Wayfarer vs. Aviator: Everything You Need To Know

The Ray-Ban brand has become synonymous with cool, casual, badassery the world over. Whether you choose to rock a classic style or one of the trendier versions, chances are you own or have owned at least one pair of Wayfarer or Aviator sunglasses in your life.

The Wayfarer frame has remained popular for decades for its style and universal wearability. The plastic, trapezoidal frames were immediately popular and have remained one of the most versatile and flattering sunglass styles and shapes for fashion people everywhere.

Aviator sunglasses also have a very distinctive design – the thin, metal frame with a double bridge and large teardrop-shaped lens covers the eye from unwanted sun and gazes. Seen balanced on the noses of film stars, 1970s glamazons, and many a celebrity over the years, these sunglasses have been an enduring accessory for decades.

Wayfarer

First introduced in 1956, Wayfarers are one of the styles that revolutionized the world of sunglasses. Originally created by Bausch & Lomb’s Ray-Ban brand by Raymond Stegeman, they were a way to move away from the traditional metal frames that were in fashion at the time.

In the 60s, John F. Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn wore Wayfarers which skyrocketed the sunglasses to immediate popularity. They took a backseat in the 70s when larger frames were all the rage.

In the 80s they reemerged in a prominent way when they were on the faces of Dan Akroyd and John Belushi in the movie The Blues Brothers. Akroyd’s character wore a squared-off, cat-eye frame that resembled the original patent. Belushi wore the tilted, more rounded style that is still on sale today. By the end of that year, 1981, Ray-Ban had sold 18,000 pairs of Wayfarers in both styles. 

The company realized there was value in product placement so they invested $50,000 to showcase the Wayfarer sunglasses in movies and on TV. Before the end of the decade, the sunglasses appeared in more than 60 productions. 

The most notable films were Risky Business in 1983, The Breakfast Club in 1985, and Miami Vice in 1989. Jack Nicholson and Anna Wintour helped elevate the Wayfarer as well. 

The Wayfarer began to decline in popularity during the 90s. Wrap-around sunglasses were the style of choice during this decade, and in 1999, Bausch & Lomb sold the company to the Italian Luxottica Group for $640 million.

In 2001, they redesigned the Wayfarer. First, making them from injection-molded plastic rather than acetate. Second, they made a smaller frame that wasn’t as angular making them easier to be perched on top of the wearer’s head when they didn’t need protection from the sun. And third, most Wayfarers have been squared off to their original shape, not counting any re-designs or new versions introduced over the years. 

They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery and today, Ray-Ban is the maker of the Wayfarer shape, which is the most popular style of sunglasses on the market. From the more conservative, classic style to brighter, flashier, more modern versions, priced as low as just a few dollars to upwards of thousands, depending on the brand, the Wayfarer is a classic that will never go out of style. 

Wayfarer Style Tips

• Black is more casual, while tortoiseshell is more gentlemanly. Avoid white or light-color frames – those colors are considered too flashy for this classic frame.
• Wayfarers are versatile but pair best with casual wear. Wear them to the beach or while you’re out and about in a pair of chinos and a polo shirt. Keep this style of sunglasses as your go-to everyday pair.
• If you find that this style is the best frame for your face shape, buy multiple pairs in several frame choices.

Aviators

While Aviators are equally as cool and iconic as the Wayfarer, they serve a different purpose, both logically and stylistically.

The Aviator’s origin story begins as a practical solution to a legitimate problem. In the early 20th century as planes improved and pilots began to literally ascend to new heights, they realized these new altitudes brought the inability to be able to see without thick, fur-lined goggles as well as bringing on altitude sickness, including headaches and nausea.

The story is that an American pilot, John Macready, was at the height of 33,000 feet and a fellow pilot removed his misted-up goggles for a second and his eyes were swollen and frozen, shocking Macready. When he went on to form a working relationship with Bausch & Lomb, protecting the pilot’s eyesight was at the top of his agenda. What resulted was a much more lightweight goggle with a large green lens that minimized the brightness of the sunlight while increasing vision. The lenses form a teardrop shape that runs along the cheek line to cover two to three times the size of the average eyeball in order to offer more light-blocking protection. After becoming a success with pilots, the Aviator sunglasses went on sale to the public in the late 30s.

This style gained popularity when, in 1944, General Douglas MacArthur was spotted wearing a pair when he landed on the beach in the Philippines. The moment was captured by photojournalists and was seen by individuals all over the world.

After the war, Aviator’s started being seen on famous faces, including Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, and Paul McCartney who were photographed in this style so much, the frames became as iconic as the musicians themselves.

And men weren’t the only ones making the style famous. Gloria Steinem wore blue lenses when speaking at feminist events; Stevie Nicks, Biana Jagger, Debbie Harry, and Lily Tomlin also joined the list of women who rocked the bold look, giving these women, and anyone that wears the style, a certain swagger.

They exude a particular aloof kind of cool, which was embodied by Marlon Brando in The Wild Ones, Jennifer Lawrence in Joy, and last but certainly not least, Tom Cruise in Top Gun. Maverick was already cool, but once he threw on his leather jacket and Ray-Ban Aviators, he became an icon. Every guy wanted to be him and every female wanted to… well, you know the saying…

Aviator Style Tips

• Aviators are much more versatile than their Wayfarer counterparts. Keep them casual with khaki shorts and a button-up oxford or polo shirt.
• Aviators can come across as garish when paired with a flashy suit but look fantastic with a more business casual look. Dark indigo jeans, with a white oxford, a blazer, and a pair of Aviators elevate your style and will ensure some handshakes across the table when securing business deals.
• Does anything pair better with a leather jacket than your favorite Aviators? I think not. Throw them on as you ride away on your motorcycle off into the sunset. Or sunrise. Or at high noon. Basically whenever the sun is out.

This or That?

So how do you know when to wear each pair? Honestly, whichever you feel most like yourself in is always the right answer, but keep some of the above style tips in mind so you don’t come across as “that guy.” No one wants to be “that guy.”

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