While corrective eyeglasses were documented in Europe from the 14th century, the advent of tinted or darkened lenses in eyewear is murkier. It seems like one of those things that is a no-brainer, considering the sheer amount of stained glass being used in decorative windows and glass glazes having been around for centuries, but there’s honestly just not a lot of evidence that sunglasses, as we know them, existed pre-18th century. Of course, non-Western European cultures had eye protection, such as the snow goggles worn by various cultures living in the Arctic, such as the Inuits.
Eyewear from about the 14th century to the 16th century tended to be pretty utilitarian and, for want of a better description, derpy looking. The most prevalent style of spectacles from this span of European history features round lenses set into wooden or bone frames that were hinged at the top and could be perched on the nose. They weren’t meant to be worn for anything other than reading or doing other kinds of close-up work and were pretty impractical from my own experience with playing around with a reproduction set for reenactment.
By the 16th century, we start to see glasses that are being tied over the ears to help keep them in place.
However, it wasn’t until around the 18th century that we start seeing tinted lenses in metal frames that resemble the sort of sun protective eyewear we are familiar with today.
So, while sunglasses aren’t always historically accurate when they show up in a frock flick, they sure do look cool when paired with historical clothing. [Ed. Note: Want to nerd out about historical eyeglasses and sunglasses? Trystan wrote an article and taught a Costume College class on the topic.] Therefore, I’ve decided to showcase my favorite historical costume flicks featuring sunglasses (don’t worry, there will probably be several of these posts because sunglasses always seem to sneak into period films. So if you don’t see your favorite pair listed here, just wait… I’ll bet you it’s on my next list!).
Young Sherlock (2026-)
This show appears to be set in the 1880s, so historically speaking, sunglasses were around by this point. Whether or not they were widely worn as a fashion item is debatable, but here we have Natascha McElhone rocking a round pair of shades and looking quite chic.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Probably the default image that comes to mind for many of us when you want to talk about sunglasses in frock flicks. Gary Oldman as the young incarnation of Dracula wears a pair of dark shades while he strolls in the daylight in a fabulous gray suit.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
This film is set in the 1960s and features Alicia Vikander in a series of amazing dark glasses. This one pair of giant bug-eyed shades in particular is my favorite.
Lovecraft Country (2020)
Jurnee Smollett is an absolute goddess in this show. Everything she wears is fantastic, including this pair of cat-eye shades.
Interview With the Vampire (2022-)
The reboot of adaptation of the Anne Rice novel gets high marks from us for its scripting, acting, and of course, it’s costuming. Here, Jacob Anderson as Louis de Ponte du Lac sports a fabulous set of red-tinted sunglasses in this scene set in the 1920s.
Do you have a favorite pair of sunglasses in historical film and TV? Share it with us in the comments!
If I remember correctly (it’s been a few years since I saw it) but Anya Taylor-Joy had some pretty awesome sunglasses in The Queen’s Gambit! I loved her costuming.
I love Louisa’s in The Durrells in Corfu, those fab round 1930s ones.
I liked seeing Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain in sunglasses in “Crimson Peak”, very ominous looking.
I love seeing the varieties in mid-century set films too, that was a great era for eyewear shapes. There are a few of them in “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” that I would love to own, especially the pink spiky-looking ones.
Vincent Price in The Tomb of Ligeia! Of course, he made everything look good. :)
You beat me to it!
Not only do Price’s dark glasses have those unusual side pieces similar to that 1837 portrait of Nathaniel Olds (his character suffers from “oversensitivity” ala Roderick Usher and avoids light) — there’s a scene where a black cat that’s an avatar of his dead first wife grabs them and tries to lure his second wife to her doom.
I see in the links Trystan has already covered TOMB OF LIGEIA for Halloween 2023, but I would’ve definitely included Price’s dark glasses in a personal “top 5” list of historical shades.
Greetings, fellow VP fan! :)
Mandy Patinkin as Alfred de Musset sported a dark pair in Impromptu, (1991).
Even though they are about as historically accurate as Hitler being killed in a fire in a movie theatre or the Manson family getting distracted and slaughtered on their way to the Tate house, I still think Django’s sunglasses rock.
Anne Bancroft in The Miracle Worker.
I adore a good cat-eye frame too! So Mid-Century!
The Sherlock Holmes series is actually set in 1871. In later episodes, they are in Paris during the Commune.
Not sure how historically accurate but loved Natalie Dormer’s in the newest version of Picnic at Hanging Rock.
How about Jude Law’s pair in The Talented Mr. Ripley?
I think something like the very first Inuit example was worn by Nive Nielsen, portraying an indigenous character in the miniseries The Terror.
Fantastic show btw, if y’all haven’t watched it.
OMG that was a fab show with amazing historical costunes and creepy too.
I love Poirots sunglasses in Triangle at Rhodes. I don’t know why, its probably nothing groundbreaking, but the whole outfit is just so good and probably very uncomfortable for vacation in Greece😁.
Toward the end of the remarkable silent movie The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), a monk is seen wearing totally modern (regular) round glasses!! It’s around 1:09 in the timeline. I know they’re not sunglasses, but I suspect their use was intentional, if not anachronistic, in the film. (Like maybe modern man has glasses but he still can’t see?) Great movie btw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwhESdC1bHg
Toward the end of The Passion of Joan of Arc (around the 1:09 mark) you see a monk wearing totally modern round 1920’s eyeglasses! It’s supposed to be kn 1431. I wonder if if the director did this intentionally – as if they’re saying we have glasses but we still can’t see? Have you ever seen this?