Study reveals the appeal of shades in western popular culture
They are an enduring and ever-present image in fashion, films, music and advertising – but now we may finally have some answers as to why the use of sunglasses is so widespread in visual culture. The popular eyewear is not just a fashion accessory, but is linked to being ultra-modern and a metaphor for being able to withstand the rapid pace of both cultural and technological change, according to new research at Nottingham Trent University.
The study, carried out by an expert in design and visual culture in the university’s School of Art and Design, involved investigating the history of sunglasses and their use in western popular culture, and analysing this in relation to various theories of ‘coolness’ to see why they are so appealing.
A key finding was that sunglasses are often used in visual culture to suggest a superior level of adaptation to the cultural challenges of modern society – the eyes are deemed so significant to social rules and behaviour that covering them up conveys a strong social power, suggesting superiority and glamour. They are used to convey detachment from the mainstream and the idea of playing by the rules, based on the notion that appropriate eye contact is considered respectful and a fundamental rule of social interaction.
This idea of rebellion may suggest why shades were such a key prop for the characters of gangster movie Reservoir Dogs, or Jean Reno’s assassin Leon. Even the villainous Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies, had his eyes hidden behind a reflective mask – and this was only removed at the very end upon his redemption.
Sunglasses are also often associated with being able to withstand technological advancements and challenges, the research found. This could be because their use shields people from exposed emotions, suggesting they are ‘composed’ in every situation, and the high-tech associations of hard man-made materials worn so close to the body imply a close and confident relationship with modern technologies.
In some cases this has developed into shades being used in visual culture to represent the notion of superhuman physical and emotional strength – think Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator or the characters Neo and Morpheus in The Matrix.
Tinted goggles worn in the earliest days of sunglasses for driving, cycling and rail travel, and adopted by fighter pilots could be responsible for the explosion of speed and technology-related examples in visual culture. This association with a fast-paced life and advanced and exclusive forms of travel and leisure – and needing money to participate – might also be why they have become so popular in celebrity culture. Rappers such as P Diddy and Kanye West, whose lifestyles are often epitomised in this way, are rarely seen without their shades, for instance.
Dr Vanessa Brown, an expert in design and visual culture in the university’s School of Art and Design, carried out the research.
Dr Brown said: “DVD covers, music videos, endless fashion images and adverts; there are thousands of examples of sunglasses being used in visual culture as a key prop. Increasingly images of shaded eyes are used to sell products by suggesting power and prestige; even if that is outside of the usual ‘mainstream’ images of success. They are perfect visual copy, suggesting mystique and self-possession as well as the glamour of being immersed in light.
Dr Brown said: “DVD covers, music videos, endless fashion images and adverts; there are thousands of examples of sunglasses being used in visual culture as a key prop. Increasingly images of shaded eyes are used to sell products by suggesting power and prestige; even if that is outside of the usual ‘mainstream’ images of success. They are perfect visual copy, suggesting mystique and self-possession as well as the glamour of being immersed in light.
“My research showed how sunglasses are capable of conveying a truly impressive array of potential meanings, with the capacity to suggest overwhelmingly desirable and admirable qualities, which, in the modern world are sometimes those associated with daring to break the rules. By shading the eyes, we can appear detached from the chaos, either frankly unbothered by, or utterly on top of, the frantic pace of technology and fashion. This relates directly to the wider struggle for a coherent identity in a life of proliferating options and constant change. Sunglasses may seem like a detail but they are as popular as they are because what they can convey strikes at the heart of our deepest concerns.”
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