If eyes are the mirror of the soul, then sunglasses are the mirror of your style.

Many people try to keep up with fashion: from college students to popular rock bands. One trend that is recognized as an American icon of style that started during the mid-20th century and is still alive today are Ray-Ban sunglasses.

Ray-Ban is a brand of sunglasses that was founded in 1937 by Bausch and Lomb. Ray-Ban sunglasses were originally developed to combat the blinding glare experienced by U.S. Air Force pilots. It wasn’t until the 1950s and 1960s that Ray-Ban sunglasses gained popularity in American culture. Celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan and John F. Kennedy were seen with Ray-Ban sunglasses, according to a Ray-Ban pamphlet.

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Doing Something Right

 “I love Ray-Ban. They are stylish,” Alexander Pavlovcik, 21, a freelance photographer, said. “I’m not a glasses professional, but seeing that they have been around and stylish since the ’60s, they’re obviously doing something right.”

Brittany Stokes, 20, a Sunglass Hut associate at Macy’s on State Street, said that Ray-Bans are in high demand.

“Ray-Ban is the most popular,” Stokes said. “I would say about 80-90 percent of the customers who come in asking directly for Ray-Ban.”

Like Pavlovcik, Clarissa Fidler, 25, an administrative assistant and a graduate student at DePaul University, likes Ray-Ban sunglasses.

“I love their style,” Fidler said.

Ali Elassy, 26, a freelance DJ, finds his Ray-Ban Aviators more favorable than other brands of sunglasses.

“I switched to Ray-Ban eight years ago,” Elassy said. “I felt like they did fit my face better, and that they are more fashionable.”

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From the 1950s to the Present

Stokes considers Ray-Bans an old trend that was brought back.

“I think Ray-Ban is a trend, something that has started a comeback because I feel like a lot of our elders have worn Ray-Bans before,” Stokes said. “And now a lot of young kids are starting to wear nothing but Ray-Bans again.”

“I see (Ray-Ban sunglasses) around a lot,” Natalie Greene, 22, a Columbia College Chicago student, said. “I also see them in magazines and advertisements.”

Elassy also thinks that Ray-Ban sunglasses are stylish.

“Ray-Bans are fashionable and trendy. I think good marketing made them a trend,” Elassy said. “And bringing back the old designs that existed in the ’70s makes them cool.”

Anastasia Costo, 32, a florist at Edible Arrangements, considers Ray-Ban sunglasses an American classic that began a long time ago.

“As I know, initially Ray-Bans were produced for American military pilots,” Costo said. “Ray-Ban is Ray-Ban Š—ê it’s a classic. Even though they were produced a long time ago, they are still in fashion.”

Costo says that Ray-Ban sunglasses go well with any outfit. Even though she owns two pairs of Ray-Ban sunglasses, she wants more.

“(I) never can get enough of them,” Costo said.

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Global Trend

Wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses is not only an American fashion, but also a global one. According to Stokes, people from all different countries purchase Ray-Ban sunglasses.

“There are people from all different walks of life,” Stokes said.  “Even people from foreign countries come in asking for Ray-Ban.”

“I see (Ray-Ban sunglasses) all over, especially in nightlife, and (during) the summer,” Pavlovcik said.

Zuyang Mazz, 53, a mother of two from Korea, wears Wayfarer Ray-Bans. Mazz finds her sunglasses comfortable and functional.

“I heard it is a good brand. Their price is reasonable, they are functional and they look good,” said Mazz.

Greene found another reason to think why Ray-Ban sunglasses are a trend.

“It’s definitely a trend because I also see a lot of knockoffs,” Greene said.

Veronica Barrios, 28, a store manager at Sunglass Hut at Macy’s on State Street, agrees with Greene. Barrios explains how to differentiate knockoffs from the original Ray-Ban sunglasses.

“A real pair will say ‘Made in Italy,’ some will say ‘Made in the U.S.,’ so they’re manufactured in both,” Barrios said. “Ray-Ban logo is imprinted on the lens. If you don’t have this, chances are it’s a fake.”

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Celebrity Look

Stokes thinks that famous people brought Ray-Ban sunglasses to a fashion world.

“The Ray-Bans are so popular because they give you that movie look,” Stokes said. “In the movies like the Blues Brothers, there also were Ray-Bans. Tom Cruise may have been wearing a pair of (Ray-Ban brand) aviators.”

Ricardo Fernandez, 27, from Bolivia, is a DePaul University MBA applicant and a guitarist in Oz, a rock band. They are one of the most popular rock bands in Bolivia. Oz won five music awards, including the best artistic and stylish band awards. The members of Oz were wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses for a photo shoot for their album cover.

“We were on a photo shoot and we all happened to bring that kind of glasses,” Fernandez said. “We were supposed to meet in the morning. We were all dressed up and we all liked how the sunglasses complemented the look.”

Later on, Oz started to wear the same sunglasses in video clips and some concerts.

“Suits and Ray-Ban sunglasses were the look of our album,” Fernandez said.

When asked how he felt when he was wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses, Fernandez said he felt more confident and ready to perform.

“I felt like I was in character,” Fernandez said. Additionally, the band’s singer still wears Ray-Bans for all photo and video shootings.

“My singer wears it almost every show; he is the only one that still wears the look from that photo shoot,” Fernandez said. “I think he likes how he looks in them.”

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Eye Protection Fashion

Not only are Ray-Ban sunglasses trendy, they also protect your eyes from UV rays.

“Most of them are polarized which protects your eyes from the sun,” Stokes said.

Alan Weiler, O.D. at Lakeview Eye Care Center, recommends people wearing sunglasses when exposed to the sun.

“To best protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, one should wear sunglasses,” Weiler said. “Not all sunglasses are protective enough. Ray-Bans are good quality; they block 100 percent of the UV light.”

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Timeless

“The best part of Ray-Bans: they are timeless,” Greene said.

Ray-Bans are not only a timeless brand of sunglasses, but also a long-lasting fashion statement.

“Ray-Bans are the type of investment purchase you’ll enjoy for years,” Fidler said. “They never go out of style.”

According to Stokes, the Ray-Ban brand is popular because of its great variety.

“I honestly think Ray-Ban is popular because they have a little bit of everything,” Stokes said. “Ray-Ban comes out with different styles all the time.”

Eventually, Ray-Ban grew from simple, functional sunglasses into a global fashion trend that seems to never go out of style.

“I think Ray-Bans are kind of like McDonald’s Š—ê they are never going anywhere,” Stokes said.