Almost all of us have worn aviator glasses at some point in our lives. The characteristic design of these glasses, which are timeless pieces, has hardly changed over the years.
So how has this design managed to maintain its popularity over the years? Pilot glasses, which take their place as an ordinary object in our daily lives, actually have an interesting story.
This was the design of the first glasses to protect the eyes of pilots.
The first example of its modern form, which is now used by everyone except pilots, was designed only for pilots in the 1930s.
These glasses had the special features needed for the aviation industry; These glasses, called teardrops, with glass and thin metal frames, used polarized glasses to reduce glare and reflections.
The aviation industry has evolved and transformed tremendously over the past 100 years. So how did the aviator goggles manage to stay almost the same?
From bandage glasses that cover half of the head to the thin and light aviator model…
The Aviator, the aviator goggles model, emerged in the early 1900s to meet a simple need of pilots. As pilots rose with their planes, they were more likely to get headaches and get sick. Thick, fur-lined glasses, on the other hand, restricted his vision very much.
A pilot, seeing that his friend’s eyes were swollen or even partially frozen after a high flight, decided to develop an ideal goggle for pilots by collaborating with the company Macready, Bausch & Lomb.
With its large lenses and adjustable nose pads, the Aviator model soon became popular.
The result was magnificent. The eyeglasses, which are very light, make the viewing angle extremely comfortable, and manage to cover most of the face, were named Ray-Ban Aviator by Bausch & Lomb and were put on sale in the 1930s.
With its different lens variants and functional style, it soon became popular not only among pilots, but also among very different groups, including golfers or fishermen.
Timeless and functional design made pilots’ job easier.
In order to understand why aviator glasses are always the same type, it is necessary to look at the functional aspects of design as well as the influence of fashion and trends. Pilot goggles were originally designed for use by pilots and their purpose was to protect the eyes from harmful sun rays.
For this reason, it was designed to consist of large lenses, a wide-angle nosepiece and nose pads that can be adjusted according to the face shape. This functional and lightweight design allowed pilots to have a more comfortable viewing angle in air traffic.
Fashion descended from the sky to the earth; The Aviator model was engraved in history with the American aviation forces and General Douglas MacArthur.
Fashion and trends have a great impact on keeping the design of pilot glasses the same. First, the US Army Aviation Units started using the “Ray-Ban Aviator” pilot glasses designed by Bausch & Lomb in 1936.
General Douglas MacArthur wore these glasses when he landed on the beach in the Philippines in 1944, and this moment became an iconic moment when it was captured by the cameras of many photojournalists. Since then, aviator goggles have become an essential accessory in the military and civil aviation industries.
In the 1950s, it began to appeal to a wide audience.
It has now become a timeless and iconic piece as it is preferred by celebrities such as James Dean and Marlon Brando. It has taken an unshakable place in popular culture and fashion.
The pilot glasses Tom Cruise wore in the movie “Top Gun” has become a symbol of such glasses in popular culture.
Aside from that, aviator glasses have experienced several leaps and bounds in fashion over time. In the 1980s, popular artists like Madonna and Michael Jackson started wearing aviator goggles on stage, which became a trend among teenagers.
In the early 1990s, Kurt Cobain’s wearing of these glasses was instrumental in popularizing the grunge style. In addition, the fact that celebrities such as Victoria Beckham and Rihanna use aviator glasses as a part of their style has been effective in maintaining their place in fashion.
Pilot glasses are not going to leave our lives. Although we encounter new designs with developing technologies, it will probably continue to influence the fashion world in the future, as it has in the past; They will continue to be in our lives with the style inspirations they carry from the aerospace forces of the 1930s, Marlon Brando of the 1950s and Top Gun’s Tom Cruise.
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