Movies have always been home to great sunglasses. The everlasting influence of James Dean means that donning a character in a pair of shades is an easy way for a director to give their stars a look of confidence and attitude.
To help you achieve the same, in this article we’ll look at ten of the best movie sunglasses ever. While we can’t promise that wearing a pair from this list will make you’ll look like an A-lister, we do think that they’ll add a bit of edge to your outfits.
10 Best Movie Sunglasses
Scarface: Linda Farrow 6031
In Scarface, Tony Montana wears a pair of sunglasses that sum up the style of the movie perfectly. The Linda Farrow 6031s are big, brash glasses that you can’t help but notice. The white line that runs across the top of the glasses isn’t just a symbol of the film’s content but also a feature that makes the glasses unique. Despite being almost thirty years old, the sunglasses still look like they’re at the cutting edge of design.
Top Gun: Ray-Ban Aviators
The Ray-Ban Aviators Tom Cruise wears in Top Gun are perhaps the most iconic movie sunglasses on this list. While the glasses obviously suited Maverick’s job, it was the association with his rebellious character and the rising star-power of Tom Cruise that really pushed these frames into the limelight. Fans of the style of shades will be happy to know that Cruise revisits them in the upcoming Top Gun 2 Maverick.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Unknown
In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Brad Pitt plays an everyman character and his style choices follow suit. However, the gold aviators with red lenses he wears in the movie are the one part of his uniform that betray the character’s true status as a man who works in showbusiness.
The Wolf of Wall Street: Ray-Ban 4147
The Wolf of Wall Street is an ode to the excess and style of the 80s and 90s and it’s no surprise that in a world of private yachts, country clubs, and mansions, that sunglasses play their part. The tortoise Ray-Ban 4147 Leonardo DiCaprio pairs with a pink suit are a highlight, as are the aviator-style glasses worn by Jonah Hill.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: Ray-Ban Shooter
Johnny Depp always wears great sunglasses, and plenty of his movies could have made this list. However, we’ve chosen Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as the most out-there choice. The glasses have a classic aviator shape but unique twists such as lightly-tinted yellow lenses, a thick top bar, and a trippy metal circle on the ridge elevate them to ensure they are as unique as everything else the actor does.
The Matrix: Custom Made
If you’re looking for a pair of sci-fi glasses, you can’t do much better than the ones Neo wears in the Matrix. The glasses are black which suits the movie aesthetic perfectly. The lenses are shaped like alien eyes with their raised sharp point near the temples. The look is finished off with a thin, almost invisible metal frame that makes you question whether these are in fact sunglasses or the eyes of a creature from out of this world.
Thomas Crown Affair: Persol 714
In the Thomas Crown Affair, Steve McQueen looks sharp with a pair of tortoiseshell Persol 714’s finished off with a tinted blue lens. The overall look and feel of the film is an ode to the iconic dressing of the 1960s and the sunglasses do not disappoint. If you’re looking for shades to wear with a suit, we reckon those are a great choice.
Bad Boys for Life: Sama Eyewear No Hunger and Monterey
Aviators are the starting point for many of the sunglasses on this list. In Bad Boys for Life, Will Smith wears two pairs of aviators; one of which has squared off curves and a pattern embellished on the temples, and another that has a carbon fiber textured design front and center on the ridge.
Drive: Selima Optique Money 2
In Drive, Ryan Gosling wears a pair of plastic frame oversized aviators. The glasses keep the classic aviator shape but add a retro twist via the tortoiseshell frame.
Fight Club: Oliver Peoples 523
Brad Pitt’s look in Fight Club is iconic for a variety of reasons. It’s the look of a man on the edge of society who doesn’t care about expectations. The sunglasses he wears are no exception. The Oliver Peoples sunglasses look like almost nothing else in the sunwear world, with the led lenses hinting at the character’s danger and the thick metal temples giving a hint of glamor to the character’s otherwise underground aesthetic.
