FashBlog.com

Written by James Fohl

When you think of sunglasses, what comes to your mind? Besides the dark lensed pair of glasses, do thoughts of summer and hot days come to mind? Sunglasses have really exploded in popularity over the past several decades, but have you ever wondered when exactly the whole concept of sunglasses came up? I mean, really just think about it; have you ever seen a photograph taken from the Civil War of a Union soldier wearing a pair of them?

Can I Borrow Your Gemstones To Look Through The Sunlight?

Although you most likely do not see old photographs containing people wearing sunglasses, they (sunglasses) are actually quite old. The first recorded incident involving sunglasses is believed to be from ancient times, in which Roman emperor Nero enjoyed watching gladiators battle while looking through polished gemstones that allowed him to see the battles successfully through the sunlight.

The Chinese And Their Smoky Quartz Sunglasses

Around the twelve century, the Chinese began using sunglasses made from smoky quartz. Although this material did not help correct bad eye vision, its principle use was because it had the ability to reduce glare. These smoky quartz sunglasses were also worn for a variety of other reasons, including the ability to keep evil spirits away, as well worn by judges to conceal the facial expressions made during trials.

Today's modern sunglasses had their first trial run during the eighteenth century, when a man named James Ayscough began experimenting with green and yellow tinted eyeglasses. James' reasons for the experiments had nothing to do with blocking sunlight, or glare, but rather he believed that the colored lenses could treat certain visual disorders.

The Modern Day Sunglasses Are From Sam Foster

The big break for modern sunglasses came in 1929, when a man by the name of Sam Foster brought a wide variety of sunglasses to the beaches of New Jersey. The sunglasses proved to be a successful business venture for Sam, and his brand of sunglasses can still be purchased in fine retail stores today.

Sunglasses have really evolved in the history of man. From polished stone, to smoky quartz, to the polarized lenses that are found in most of today's sunglasses, the popularity of sunglasses as a fashion statement continues to get bolder and bolder with each passing year.

Reasons People Today Enjoy Their Sunglasses

Today sunglasses have two primary reason for being worn. The number one reason is because they have the ability to protect your eye from the sun's harmful UV (ultraviolet; meaning beyond violet in the color spectrum) rays, which can ultimately lead to the formation of cataracts on a person's eye. The other reason is of course sunglasses are a fashion statement for teenagers, movie stars, and pretty much everyone. This fact can be demonstrated when you witness such people wearing sunglasses on a cloudy day, or in some cases at night.

The Future Will Bring Innovation To Sunglasses

What lies in the future for sunglasses? Who knows, as regular sunglasses that turn to sunglasses in sunlight have already been released. Perhaps in the near future, tinted contact lenses will be more cheaper and more available to the market. I guess we'll just have to wait until the future comes, but for now let's just enjoy our sunglasses.