A Short History of Sunglasses

You probably know by now that sunglasses come in numerous forms and shapes depending on your preferences. Therefore, it is challenging to determine the best course of action.

However, it would be best to remember that they were indispensable tools at first, while a pop culture brought them to the point of necessity.

We recommend you to visit this website: https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/features/how-to-pick-good-sunglasses to learn more on how to choose the best shades for your needs and requirements.

The best way to understand more about them is to learn the historical significance of this particular invention. They have influenced styles and fashion, which is why they became a billion-dollar industry.

However, things were completely different back in the day, which is why you should stay with us to understand more about a history.

How Did Everything Start?

Similarly, as mentioned above, shades are the aesthetical statement nowadays, but you should know that the first one appeared due to their function and efficiency.

Natives of the Arctic discovered the snow goggles two millennia ago by using a bone or wood combined with simple slits. Since the snowy terrain combined with sunrays can lead to snow blindness, they have created an accessory that allowed them to see with ease.

However, the Chinese people have created and implemented lenses into frames in the 12th century using quartz as the primary material.

It would help to understand that everything changed in the 20th century when they became mainstream and necessary fashion accessories.

20th Century Brought Sunglasses to Mainstream

During the Great Depression or late-20s, Sam Foster created the first pair of shades on the Atlantic City Boardwalks. They became highly popular due to their function, while other manufacturers began more appealing options that became fashion statements.

Edwin H. Land upgraded them by implementing a Polaroid filter to reduce glare or light reflection from snow or water. Keep in mind that these lenses create aviator-style sunglasses that pilots wore during World War II.

However, they entered a general population in 1937, which created a revolution in protective eyewear.

The Ever-Changing Trends

Everything changed when Hollywood popularized numerous frames and shades that became highly popular among the general population. Movie stars first started using them off-screen to avoid paparazzi.

However, on-screen styles started with Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, especially for frames de rigueur. On the other hand, movies such as “The Blues Brothers” and “Easy Rider” created a trend that everyone wanted to copy.

The trends came and went due to numerous reasons, but the importance of shades became prominent among people worldwide.

A few events created dramatic shifts in the world of sunglasses, and the most prominent one was with Tom Cruise, who resurrected wayfarer frame styles in “Risky Business.” This particular depiction increased the sales by fifty percent.

Simultaneously, the movie “Top Gun” created a trend for aviator-style Ray-Ban Sunglasses that became highly popular, and they still are.

We have to state that sunglasses became more than a protection against harsh weather conditions. Instead, they were prominent fashion statements used for numerous reasons.

Today, we cannot imagine our lives without them, mainly since the market features numerous options that you can choose from. The trends may change, but the popularity of sunglasses will never pass away.