1980s Wayfarer Sunglasses on Like Totally 80s

If you were cooler than cool in the 80s, then your sunglasses of choice were Ray Ban’s Wayfarer sunglasses. Don’t know what Wayfarer sunglasses are? If that’s the case, you either didn’t grow up in the 80s or, if you did, you had absolutely no fashion sense and you definitely didn’t have a hope in heaven of being “cool” or popular.

So what was the appeal of Wayfarer sunglasses? Well, the fact that hotter-than-hot Tom Cruise wore them in Risky Business (shown below right) probably helped the cause. The Blues Brothers probably had something to do with it too – as did Miami Vice and Less than Zero. Of course the fact that Wayfarer sunglasses were mentioned in the “Boys of Summer” song probably didn’t hurt either. Yes, when it came to 80s icon culture, Wayfarer had designer eyewear covered.

What added to the “street cred” of Wayfarer sunglasses was the fact that they weren’t just seen in movies or on television. Celebrities actually owned and wore them in everyday life. Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Madonna and Don Johnson were frequently seen sporting Wayfarer sunglasses.

If you never owned a pair of Wayfarer sunglasses, it’s not too late for you to enjoy the Wayfarer experience. Unlike most 80s fashion trends, Wayfarer sunglasses really never went out of style. In fact, they’re still popular today. You can buy Wayfarer sunglasses at almost any store that sells Ray Ban products.

The Wayfarer sunglasses line was improved in 2002 and the new collection features an array of colors to choose from; although I still prefer the classic black Wayfarer sunglasses that ruled the 80s. At least part of our 80s fashion lives on today, and Wayfarer sunglasses are one piece of our 80s wardrobe that we can still wear today without looking like total geeks.

Wayfarer Sunglasses: What Tom Cruise, The Blues Brothers and Don Henley Have in Common