Warby Parker's '70s-Inspired Shades Look Just Right in 2021
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SHOP $95, warbyparker.com
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Listen, we could delve into about a million different versions of '70s mythology to kick this off, if we wanted to. We could talk about gold medallions nestled in a thicket of chest hair, or guys in leisure suits who consider a coke spoon not a novelty but a necessity. We could even, I suppose, make a few Ron Burgundy jokes. It might be fun! But we're not here to talk about the mockery-worthy excesses of a decade that was chock full of 'em. Instead, we're here to talk about one of the things the '70s got right. Like, really right. And that, friends, is the eyewear.
Say what you will about big collars and flared pants, but when it comes to sunglasses styles, the '70s were a gold mine. Coke hangovers, it turns out, gave birth to some pretty fantastic specs. And nowhere is that more apparent than in the squared-off, double-bar, acetate aviator, a hallmark of the era that lives on today in the form of Warby Parker's Hatcher sunglasses. These are exactly the kind of shades we can all use in 2021. Here's why.
They work on every face.
Long have we at Esquire—and, let's be real, everyone else—sung the praises of the wayfarer for its versatility. It's just one of those shapes that seems to fit everyone's face, no matter whether your mug is wide or narrow, your jaw lantern-shaped or pointed. But the wayfarer is not alone. The aviator is equally adaptable, and becomes even more so when you adjust the traditional teardrop shape to a squared-off silhouette. We've delved into the alchemy of why certain shapes work for certain faces before, but let's not mire ourselves in all that right now. Just know what whatever you're working with, the Hatcher will work with it.
SHOP $95, warbyparker.com
They ooze cool.
Remember all those '70s tropes we talked about earlier? The slightly-to-painfully cringey ones? Forget all that. Instead, picture Robert Redford kicking back in a shearling coat. Think of Sly and the Family Stone sitting in the pocket of a particularly palatable groove. Think of anyone who signifies, to your mind, a sort of ineffable, impossible-to-capture cool. Then think of the kind of sunglasses they'd wear. Bold, but not overwhelming. Full of personality, but not so much that they overshadow your own. Sunglasses like the Hatcher, which manage to channel all that throwback energy without feeling costumey. It's a rare combo, and one that deserves a spot in your rotation.
SHOP $95, warbyparker.com
They're eminently accessible.
The Hatcher sunglasses are not the only retro-flavored frame of this sort on the market. Just take a quick look on the Google machine and you'll find similar styles all over the place. But, as with all things Warby, they're both incredibly easy to get your hands on—no sweaty-palmed eBay countdowns to worry about here—and very fairly priced. Without a prescription, they go for a mere $95, which is a better price than you'll find for some actual vintage versions that may or may not crumble at the most minor mistreatment. And if you want an Rx, you can get one, which is a boon to folks like me, who need one of those to see what the hell is happening. Or, perhaps, to check oneself out in the mirror and see how damn good those sunglasses look.
SHOP $95, warbyparker.com
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