Jun

20

Most Popular Slang Names Used For Sunglasses

Filed Under Designer Sunglasses 


And now, ladies and gentlemen, a cultural lesson about the global popularity and terminology of sunglasses. The most popular and universal term for sunglasses is, of course, sunglasses. However, there are many derivatives of this word with cultural and fashionable roots. As I’m from America we can begin with slag from that region.

 American Shades. The most common term is shades, and you’ll notice I employ that term frequently in my posts; it was popularized by the Blues Brothers, a classic film about the very nature of cool. Coming in second for American sunglasses slang is simply calling your sunglasses by the company that produced them. Ray-Ban is, by far, the most well known sunglasses producer in the US; hence, sunglasses in general are often referred to simply as Ray-Bans.

 British Maddoggers. Moving to the UK, one may hear the British referring to sunglasses as cheaters or locs. While I understand the term cheaters, especially for mirrored or extremely dark-tinted sunglasses, the term locs defies explanation—though the British have a tradition of doing just that. Creatively enough, however, they also refer to sunglasses as maddogers, a term I can understand if referring to the wayfarer or aviator, or any traditionally masculine design.

 Aussie Sunnies. Australia has a slang all its own. A common term for sunglasses in the outback is spekkies, which I assume is derived from the root word specs. Aussies have the perfectly adorable habit of adding ‘ies’ to otherwise dull words. To further prove my point, the second most common slag word for sunglasses in Australia is sunnies. Adorbale.

Indian Coolers. Moving east we encounter the English slang of India, where dark colored sunglasses are called glares and light colored sunglasses are called coolers. Personally, I think glares is a fitting term that could be applied to reflective or mirrored lenses.

Universal Slang. There are several slang terms from unknown origins, at least not popular in a specific geographic region. Sun spectacles is a term used by some opticians, though it laymen’s terms it is shortened to sun specs. I feel this term is a bit archaic, and something my grandmother might use when mentioning that when she was a girl, they didn’t have sunglasses….and had to walk everywhere uphill both ways…..barefoot. However, the less common smoky spectacles is quite charming. I may attempt to bring that into mainstream dialogue.

Sometimes called dark glasses, or solar shields, these terms refer to extremely tinted sunglasses of the sort worn home after an eye-exam, or worn by those with extreme eye damage or sensitivity to light. I find solar shields to be a fitting term for Jackie O’s, which cover a massive proportion of the face, and are somewhat shield-like.

 And last but not least, my favorite slang word for sunglasses is hater-blockers. I find this endlessly amusing. I picture an extremely annoying high-school girl wearing glasses that reflect back the glares of the classmates she steps on. It could also properly be used to describe the sunglasses military personal and police officers wear.

There you have it, a brief and global overview of sunglasses slang. Please feel free to assist me in brining smoky spectacles to global prominence as the slang word of choice.

Comments

  • Paul Turner

    Hi Paul from NZ. When I was at high school in the early eighties we use to call sun glasses – Swahelii's. Apart from the spelling similarity to the tribal people I'm unaware of the original meaning. Sounded cool though. All us guys use to have our Swahelii's on a leash (different coloured cords that you could hang your Swahelli's from around your neck).

    I've heard mention the american word “Stunnas” lately.

  • TR

    Don't mind the phrase “deceptacons”.

    The big ones that have the potential to make a not-so-good-looking girl deceptively good-looking.

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