Sunglasses are arguably a man’s best friend. It is a basic accessory of the male wardrobe. Since its invention, a pair of sunglasses has been used as a fashion statement to look bright and bold.
American Optical
American Optical is a major brand of sunglasses founded in 1826 by William Beecher, it is one of the oldest eyewear brands in the world.
American Optical became popular when it specially created the sunglasses worn by astronaut Neil Armstrong and the rest of the Apollo 11 crew, making it a flagship American brand.
This American brand has made a name for itself in homes for its line of sturdy sunglasses. A pair of American Optical glasses lasts for years, making them a good investment.
The company offers excellent quality products at reasonable prices. You can buy a pair of American Optical glasses starting at $100.
Oakley
Oakley is another world famous brand of premium sunglasses to own. Like many businesses, the company had humble beginnings. It was in 1975 that founder James Jannard started making ski goggles.
In 1984, Oakley launched the Factory Pilot Eyeshades, its first pair of sunglasses. The sporty signature of the brand has made it stand out from the competition. A few years later, Oakley eyewear became a hit.
The brand’s success peaked in the 1990s, when almost everyone you passed wore Oakleys. The company has produced most of its sports glasses with polarized lenses that protect your eyes from unwanted glare.
Oakley eyewear is an essential accessory for those with a more active lifestyle. They are perfect for wearing in the summer or for driving in broad daylight.
Italian eyewear giant Luxottica, which also bought out Ray-Ban and Persol, acquired Oakley in 2007. You can pick up some of Oakley’s top-selling eyewear for $100 to $200.
Maui-Jim
Maui Jim is also one of the top global brands to look for when shopping for your next pair of sunglasses. Its founder, Jim Richards, first established it as a private company in Hawaii in 1980.
The company produced its line of sunglasses in Hawaii for eight years. Then, in 1988, it expanded its presence in the continental US market.
It creates fashionable sports and eyewear, as well as prescription and non-prescription sunglasses.
Maui Jim successfully competes with other luxury sunglasses brands with its durable and exceptionally high quality eyewear. It remains a top choice for frequent travelers and beach lovers.
The price of the latest glasses of this brand is estimated at more than 300 dollars.
Persol
Persol is also an internationally recognized brand. It is touted as the only parallel brand to Ray-Ban in terms of the company’s history dating back to the 1900s. Just like Ray-Ban, Persol is owned by Luxottica.
Persol comes from the Italian expression “per il sole”, which means “for the sun”. Giuseppe Ratti founded the company as an Italian eyewear manufacturer in 1917.
The company has been around for over a century now. It is therefore one of the oldest manufacturers of sunglasses in the world.
Persol introduced its signature yellow-brown lens as early as the 1920s, when Ray-Ban wasn’t even designed yet. The brand enjoyed huge success when Steve McQueen, ’60s counterculture icon and king of cool, wore Persol glasses in the 1968 thriller The Thomas Crown Affair.
As for the price, you can pick up a pair of Persol for at least $100, which seems affordable to most. The brand’s high-end sunglasses cost between $200 and $300.
FAQs
What glasses does Tom Cruise wear in Top Gun?
A lot has changed in the 34 years since the first Top Gun movie, but one thing has remained the same. Cruise still wears the Ray-Ban Aviator Classic sunglasses he had in the 1986 original. Sales of the Ray-Ban Aviator rose over 40% following the first film.
What brand of sunglasses did Steve McQueen wear?
The brand is Persol. For much of the film, Steve McQueen wore a pair of Persol 714 folding sunglasses with a light tan frame and crystal blue lenses. This style was a favorite of McQueen, who also wore them in Bullitt, The Getaway and Le Mans.