Shady Business

Sometimes it takes militaristic discipline—and demand—to create an iconic trend. Hence the number of fashion staples derived from military dress. Take Ray-Ban sunglasses, which got their start in the military in 1929 when Lieutenant John MacCready, having suffered nausea while crossing the Atlantic in a blimp, requested lenses powerful enough to block the intense glare of the sun while still allowing for full visibility. Ray-Ban came up with its first style of eyewear, to be trademarked in 1937 as the Ray-Ban Aviator. Fifteen years later, in 1952, the Aviator's edgier sibling, the Wayfarer, was launched. Darker and with a thick, square frame, the Wayfarer begged for attention and found it in Hollywood, where stars like Audrey Hepburn famously paired the glasses with a little black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Some two decades later, Tom Cruise reinforced the style's hip factor in Risky Business. And Madonna inspired legions of fans to adopt the look when she sported Wayfarers in Desperately Seeking Susan. Musicians as diverse as Bob Dylan and Blondie have also donned the look. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd even mocked the outlaw style of the shades in The Blues Brothers. Today, celebrities like Jude Law and Kirsten Dunst slip on the lenses when the paparazzi glare gets too hot—and to be cool, of course.