Well, we’re never going to be part of the US Air Force as a couple of sunglasses obsessive Brits, but that doesn’t stop us from admiring the rich history that the decade busting trendster style of Aviator sunglasses comes from.

It’s been nearly 70 years that fashion has fondly loved the aviator style, and one that has become synonymous with sunglasses super-brand Ray-Ban after taking a lead in inventing the form that would become much imitated over the next century.

First invented for military use in 1929 for American pilots and using the first-of-a-kind lens technologies that allowed for sun protection and a clear view, it wasn’t until a particularly charismatic commander chap called Douglas MacArthur adopted using them as an integral part of his image (with his pipe too, of course!) that the style started to take on any kind of significance in the public eye.

Not long after celebrities and various high-profile personalities took up the sunglasses as accessories of their own, before going in to mass production in 1937 and spreading the style right across the States.

Ray-Ban registered their trademark round about this time, and subsequently sealed the deal on securing their status as the king of cool.

The next Ray-Ban revolution for aviators took hold of kids, teens and adults during the days of disco as the style flourished, despite the anti-military sentiment of the Seventies and Eighties and the sunglasses’ origins.

This life-long love affair with aviators is still ongoing, and we hope will continue to do so for many generations to come; thanks to the versatility of the original design and the thousands of designer sunglasses made in their image.

We hear all these amazing stories of the summer of ’69, the summer of love. The summer of Woodstock.

An iconic music festival that took place forty years ago this summer, and we’re still seeing influences resonating through contemporary fashion culture that indicates the love-in hasn’t quite ended.

Which is fortunate really, because although we missed seeing the likes of Jimi Hendrix playing the Star Spangled Banner we weren’t alone.

Joni Mitchell passed up on the party of the century, and Bob Dylan was nowhere to be seen either - a shame as he was one of the first musicians to discover the iconic festival and lived at the Woodstock site for much of the Sixties.

Not that he didn’t want to be there, but he’d had to pull out due to his son becoming increasingly ill. It was probably fortuitous in part, given his lack of tolerance for the invasion of newcomers to the place he called his refuge.

In honour of his infamous musical influence scores of fans paid homage to his get up of customised rough denim, cowboy shirt and boots and the obligatory pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses.

Now that’s a style combination that’s never gone out of fashion. Wear it for all you’re worth this autumn and mix with tie-dye and bell bottom jeans for maximum effect.

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It’s official. The Eighties are back. Well, not quite, the iconic fashion styles are - and in particular sunglasses.

Think Tom Cruise in Top Gun with those super-cool Ray-Ban Aviators, or Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with his Wayfarers. It’s enough to make any girl swoon…

With more than an itch of kitsch about these infamous accessories it’s a great way to recapture the luxe looks of the Eighties while managing to recapture your youth simultaneously (well, some of it anyway!)

What’s nice is the knowledge that eventually everything comes back in to fashion, and thanks to staunch supporters like Lady GaGa and Lindsey Lohan and the relaunch of some iconic brand lines it’s certainly time to raid the back of your wardrobe and embrace the age of super-sized heels, hair and shoulder pads.

Hopefully you weren’t daft enough to chuck out your Ray-Ban sunglasses from way back when, but if you did there’s plenty of choice to replace them for not so much as you’d think.

If you used to play the class fool and geek chic is up your street, we’d suggest upping the ante with the slick Clubmaster range of frames.

Or perhaps what you’re really after is the added glamour that a pair of shades like the Wayfarer offer to truly channel Madonna from Desperately Seeking Susan.

Now all that’s missing is the pet tiger, although we’re not so sure how easily we can acquire one of them. We’ll keep you posted.

As part of a huge campaign to promote the wacky, out-there colourful range of Wayfarers that Ray-Ban offer, they’ve enlisted the help of quite a few guerrilla style camera teams to create some incredibly fun films.

Collectively bundled under their dedicated Never Hide Films YouTube channel the idea is that the shorts created for Ray-Ban will fly around the internet in the true style that only great viral marketing techniques can achieve.

Here’s couple of our favourites:

Smart edits see a guy niftily catch his Ray-Bans on his face without the use of any hands. Repeatedly!

Okay, so it’s not for real, and apparently all done backwards – but we’re still really impressed with just how slick it all looks.

And this is a real oddball, as a couple of guys push a 6ft high ball of yarn down through the streets of San Francisco to reveal a mystery centrepiece.

Impressive stuff, but we’ve know idea how the stunt guy didn’t break his ankles and Wayfarer sunglasses in the process – or in fact how he was able to hold his breath for so long!

Head over to Never Hide Films channel  to check out some more – and take the phone off the hook, as you might be there a while!

No joke, an Alsatian in the Sichuan province of China demands his owner equips him with sunglasses before leaving home.

