 1983 film Risky Business. Even today the Wayfarer is still a popular model of sunglasses.

5) Wraparounds
Wraparounds have been around since the middle of the 20th century, however they did not really become popular until the early 1990s. Wraparound sunglasses became the number one choice for athletes, from regular teams sports to extreme sports. With the rise of extreme sports like snowboarding, wraparound sunglasses became part of the subculture.

A Brief History Of Sunglasses

The first ever 'sunglasses' were made from walrus ivory and date back to prehistoric times. Inuit peoples fashioned flattened walrus ivory with narrow slits to help protect their eyes from the harmful rays of the sun. In arctic regions unprotected eyes will be affected by what is known as snow blindness.

The first recorded use of sunglasses dates back to the early 12th century in China where flat panes of smoky quartz were used to protect the eyes.

In the mid-18th century James Ayscough began experimenting with tinted lenses in eyeglasses.

It wasn't until the early 20th century when the use of sunglasses became more widespread and in 1929 Sam Foster began mass-producing them for the American public.
Whether your choice is due to fashion or simply to protect your eyes from the sun, sunglasses do not have to be expensive to work properly, but they should at the very least protect your eyes from harmful UV rays.

Whether your choice is due to fashion or simply to protect your eyes from the sun, sunglasses do not have to be expensive to work properly, but they should at the very least protect your eyes from harmful UV rays.


Corey Rozon is a freelance writer from Ottawa, Canada.
This article about the brief history of sunglasses was written for Olympic Eyewear, a sunglasses company specializing in selling buy wholesale sunglasses, such as wholesale Polarized sunglasses.