I recently received my copy of Harper’s Bazaar in the mail and was surprised at how many celebrities were wearing Ray Ban’s Wayfarer sunglasses. All of them, apart of what I call "Generation Y for Young". These denizens of the technology-age dictate what is considered "cool" and hip. Needless to say, I was not as shocked to see, a mere week later in the Lifestyle section of New York Magazine that Ray Ban sunglasses (specifically Wayfarers) are the established new trend. Now I am not normally one to jump on any bandwagon, let alone one rooted in fashion, but I simply couldn’t let this revival escape me.
Contrary to popular belief, the wickedly chic Ray Ban Wayfarers weren’t born in front of some hipster’s vanity. They were created in 1937 by Bausch and Lomb, on commission of the US Air Force, to help the pilots combat the harsh rays of the sun. Somewhere along the line, Hollywood picked them up, placed them atop Audrey Hepburn’s dainty nose and watched as it sailed into superstardom. Later on, Tom Cruise and Madonna only cemented its popularity when they wore it on screen and on stage, respectively.
There is an element of classic originality I see in Wayfarers that I rarely see in other trends. If it has stood for almost a century as a staple to the fashionable and practical, I don’t see it dying out any time soon. The thing I like most about Ray Ban designer sunglasses is its no-fuss design and qualities. It’s simple and practical in most every way. I don’t care that Sienna Miller was seen wearing them along the gold-paved roads of Rodeo or that Kanye West was performing with them at a concert. For me, when I inadvertently follow a trend, my main concern is permanence. Are they something that has the staying power of Elizabeth Tayor without the gawdy history? Can I see myself wearing this with my black essentials 20 years from now? If I answer positively to the above questions, I will succumb to the devices of the media and purchase myself a ticket to trendville–in this case, a red pair of Ray Ban Wayfarers.
