Michael Jackson’s life was plagued with heartache and sadness. Despite his astronomical success, he was constantly hiding behind a mask. Ever since his early career, the King of Pop disguised himself in a façade of outfits, which made him a style icon. From black leather jackets and black trousers combined with white socks to dark shades and a penchant for wearing a single white glove, people over the years have copied his look.
Michael Jackson popularized Ray Ban sunglasses back in the early 80’s during the “Thriller” era. In 1984, while filming a Pepsi Cola commercial, the singing sensation experienced second degree burns to his scalp after pyrotechnics accidentally set his hair on fire. It was during this time that he started to become more self-conscious of his image due to the rhinoplastry surgery he had undergone to treat the burns.
In that same year, he was photographed in Ray Ban Aviators when he met with President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan at the White House for his support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse. This became a trademark of his style as he continued to wear the sunglasses as part of his overall look. Michael Jackson suffered from vitilgo, a chronic disorder that caused whiteness in his skin and made him extremely sensitive to the sun, giving him good reason to wear sunglasses.
The Moonwalker’s choice of sunglasses is favored by airline pilots which were first created in 1937, characterized by dark lenses and metal frames. After numerous cosmetic surgery operations, only two of which he admitted to having, there was barely anything left of his nose. The lightness of the Ray Ban Aviators were perfect for his face as it relieved pressure on his diminishing nose, yet provided maximum coverage for the eyes.
Apart from celebrities and pilots, it’s possible for the ordinary person down the street to afford designer sunglasses like Ray Ban Aviators, as nowadays there are online eyewear stores selling designer eyewear at a fraction of the high street cost.