Icon Of The Week: Ray-Ban Wayfarer
Before you groan and come at me with clubs, I'll readily admit that the Wayfarer trend is stale and passé. But I stand by the fact that even now, it's a pretty hard trend to kill and the reason for such is within its iconic status. The Wayfarer will make more comebacks than Madonna could ever hope to achieve, and will probably outlive us all.
The Ray-Ban Wayfarers were designed by Raymond Stegeman in 1952. In an era of thin metal frames and the infantile birth of plastic molding, the Wayfarers marked a radical shift in optical trend. Among the first to be seen out with them was Robert Kennedy!
Despite its frames catered for a masculine look, and it being marketed originally for pilots (just like the aviators), the Wayfarers became a Hollywood starlet trend.
Iconic figures like Kim Novak and Marilyn Monroe had the Wayfarers buzzing, but it was really Audrey Hepburn (who wore them in Breakfast at Tiffany's) who pivoted them to cult status.
Then they were seen just about anywhere and on anyone who was someone, from John Lennon, The Smiths, and Bob Dylan, to James Dean, Andy Warhol and John F. Kennedy.
Wayfarer sales eventually declined, but hugely skyrocketed when Tom Cruise was spotted wearing them on Risky Business in 1983. This comeback trend had everyone wearing them, from Madonna and Elvis Costello, to Anna Wintour and Jack Nicholson. The Wayfarer became the shades of the decade, but it didn't stop the fad from fading yet again.
The Wayfarers re-emerged around 2006, when celebrities like Mary-Kate Olsen began wearing vintage frames to go with the vintage trend. Ray-Ban took notice, and officially re-introduced the Wayfarer in 2007.
At a Ray-Ban party in late 2006, Molly Sims and Mischa Barton were spotted wearing the latest line of Wayfarers, sparking much hype (Note that The O.C. was still on air at the time, hence the hype Mischa Barton caused).
Soon, everyone was spotted wearing them, from Kirsten Dunst to Ellen Degeneres! 2008 was really the year for the Wayfarers - sales were 271% greater than in 2006, and countless Wayfarer-inspired designs by Topshop, Forever 21, and even Luella and Marc Jacobs hit the display shelves.
This time around, Ray-Ban released a Wayfarer 'colourize' line, in which the frames were given updates in bright colours of green, pink, red and turquoise.
The staying power of the Wayfarers lie within its classic plastic shape that seem to suit every face shape, and the understated, but cool vibe it gives to any look.
Just when I thought the trend had done its spotlight time for the decade, Twilight got released last November and featured Robert Pattinson wearing them in the movie and throughout its promotion, sparking a mini hype once again.
Even though the trend has almost done its time, I know many of us can't possibly part with something that has become cemented as a fashion staple. Passé or not, the Wayfarer is undoubtedly of iconic status.
This is me in 2007 wearing my tortoise-shell Wayfarers in university (To date, I have four pairs that I refuse to part with). Don't note the giganormous forehead!
And this is Sarah wearing her Wayfarer-inspired shades and Joyce wearing her two toned Wayfarers last year.
[Photo Credits: Extreme Eye Wear, Preppy Southern Princess, Nitrolicious, SunglassesID, Best Women Style, Fab Sugar, Instyle, Ebay]
