Ray-Ban 101: A Road Map Through An Icon’s History

Like a black leather jacket, Ray-Bans have an air of undeniable coolness about them. As a sunglasses brand, Ray-Ban got its start in 1937 making shades to protect eyes from the sun’s glare. But over the decades it grew to be so much more, becoming the eyewear of choice for celebrities, rebels and sex icons alike.

You can easily spot those classic square frames from a mile away, but how much do you know about Ray-Ban? Listen up, because class is in session.

Flying High

Aviators are the sunglasses that started it all. Back in the ‘30s, American pilots complained the sun’s rays were making them feel disoriented. In came Ray-Ban, who rescued them with anti-glare shades made with green lenses. Everyone gobbled them up by the time they hit the mass market in 1937. Honor this piece of fashion history by wearing your green tinted Aviators with an aviator jacket and lace-up boots.

Shades of the “In Crowd”

From the late James Dean to Denzel Washington, everyone who’s anyone has rocked Ray-Ban sunglasses in movies or real life. Other starlets include Audrey Hepburn and Robert De Niro, but no one made the Ray-Ban part of their signature style quite like Michael Jackson, who was bad as he could be with a fedora and white glove. Steal the limelight like the King of Pop wearing classic Ray-Ban Wayfarers and a plaid shirt with a leather jacket.

More Than Just Wayfarers

Apart from the classic Aviator and Wayfarer frames, Ray-Ban has given us performance eyewear for athletes in the form of sunglasses with mirror lenses and shades with a curved bridge. Try a retro chic look by donning tortoiseshell mirrored-lens shades with a blue button-down shirt, an orange bowtie and pull-on boots.

To sum up our little lesson, Ray-Bans are more than just sunglasses, they are a cultural icon and have been for over 75 years. The rest, as they say, is fashion history.

Take your place among style icons with Ray-Ban sunglasses.