What could be worse than starting the day without your favorite K-cup and your favorite pair of sunglasses? Would hardly seem worth getting out of bed!
In the United States alone, someone loses, breaks or sits on their sunglasses every 14 seconds. According to a report by the Bureau of Accessory Statistics, each year the U.S. loses over 1.6 billion pairs of sunglasses, more than any other nation. In second place, Italy has a lost-sunglasses rate of one pair per citizen per year, followed by Japan, Iceland, and Portugal with loss rates of .23, .19, and .16 respectively. Ever wonder where all the lost sunglasses go? Us, too! Singer Elton John is rumored to have over 1,000 pairs of sunglasses. The most expensive pair of sunglasses sold on eBay were worn by Elvis Presley and went for $250,000. Ray-Ban has been selling its best-known model, The Wayfarer, since 1953 and these are considered to be the most famous of all "shades."
Most of the characters in the movie The Matrix wore sunglasses, with the good guys wearing rounded lenses and the antagonists wearing rectangular-shaped lenses. Women reportedly wear sunglasses to look sexy or mysterious or simply to hide their eyes when they don't feel like putting their makeup on; men are said to wear sunglasses so women can't tell where they're looking! Mass-produced sunglasses were first introduced in America by Sam Foster when he began selling his Foster Grants in 1929 from a Woolworth located on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. Another first for mighty little New Jersey!
Here's some interesting facts about sunglasses: Higher cost does not guarantee better UV protection, nor does the darkness of the lens. Children's eyes are just as susceptible to sun overexposure and glare as adults eyes, and gazing at the sun even with sunglasses on is still a bad idea.
How many pairs of sunglasses do you own? And do you wear your sunglasses at night?
