History Main / CoolShades

* On ''WesternAnimation/PrincessNatasha'', TeenSuperspy Natasha wera a cool set of wraparound shades to go with her high-tech SpyCatsuit.

* Shizuo Heiwajima from ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'' is almost never seen without his pair of designer sunglasses, although not everyone thinks that they're awesome. [[IntrepidReporter Shuji]], for example, thinks they make him look like a pretentious hipster (at least up until Shizuo clotheslines him into oblivion, at which point Shuji agrees that they suit him perfectly and couldn't imagine him any other way and OH GOD, PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!).

* Tsuchimikaido Motoharu in ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' ''always'' wears awesome shades, making him even more badass when he actually is involved in solving a conflict of some sort.

* In ''LightNovel/{{Vamp}}'', the narrator goes to great lengths to describe Watt's sunglasses.

* Sunspot from ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'' wears some sometimes, such as when he's playing the instruments to Jet's songs.

* [[Music/TheRamones Joey Ramone]] was rarely seen without sunglasses. Tommy Ramone also wears them in the cover of [[Music/{{Ramones}} the band's debut album]] and many promotional pictures.

* Music/OzzyOsbourne and [[Music/{{Rush}} Geddy Lee]] perform wearing round framed sunglasses.

Each type of frame has become an archetype of its own over the years: Wayframes[[note]]Those square plastic glasses[[/note]] are commonly associated with power and status (and celebrities in general) or with bohemian intellectuals, while metal frames[[note]]Most usually Aviators and RoundHippieGlasses[[/note]] are mostly sported by either hippies or policemen (and for that matter, armed forces in general),[[note]]be sure you get the frame shape right or you'll wind up suggesting that your GeneralRipper drops acid; of course, that might be ''exactly'' what you're going for[[/note]] and Wraparounds have found their place within espionage.

** In the first half of the preceding ''Film/PitchBlack'', Riddicks his glasses on when he's kicking ass. The brightness of the sunlight leaves him vulnerable without his welding goggles -- when they're torn off during a fight, he's pretty much helpless. However, he takes them off later during the total darkness of an eclipse: he wouldn't be able to see otherwise. The goggles are actually functional; his eyes are extremely sensitive to light ([[InnateNightVision allowing him to see no matter how dark it is]]), so he needs them to protect his eyes.

* ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' has a deconstruction: Thor wears sunglasses at various scenes, but as a disguise to make him look cool and relaxed, when he actually has become a very depressed shell of himself.
* ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture''

* ''Film/{{Blade}}'': Blade in the movie and sequels of the same name, apparently stores his surplus Badassitude in his shades. In every movie, there seems to be a point where he loses them, gets his butt kicked for a while, and then regains them, just to put 'em on in a badass way. Usually this happens right before fighting the BigBad. Step 1 of defeating Blade is "remove his sunglasses".

* In ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick'', Riddick seems to put on (or [[TheGlassesComeOff take off]]) his welding goggles to emphasize what he's saying. The goggles are actually functional; his eyes are extremely sensitive to light (allowing him to see no matter how dark it is), so he needs them to protect his eyes. He also takes them off or puts them on depending on the amount of light in a scene and how clearly he wants to see something.
* ''Film/{{Cobra}}''. The CowboyCop hero played by Creator/SylvesterStallone wears Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses.
* In the first half of the preceding ''Film/PitchBlack'', it's played straight: glasses on when he's kicking ass. The brightness of the sunlight leaves him vulnerable without his welding goggles -- when they're torn off during a fight, he's pretty much helpless. However, he takes them off later during the total darkness of an eclipse: he wouldn’t be able to see otherwise.
* The evil prison warder in ''Film/CoolHandLuke'' in his impenetrable mirror shades. It was possibly homaged by the sheriff in ''Film/OBrotherWhereArtThou''.
--> What we have here, boy, is a failure to communicate!

* TheFilmOfTheBook ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'':

-->"Zaphod Beeblebrox has the longest hair of any candidate
-->and he's got the coolest shades..."
** In other versions of the ''Guide'' these are "the greatest shades in the known sky": Joo Janta Peril-Sensitive Sunglasses. At the first hint of danger [[GogglesDoSomethingUnusual they turn totally black]], and prevent you from seeing anything that may alarm you. Ford isn't impressed.

* ''Series/AdamTwelve'': In the final few episodes of Season 7, Reed begins wearing sunglasses on-duty. This includes an off-duty rescue of Malloy (who has been taken hostage by a gang of reactionists) and during Reed's investigation of a typewriter theft ring.

** In Ling Yao's cameo appearance in the''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003'' he's wearing some pretty awesome glasses. [[spoiler:In fact; they're just like Greed's, as a nod to what happens in the manga.]]

* Scar from ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' sports a badass pair of shades to hide his red eyes. [[spoiler: He seems to have left them behind following his HeelFaceTurn.]] Another Ishvalan character, Major Miles also wears shades to hide his red eyes, the distinctive characteristic of his race. Greed is another character who likes sunglasses -- in his case, it's mostly for the cool factor, but since he has HellishPupils, there is a practical benefit as well. In Ling Yao's cameo appearance in the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist 2003 anime version]], he's wearing some pretty awesome glasses. [[spoiler:In fact; they're just like Greed's, as a nod to what happens in the manga.]]

* Creator/JohnBelushi and Creator/DanAykroyd wore shades when performing as Jake and Elwood Blues. The Blues Brothers act originated on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' and got made into [[Film/TheBluesBrothers a blockbuster movie]] in 1980. Each only has one scene without their sunglasses: Elwood has security ones when quitting his job, and Jake removed his in the scene where he was apologising to the Mystery Woman (Carrie Fisher).

** ''The Blues Brothers'' had a [[ToughActToFollow not-so-successful sequel]] in 1998 called ''Film/BluesBrothers2000'', in which Elwood takes off his shades (only) once -- and he covers his eyes with his hand when he does. Even his driver's license has shades. New core members of the band also get cool shades; when Cable is converted to the true faith of R&B, his cop shades are turned into cool shades. The DVD of the original movie includes scenes omitted from the earlier versions, that include Elwood resigning his job as a menial factory worker, while he wears protective goggles instead of shades.

[[folder:Film]]

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* Cousin Itt from ''Series/TheAddamsFamily'' only wears two articles of clothing, his shades and his NiceHat.

* Music/{{Slash|Musician}} wears them as much as his NiceHat. Whenever he's not in shades, expect [[PeekABangs his hair to cover his face]].

* In ''VideoGame/{{Jumper}} Three'', you can acquire sunglasses in Sector 2. Like any other {{Nice Hat}}s you get there, they are useless, but still cool.

** Slash who also frequently uses a NiceHat.

* Music/{{Slash}} wears them as much as his NiceHat. Whenever he's not in shades, expect [[PeekABangs his hair to cover his face]].

* Alice, one of the mental patients in ''Film/TheScribbler''. Coupled with her BlindingBangs, they not only cover her eyes, but almost completely obscure her face [[spoiler:and her true identity as a murderer.]]

** More mundane, but still cool, shades of various styles are worn by all the principle spy characters throughout the series. Even Chuck and Morgan look cool, but they send Casey's badass cred UpToEleven.

* In ''Film/ChipNDaleRescueRangers2022'', DJ Herzogenaurach wears a pair of orange shades.