The clubmaster sunglasses are a perfect example of the cyclical nature of fashion. These iconic sunglasses have a long history of fashion, originally called the brownie or browline glasses they were the most common style of eye glasses in the 1950’s and early 1960’s and therefore found there way onto just about everybody’s face, most noticeably Black liberationist Malcolm X.
They found there way back into popular culture when Bruce Willis wore a pair of tinted browlines on the show moonlighting creating a massive demand for the browline sunglasses. As Ray Ban already dominated the market with their Aviator and Wayfarer models, they created the clubmaster sunglasses we have today apparently named after there popularity with jazz musicians in the 50’s club scene.
In the mid 2000’s the style once again gained popularity with 50’s and 60’s fashion culture returning to the mainstream and with shows like Mad Men making everything retro cool, the club master saw a massive resurgence. Todays clubmasters come in all kinds of shapes and colours, from steel frames to wooden ones and even clubmasters that fold up into your pocket. Personally I’m a big fan of the original tortoise shell design from the late 80’s.
So what makes these an essential for me?
Well, any fashion item that has seen it’s way in and out of fashion for the better part of half a century is clearly here to stay. The outstanding design and true style will always be rediscovered. I love these guys so much, I even got myself a pair of spectacles too match, I wear them when I need too channel my inner Don Draper. It works too.
So, I’ve decided to make the browline spectacle my essential 6.5 cause really they go hand in hand. Remember classic never goes out of style.
Okay. Stay fancy.
