I have always loved Aviator shades! Not only are they a classic, but they always add a cool factor to whatever I am wearing! Many designs of sunglasses have emerged over the past century, but none have ruled the fashion world like the aviators. But do many people really know exactly how they became so popular? I did a little bit of digging and found that the Aviator shades are a little closer to my home than I thought! To my friends in the Philippines, you may find this kinda interesting!
Originally developed in 1936 by Bausch and Lomb, aviators were distributed under the trade name Ray-Ban. They were called aviator sunglasses because they were first specifically designed for pilots during the World War II period. The Army was looking for a sunglass to protect aviators from the damaging rays of the sun, but also a sunglass that would look elegant on the dashing airman of the day.
The U.S. Army Air Corps pilots instantly took to the sunglasses, earning Ray-Bans the moniker “Aviator Glasses” — a term which now describes all sunglasses with designs that are similar to the original Ray-Ban.
The Ray-Ban aviator achieved broader popularity during WWII, when pictures of General Douglas Macarthur wearing these classic sunglasses when he landed in Philippines were printed in newspapers across the world. The very next year Ray-Ban introduced these aviators into the general market.
So thats a small bit of fashion history that I wanted to share with you all! :) If you know and want to share any more interesting tidbits, shoot me an email at LSillustrated@gmail.com! I would love to hear from you!
Sources: EZine Mark and Urban Optiques
This print is available for purchase at L.S. Illustrated’s Etsy Boutique