Barking mad Fei Fei was given the specs by his owner after concerns that the sunlight in the city of Chongqing would be too bright for his dog.

Unsure initially whether the dog would wear the glasses, Fei Fei’s owner was pleasantly surprised to discover his canine companion was happy enough wearing sunglasses. Although now, the diva-ish dog refuses to leave home without them, barking incessantly until he get his fashion fix.

Unsurprising really, when we discovered that Fei Fei has become something of a celebrity in Chongqing, turning heads as he trots through the streets.

If your dog needs a dose of celebrity, then the super cute Ray-Ban Junior range might just be up your street.

For under fifty quid with lashings of designer style, fix up your pooch in to a fashion frenzy with  shades designed for the “smaller” sized head and he’ll soon be feeling Top Dog.

That’s right, the second Sex and the City movie is in production with thousands of potential extras lining up for auditions, taking their stylish sunglasses and killer heels with them to prove they’ve got “it”.

As a Guardian journalist joins the ranks of auditioning hopefuls queuing the streets of New York, one thing is apparent. These are girls who are happy to be eclipsed by fashion.

Fashion on such a tremendous scale; spanning designers from across the world and catapulting them in to the spotlight.

Never has fashion been brought to the masses, been made so appealing, or defined trends as Sex and the City has single-handedly done. A real accomplishment, we think. And one we’re utterly besotted with!

Throughout the six seasons and recent film, we lusted after Carrie’s Manolos, Samantha’s Dior wrap around sunglasses and Charlotte’s iconic Chanel shades. Well, more is to come – and we actually can’t wait.

Strut your local sidewalk in Sex and the City styled anticipation with these stunning Chanel sunglasses from sendoptics.com, and keep your fingers crossed for an audition!

That’s the line we’re hearing from optometrists in the US.

Children from the age of 5 onwards should be wearing sunglasses when outside to prevent them from the long-term damage caused by excessive exposure to the sun over the years.

As the effects of excessive sunlight show up when people are 60 or 70 years old, experiencing macular degeneration or cataract issues, taking preventative measures in childhood can’t be encouraged enough.

Just as parents need to be applying sun lotion to their kids skin when they go outside, sun protection for the eyes needs to become a habit too.

While we appreciate that encouraging your kids to keep their specs on isn’t the easiest of jobs, letting them wear a super cool version of daddy’s Ray-Bans to make them feel grown up is a step in the right direction.

These great bright blue lensed Ray-Ban Junior visor style sunglasses give all the protection their peepers need from the sun and would suit both girls and boys.

The real question on everyone’s lips this summer is whether sunglasses are being used to mask out more than just the sun?

Notorious for their use by fashion conscious celebrities, designer sunglasses have become society’s most acceptable veil and single-handed lifter of social status.

Exuding an air of “Don’t touch me – I’m famous” snobbery, paparazzi flock at the sight of them, in their expectation that there must be something worth hiding beneath those lenses.

Understandable when we recall all the tear-stained eyes and hangover recoveries that sunglasses sadly not only fail to hide, but in fact positively drawn to.

Really if you think about it, when feeling at your lowest it’s best to opt for easy glamour. Forgotten to brush your hair or can’t be bothered with makeup this morning? No worries, whack on a pair of your most favourite on stand-by sunglasses and a glamour puss is born.

Get yourself some maximum impact shades to turn heads in the street, and let them wonder if you’re a celebrity in disguise. For celeb style gloss without the stylist, these classic Chanel wraps are a front-page investment.

It’s official. White House wonderboy Barack Obama seals his style with some seriously cool Ray-Ban sunglasses.

Sleek and slightly conservative, Obama’s preference is for the Ray-Ban 3217 range. Understandable when you think about the appointments he attends.

However, we think the president deserves some laid-back luxury like the 3320 offers. With a brushed gunmetal frame and brown graduated lenses, we’re coming over all Independence Day in our vision of a super stylish head of state.

All he needs now is a US Air Force jumpsuit, and we’d happily second any motion! Grab a pair yourself from sendoptics.com for a snip under 80 quid.

We’re too excited. Those clever cats at Ray-Ban have created a whopper of a try-before-you-buy goodie. And boy, is it good.

The spanky new Ray-Ban Virtual Mirror is a 3D downloadable technology that lets you see which Ray-Ban style suits you best – all in the comfort of your own home.

Just download the virtual mirror to your PC and use a web cam to capture yourself. Who needs fitting rooms when technology’s this good? We’re sold.

Now you can see for yourself if Ray-Ban’s classic Aviator sunglasses aren’t your style without suffering from buyer’s remorse!

Go on, give it a go and then sort yourself out with a pair from only £62.00 at one of the UK’s leading online stockists of Ray-Ban sunglasses, Send Optics.