Origins of Sunglasses
It is said that the Roman emperor Nero liked to watch gladiator fights with emeralds that appear to have worked rather like mirrors. In 12th century China flat panes of smoky quartz were used to protect the eyes from glare although they offered no corrective powers. Historical documents describe the use of such crystals by judges in Chinese courts to conceal their facial expressions while questioning witnesses.In the mid 18th century, James Ayscough, an English designer and maker of scientific instruments, began experimenting with tinted lenses in spectacles to correct specific vision impairments although these were not intended to be used as sunglasses.
Foster Grant
In the early 1900s, the use of sunglasses started to become more widespread, especially among the pioneering stars of silent movies. They wore sunglasses to protect their eyes from the harshly bright lighting of some early film studios, often taking them off only when stepping in front of the camera to shoot a scene.
Inexpensive mass-produced sunglasses were introduced to America by Sam Foster in 1929. Foster found a ready market on the beaches of Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he began selling sunglasses under the Foster Grant name from a Woolworth on the Boardwalk. The company has since gone on to become pioneers and a world leader of affordable quality sunglasses and ready-to-wear reading glasses.
The Foster Grant brand was established in the UK during the early 1970's and has since those days had many famous wearers including the king of rock n roll himself, the legendary Elvis Presley.
Throughout the years the brand has been supported by the hugely successful and popular "Who's that behind the Foster Grants?" advertising campaign that has also featured other famous stars such as Woody Allen, Peter Sellers, Vanessa Redgrave, Mia Farrow, Raquel Welch and more recently, Cindy Crawford, to name just a few. Ex-Bond girl Honor Blackman (aka Pussy Galore) has also been the face of Foster Grant's reading glass collection.
What do you call your Sunglasses?
There are many different names given to sunglasses all over the world. Here is a list of variations starting with the most common:-
- Sunglasses is in common use in Britain and North America and often preceded by "pair of".
- Glares is a term popular in India if the glass is dark and Coolers if it is light.
- Sun spectacles is a term used by some opticians.
- Spekkies is a term used predominantly in southern Australia.
- Sun specs (also sunspecs) is the shortened form of the above term.
- Sun-shades can also refer to the sun-shading eyepiece-type, although the term is not exclusively used. Also used is the derivative abbreviation, shades.
- Dark glasses (also preceded by pair of) is another generic term in common use.
- Sunnies is Australian and New Zealand Slang
- Specs is a common name for sunglasses in North America.
- Smoked spectacles usually refers to the darkened eyepieces worn by blind people.
- Solar Shields usually refers to sunglasses with large lenses.
- Locs (also maddoggers) is a term for very dark lensed sunglasses.
- Sang Gleezies (from sunglasses)
- Other names:- Stunna shades, Hater blockers and Cheaters
If you know of any other names given to sunglasses drop us an email and we'll add yours to our list.
