All sunglasses, you either love them or hate them. Some wear them for protection, some just for the style quotient. But no matter what you want to buy a pair for, you’ll need to look at two things mainly. One, of course, is how good it looks, and two is what features/protection it provides. Eye experts recommend using sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful UV radiation, so if you’re someone who stays out in the sun a long time, you should seriously consider getting yourself a decent pair of branded sunglasses.
Over the years, sunglasses have grown in popularity as fashion accessories, and we’re not talking recent years, but since around the late 40’s. They’ll probably endure as must have accessories no matter what trends come and go, and we’re pretty sure that you won’t find yourself cursing your purchase of a quality pair of sunglasses. So if you’re looking to buy sunglasses online, check out all the types and styles available so you can choose the best for you!
Aviator Sunglasses
Perhaps the most popular and well known of sunglass styles, aviators were introduced way back in 1936 by Bausch & Lomb, and initially called Ray-Ban Aviators. It was originally developed for pilots, and the larger frames were designed to minimize glare for pilots. Eventually, the glasses were introduced to the public, and caught on after American General Douglas MacArthur sported them during World War II. Then, of course, singers, actors and media personalities made them a part of their look, and its place in the annals of fashion history was cemented. Everyone from Paul McCartney to Freddie Mercury to Tom Cruise seemed to wear them, and when such big stars did, the public would surely follow.
There’s countless imitators and knock offs available of this style, but there’s nothing like the original. You really can’t go wrong with aviators, and the classic look seems to be very much in vogue!
Wayfarer Sunglasses
Another classic design by Ray-Ban, Wayfarers were introduced in 1952 as an offshoot of the already popular Aviators. Featuring trapezoidal lenses and a thicker top, it became a fashion icon after being sported by the likes of James Dean, The Blues Brothers and Roy Orbison. Wayfarers became popular with the counter culture, and remains a great choice even today, since they look great on pretty much all face structures. Plus, Mad Men have brought them back into the limelight.
Butterfly Sunglasses
Named after its resemblance to well, butterflies, this is a classic feminine style that was made popular by Jacqueline Kennedy. In fact, they’re commonly also called Oversized sunglasses or ‘Jackie O’s’. You’ll find more than a fair share of celebrities sporting it, it’s perfect for all round protection, the high fashion look, and is quite timeless. The Butterfly style is also popular with users who want to minimize the arch of their nose.
Cat Eye Sunglasses
One look at these cat eye sunglasses and you’d probably think of one person and one person only, the ravishing Audrey Hepburn. That’s not to say that it wasn’t used by other fashion icons in the 50’s and 60’s of course, you’ll find big names like Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Barbara Windsor who swore by them. This style is perfect if you’re going for the retro look, and is one of the most popular feminine styles even now.
Browline Glasses
The Browline style is characterized by a thick upper frame running across the brow, hence the name. It was first introduced by Shuron Ltd. In 1947, but became much more popular after Ray-Ban introduced their version of it, called the Clubmaster. In fact, they’re sometimes also referred to simply as ‘Clubmasters’. History heavyweights such as Malcolm X, Colonel Sanders and Lyndon B. Johnson wore glasses of this style, but the sunglasses got popular after the Clubmaster was introduced. Again, a great style if you want to go for the retro look.
Round Glasses
We’ll be honest here, not everyone can pull off round sunglasses. John Lennon immediately comes to mind with this style, and although it’s frequently associated with the ‘hipster’ counter-culture these days, give it a try to see if it suits you. Round glasses are great if you’re going for a quirky and out of the box look.
Wrap
The Wrap style is for those of you who are looking for maximum sun protection and a swept back look. Also great for driving, these glasses look best on a squarish face structure, and is frequently associated with athletes or an active lifestyle.
Square/Rectangle Glasses
Last but not the least, we have the ever popular square or rectangle shaped glasses. They’re pretty self-explanatory and mostly work well on round faces. They have been associated with ‘future’ looks now and then, but we beg to differ. Simple, elegant and worth a try if you don’t want to get into something too fancy.
So there you have it, all the important and well known sunglass types and styles explained! Of course there are more styles, but they’re mainly offshoots of one or more of the ones we’ve mentioned above. While most manufacturers have almost all of these types in their portfolio, a few styles like the Wayfarers are pretty much trademarks of a single company, in this case Ray-Ban, so if you want to get the perfect look, you’ll have to buy original. We also recommend not to skimp on the quality, no matter how good the cheaper no-brand alternative looks and feels. They usually compromise on lens quality and protection, and that’s a risk you really cannot afford to take. Happy shopping!