Aviator sunglasses had certainly been popular before Tom Cruise showed how sexy they are onscreen, but after we watched Maverick and his buddies playing volleyball on the beach, aviators never looked back. This classic style remains one of the most popular models of sunglasses ever made. Ray-Ban originally developed this style of sunglasses, which looked much like the teardrop-shaped flying goggles the company had been making for members of the American Army and Navy in the 1930s.

Naval aviators in particular liked wearing the sunglasses, and when the military’s official flying goggles were discontinued, the pilots simply continued to wear their personal aviator sunglasses while flying. Aviator sunglasses have continued to be extremely popular ever since.

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The History: A Classic Style Born

If you're anything like me, you always thought Tom Cruise pioneered aviator sunglasses to the world. In 1986, Top Gun set the stage for a new fashion era. However, the reality of aviator sunglasses’ debut was very different. In 1936, the U.S. military commissioned Ray Ban to make sunglasses as standard issue for pilots in the Air Force. Pilots needed protection against sun and glare without decreasing visibility. The dark teardrop-shaped lenses do a great job of covering every angle to keep out as much light as possible. Aviators have continued to be popular among military and law enforcement personnel, but in recent years have grown in popularity among all types of wearers.

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