Sunglasses or sunshades, as some like to call them, started out as a means of protection from the sun but has evolved into an indispensable fashion accessory to many. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes from iconic Teashades of the 60’s to more modern icons like the newer Ray Ban RB2132 Wayfarers.
Unknown to many, protective eye-ware were in existence since prehistoric times. Inuits used to fashion sunlight exposure-reducing snow goggles out of flattened walrus ivory. I do not think the Inuits had any idea that those goggles would later morph into shutter shades thousands of years later.
Teashades
Teashades are eyeglasses which are made up of medium-sized, perfectly round lenses, supported by pads on the bridge of the nose and a thin wire frame. Interestingly enough, the term Teashades were once used to describe glasses worn to hide the effects of recreational drug use such as bloodshot eyes.
Teashades became famous in the 60’s thanks to one of the members from a very famous four-piece band from Liverpool. The term Teashades is rarely used now. In fact, they are more often known as Ozzy glasses.
Teashades can also be seen in blockbuster movies such as The Matrix where the character Seraph could be seen donning a pair. The main protagonist in the movie Natural Born Killers also sports a pair.
Oversized
Think oversized eye-wear and a certain flamboyant piano-playing celebrity would immediately come to mind. That celebrity has been synonymous with this style since the 80’s. Oversized glasses are also sometimes referred to as the Jackie O’s.
The style made a comeback in the early 21st century as many female celebs were seen wearing them. However, it could be argued that they were doing so to elude paparazzi as opposed to wearing them for fashionable purposes. However, the look did catch on.
Shutter Shades
Shutter Shades were a fad in the 80’s after they were seen in music videos by popular bands of that era. In recent times, R&B artists can be seen with a custom designed pairs.
The popularity of shutter shades was boosted even further during the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals as fans painted their country’s flags on the ‘shutters’.
Ray Ban Aviators
The Ray Ban Aviator sunglasses are one of the most recognizable eye-wear designs around. They were originally designed to protect the eyes of air-force pilots during flights. The design has been around since 1936 and like all good designs, they still enjoy quite a good following.
The ‘Gloved One’ could never be seen without a pair of Aviators. And they were also favorites of two other members of the British invasion band from Liverpool. They were also prominently featured in hit movies like Cobra and Top Gun.
Ray Ban Wayfarers
The Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses design first debut in 1952. Just like the Aviators, the Wayfarer style sunglasses are considered by many as the best-selling sunglasses in history. They were so popular that other brands started mimicking the design. So much so that it was thought that the star actress wore a pair in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s but those were not Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses.
The Wayfarers went through redesign and the result was the Wayfarer RB2132. The new Ray Ban 2132 sports a smaller less angular frame, and changed from acetate to a lighter injected plastic.
The changed proved successful as the style regained its popularity as the RB2132 could be see on celebrities and is ever-present in popular culture.
Amelia Warmheart is an avid traveler but a lousy cook. When not traveling or recovering from jet lag, she shares tips on where to get gifts like Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses to something more specific model like the Ray Ban RB2132 model.