The 50 Most Iconic Sunglasses of All Time
By Katie Capri
Hunter S. Thompson had his yellow aviators, Kurt Cobain his Christian Roths, and Audrey Hepburn her cat-eyed lenses: Many icons of the last hundred years have reached their status with a mix of attitude and a really badass pair of sunglasses.
Maybe they first wore their glasses for convenience (in the case, of, say, Jackie O. in Capri) or as a means of protection (V. Stiviano), but no matter: Certain sunglasses are now synonymous with the people who first made them famous. Take, for example, Kanye’s shutter glasses (of the “Stronger” era) and Elton John’s pink-palm shades.
Click through our slideshow of the 8 of the most iconic shades in history — from Lolita to Lady Gaga — because, after all, everyone looks hotter in sunglasses. For all 50 most iconic sunglasses of all time, head over to The Cut.
Related: 20 Pairs of Timelessly Chic Sunglasses to Buy Right Now
Photo: Paramount Pictures/Getty Images
Oliver Goldsmith Manhattans
Key to Audrey Hepburn's turn as the winsome and glamorous Holly Golightly in 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s, these slightly cat-eye 1960s Oliver Goldsmith frames maintain their high-society glamour today.
Photo: Terry McGinnis/Getty Images
Kurt Cobain’s Christian Roths
Immortalized on the face of the Nirvana front man and Grunge God, these pale oval shades helped cement Cobain’s grubby, androgynous cool. Just ahead of the ’90s peak style revival, Silver Lining Vintage x Opening Ceremony reissued these frames in 2010.
Related: From Beads to Plastic: 50 Celebrities in Chokers
Jackie O’s Sunglasses
Even a lifelong fashion goddess like Jackie has her high-highs, and for us, years spent on the shores of the Mediterraean were it. Here she swapped her Massachusetts debutante decorum for playful, sun-soaked styles always topped with fabulous dark glasses — the embodiment of that sweet transitional moment between ’60s mod and ’70s glamour.
Related: See All of Jackie O’s Most Iconic Looks
Photo: Ben Gabbe/Getty Images
Karl Lagerfeld’s Oversize Black Shades
The Fashion Pope of Chanel is never seen without the following: a low silver pony, a billowing ascot, and a pair of black shades. They could be Wayfarers, aviators, black-as-night opaque, or north-south gradient, but they all guarantee complete pupil obscurity for King Karl.
Related: A Rare Glimpse Inside Paris’s Exclusive 1980s Club Scene: Lagerfeld, St. Laurent & More
Photo:Getty Images/Getty Images
Shutter Shades
These 2008 Alain Mikli’s, famously worn by Kanye, are the latest in a long line of louvered shades (yes, including ’50s models that resembled scaled-down Venetian blinds). Apart from providing a questionable degree of UV protection, these brought new life to the novelty sunglasses market.
Related: See The Evolution of Kanye West’s Splashy Style
Photo:Vanni Bassetti/Getty Images
Prada’s Minimal Baroque Sunglasses
Distinguished by its rococo stems, this romantic style became a huge hit and celebrity favorite when they debuted at Prada's carnival-themed spring 2011 runway show. It remains to be seen whether the hyperidentifiable shape will hold up over time or doom them to the world of novelty knockoffs.
Related: The 50 Best Cult and Classic Lip Shades of All Time
Photo:Steve Schapiro/Corbis
Ray-Ban Wayfarers
Arguably the most iconic of shades, the Wayfayer emerged as a beacon of Hollywood glamour in the 1950s, notably adorning the gorgeous, sad mug of James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause. But it wasn’t until 1983 when they took up what just might be permanent residence on sunglass stands the world over, thanks to a very different kind of hero: Tom Cruise in Risky Business.
Beyoncé’s Fringe Shades
Commanding respect with a serious strut, Beyoncé rocks these swing-y metallic shades in her 2008 video for the Sasha Fierce track “Diva.”
Related: See All of Beyonce’s Best & Worst Looks
Not to be worn by ordinary mortals while operating heavy machinery or anything else, if you’re a “female version of a hustla” then you’ll enjoy the way the gleaming strands on these frames sway back and forth with your every stilletoed step.
For the rest of our 50 most iconic sunglasses of all time, click through to The Cut.
