Him vs Her: Can Everyone Wear Aviators?

Made famous in movies like Top Gun, Cobra, and To Live and Die in L.A.., Aviator™ sunglasses are iconic. Worn by the likes of Tom Cruise and the stereotypical choice of sunglasses for police officers everywhere, almost everyone has worn a pair at one time.

With roots dating back to the late 1930’s, Aviator™ glasses were originally designed for pilots in order to protect their eyes while in the air. With a slight convex shape and covering the entire eye area, they are designed to block a lot of sunlight from getting through. They also feature a unique reflective lens that adds to the overall style.

One could argue that they definitely started out as a men’s frame but have branched out over the decades and are now worn by many women. We’ve seen super models and movie starlets wear these hot sunglasses but are they really unisex? Is it a fashion faux pas for women to wear them? We’ve asked our style gurus to weigh in and share their thoughts and opinions with us. We’d also love to hear what our readers and customers think!

Erin: What a loaded question! Aviator™ sunglasses are for everyone! It may have started out in a men’s world but Aviators™ work on females just fine.

 

Des: I think Aviators™ are definitely more of a guy thing. When you think of the history or even in pop culture, the look is classic for men. You really can’t change that.

 

Erin: What may have started out as a man’s fashion trend looks just fine on a woman. Add a cute pair of denim jeans, a t-shirt, and a fitted jacket with some Aviators™ and any woman will look gorgeous.

 

Des: I think there only very limited circumstances where a woman would look good with aviator style sunglasses but with men, the options are limitless. They evoke a certain masculinity and quality that just doesn’t work on a woman.

 

Erin: Women can jazz them up with bright colors and men can add character with mirror coated lenses of all different colors. There are plenty of options such as oversized or traditional frames, metal or plastic, and they can even be shaped rectangular. With that many options provided, I think any woman can find the right kind of aviator to wear.

 

Des: I still think it’s too difficult to break that iconic style from being associated with men. Iceman and Maverick would completely agree with me.

 

Erin: Maverick thought Charlie looked pretty good when she had Aviators™ on. Ladies, you can wear ’em and make ’em work. Trust me.

 

It looks like our style gurus have disagreed yet again with some passionate opinions flying back and forth. Whatever your style preference, there are plenty of options for sunglasses that you can try. Even now that you’re reading this blog post, you can try on a variety of eyeglasses or sunglasses from the comfort of your own home with our Virtual Try-On.