What is it about sunglasses that instantly make someone cooler? Is it the mystery of their eyes being concealed? Or maybe it’s just another layer of their style expression that makes sunglasses the perfect accessory. Perhaps shielding your eyes from harmful UV rays is what give someone true swagger.

National Sunglasses Day

Each year, National Sunglasses Day is recognized on June 27. The day is not just a day for celebrating one of the coolest accessories in fashion, but also a day to raise awareness about protecting your eyes. According to National Day Calendar, the holiday reminds people that UV rays from the sun are not just dangerous to your skin, they are dangerous to your eyes — so shade up, America!

Where Did Sunglasses Originate?

That same website credits the Inuit tribes in the Arctic regions with the earliest form of sunglasses. While snowy conditions may not make you think of sunglasses, anyone who skis or snowboards would beg to differ. In order to combat the striking glare from the snow’s surface, people in these tribes would wear eye coverings with slits in them to control how much light was getting into their eyes. These were often fashioned from bone or wood.

Sunglasses as we know them today were originally designed in the 1760s alongside the idea of glasses. Frames were made to sit on the bridge of someone’s nose with two arms that would hold them in place using the ears.

In the 1900s, sunglasses became a fashionable accessory more than a protective necessity. Many have adopted them into their everyday lives and are rarely seen without them. We’re looking at you, Eric Church.

Keep scrolling to see your favorite country artists rocking their own cool eyewear.

Jess hosts the syndicated radio show, Taste of Country Weekend, which can be heard on country stations nationwide. Tune in for all of the best new country music, spotlights on new tracks and emerging artists, plus Double-Downs on all of your favorites. The weekend is always better with a little Taste of Country in it.