50 shades of cool: Why sunglasses are the ideal accessory to make a statement

EVER since Bono slipped on his trademark wrap-around sunglasses for The Fly in 1992, it’s become impossible to imagine the superstar without them.

Speaking to Rolling Stone however, the U2 frontman told how his famous eyewear is as much about function as fashion: “[I have] very sensitive eyes to light.

“If somebody takes my photograph, I will see flash for the rest of the day.

“So it’s part vanity, it’s part privacy, and part sensitivity.”

Bono is joined by a string of A-listers who wear their sunnies no matter what the weather. Anna Wintour, Kylie Minogue, Kirsten Dunst, Paris Hilton, Madonna and Selena Gomez have all been snapped wearing sunglasses indoors. They too could be suffering from flash sensitivity but it could also be a need to stay below the radar, or at least to retain a shred of privacy in an age when an unguarded moment can be caught on a digital camera and be global news in seconds.

Sunglasses have been popular with celebrities since the early 1900s, when movie stars started to appear in public wearing them. Whether they wore the dark glasses to protect their identities or to cover their red eyes caused by blazing arc lights used by the studios is debatable. It was not until mass-produced sunglasses were produced in America by Sam Foster in 1929 that the rest of us raced to get in on the act.

In 1938 Life magazine wrote that sunglasses were a “... a favourite affectation of thousands of women all over the US.”

Affectation or necessity? For the millions who own at least one pair of sunglasses today, perhaps it’s a bit of both. The average Irish woman owns four pairs of sunglasses, according to statistics.

But former reality TV star and fashion designer Nicole Richie confesses to owning more than 200: “In my defence, I make sunglasses, so I have to research-shop, and I own every pair I’ve ever designed.”

“Sunglasses play a huge role in my life, simply for the fact that I don’t wear make-up.”

Celebrities like Beyoncé and Rihanna are certainly driving the sunglasses trend, says Grace Flood of Cherry On Top, which sells customised sunglasses. “Summer festival season has also helped turn shades into a must-have accessory for girls.

“Sunglasses are a great way to personalise your look. They make any outfit instantly more fashionable, and can be as subtle or as bold as you like. Just like shoes, every girl should have a selection of sunglasses to go with her outfit and mood. Most importantly, your sunnies should suit your face shape.”

Velvet Underground rocker John Cale is less fussy about his, once famously confessing: “We only wore sunglasses on stage because we couldn’t stand the sight of the audience”.

Cale is not alone. “For decades, celebrities have used sunglasses to avoid eye contact,” explains Imelda Finn of Face Reading Ireland, “so it’s no coincidence that most of us do as well.

“Our eyes show how we are feeling emotionally as well as physically. Sunglasses are often used, unknowingly, to hide such feelings. But they can also help present ourselves to the world as being, say, sporty or fashionable.”

So if the eyes really are the windows to the soul, what do your shades say about your personality?