New President, Classic Shades: Ray-Bans Return to the White House

The message of Barack Obama’s successful presidential campaign may have been “Change”, but with his no-drama persona and careful wardrobe selections he didn’t rock the boat. The classic suits, no-nonsense ties: the liberal looked pretty conservative most of the time. Still, the nation’s first African-American president was bound to become a style icon, and he wears the sunglasses favored by dozens of famous icons: Ray-Bans. In most photographs he appears to be wearing Ray-Ban 3217s, a rimless style that isn’t among the brand’s best-known models.

The most well-known style of Ray-Bans is the Wayfarer. It’s a style originally designed for the gents, but it quickly became popular among ladies as well. Beginning with Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and probably most recognizable on the Blues Brothers, Wayfarers enjoyed their peak popularity throughout the 50s and 60s, making a resurgence in the 1980s. Entertainment legends from Bob Dylan and John Lennon to Marilyn Monroe and James Dean sported them. There’s even a presidential precedent to the Wayfarers—John F. Kennedy was snapped in the shades several times. Wayfarers have been steady sellers: fashionistas have been snapping up their latest incarnation in a rainbow of over-the-top hues.

Ray-Ban’s Aviator sunglasses are from an older vintage, having been developed in 1937. As the name suggests, Ray-Ban designed the Aviators to meet the needs of military pilots. The lenses were shaped to fit under flying goggles. The Aviators are also coated with a special anti-glare film to ensure pilots aren’t dazzled during complex manuevers. Aviators dazzle away from the airfields, too: like the Wayfarers, Ray-Ban aviators have been spotted not only on generals and flyboys, but also on pretend flyboys like Tom Cruise in Top Gun. They’re a perennial favorite of pop stars and starlets as well as the military. Both of Ray-Ban’s most popular styles radiate an aura of command, mystery, and above all, cool.

But are we ready for a cool presidency? Barack Obama’s “cool” factor has seemed a little suspicious to observers at times—some commentators suggest it means the former University of Chicago constitutional law professor shouldn’t be taken seriously; Chris Matthews thinks that Obama’s Ray-Bans make him seem “elitist”. Probably the President-Elect is just trying to project an aura of solidity while he protects his eyes: Shades We Can Believe In. Or, he could be trying to distract us from staring at those ears.