Aviator sunglasses have been a staple in the world of fashion for decades. With their easy to identify style and their bad-ass look, aviators have stood the test of time and entered their way into almost everyone’s wardrobe. Here are some facts you may not know about the legendary aviators!

  • 1. Aviators were designed as a replacement for bulky flight goggles
  • When planes were originally flown by pilots in open cockpits, it was critical that the pilot’s eyes were completely covered by wind-blocking goggles to avoid debri hindering their vision. When cockpits became fully enclosed, pilots started adopting aviators as their shades of choice.

    2. Aviators were originally designed for medical use

    The reason Aviators were so popular amongst pilots is because of their functions of reducing glare from the sun which was causing headaches and sickness in pilots. They were designed by Bausch & Lomb who were actually medical equipment manufacturers.

    3. General Douglas MacArthur made the glasses popular during WWII

    Initially aviators were only available to the US military. The General was famously photographed on the beaches of the Philippines which graced newspapers all over the U.S.  

    4. Classic aviators are easy to spot

    The timeless sunglasses have a unique look of thin wire frames with large lenses that are dark and often reflective. The original style had gold frames and black lenses, which has made way for a variety of different combinations.

    5. After the movie ‘Top Gun’, sales of aviators grew by 40%

    Tom Cruise iconically adorned aviators in “Top Gun,” which inspired many to embrace their inner ‘Maverick’ and buy a pair after the release of the movie in 1986.

    6. Every 14 seconds someone in the USA either breaks or loses their sunglasses

    That's a whole lot of sunglasses! Thankfully we have KZ4life! that offers replacements for lost of broken sunglasses!

    Ryan Benes