Decades after the first film was released, the Star Wars franchise continues to have a foothold in popular culture as it expands its stories across mediums. Its rich history was celebrated with a Star Wars exhibition in the Upcountry History Museum in partnership with Walt Disney Archives. As fans navigate the changes in the series’ definitive costume design over the years, it’s fascinating to see what elements were scrapped and what continue to stand out as pillars of the universe’s identity.
Starting from George Lucas’ vision, many hands have since contributed to the masterful blend of reality and science fiction elements that have made Star Wars what it is today. It’s interesting to see real-world elements implemented into this fictional space opera’s recognizable and brilliant fashion, especially when you see things so inherently human and regular as eyewear. An accessory that’s usually so innocuous suddenly stands out in a world that normalizes augmentation and futuristic tech, and even adept fans may be surprised at how often the Star Wars universe sees its fair share of eyewear.
Sunglasses in a universe of many suns
When you tell stories set on various planets and galaxies, you expose characters to various suns that function beyond the one in our good old Milky Way. Naturally, these unfamiliar territories bring in that sense of practical reality by creating their own version of protective eyewear by way of ‘glareshades’ and tinted spectacles.
Casual viewers will be familiar with visors worn by major commanders and players from both sides of the battle, but there are also deep cuts found beyond the movies. Many Star Wars comics feature glareshades, which are functionally the same as sunglasses but have an aptly more otherworldly name. Diblen Harleys is one of the most popular characters who don these protective visors with all his outdoor sun exposure.
As for watchable media, The Mandalorian and Star Wars Rebels have prominently featured scenes with characters who don tinted shades. In the former, Penn Pershing wears eyewear similar to the Ray-Ban sunglasses in Round Double Bridge Titanium with green lenses or the tinted RB3657M part of the Scuderia Ferrari Collection. The aesthetic similarity suggests a lingering human preference for stylish frames that cosplayers and fans can emulate, with the lore of multiple suns and exposure to countless sources of high-energy lasers requiring polarized lenses to protect sensitive eyes and preserve visual clarity.
Goggles in space
The eccentricity of the Star Wars universe lends itself well to the fashion world, especially with distinctive character designs seen in the likes of Maz Kanata. Her eyes are a crucial aspect of her characterization and the role she plays in the narrative, which is why The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams specifically pitched her goggles. These allow her to magnify her vision as needed, a core function considering her role as a former pirate and intrepid tavern owner.
While you can always create your version of Maz Kanata’s goggles (3D printing could make it look as accurate as possible), you can also opt to try Oakley’s Clifden Prizm model, which shares the same round, goggle-like features that make it perfect for cosplay. Many other instances of goggles also crop up in various media here and there, but another notable iteration is Tech’s goggles. A major figure in the Bad Batch, his retrofuturistic goggles remain a symbol of his legacy long after he has passed.
Retrofuture fashion, as seen in these goggles, is an iconic aspect of Star Wars worldbuilding, primarily because the clothes and accessories draw inspiration from all over the world. Case in point, RMIT University recently incorporated unique Jedi fashion into materials from the real world. Darth Maul garments and Vader suits were among some of the most gripping entries into a collection of creative, retrofuturistic pieces that combine that same brand of identity with practicality from these characters.
How glasses exist in Star Wars
Spectacles are an interesting case in Star Wars, seeming decidedly more archaic than other eyewear counterparts. Where sunglasses and goggles could easily be “futurized” with incredible functions and aesthetics that worked with different alien cultures, eyeglasses with prescriptions stand out like a sore thumb because refractive errors should be long-gone problems in such an advanced setting. In fact, this is why Lucas initially avoided using glasses altogether.
However, the universe eventually expanded and brought in perspectives from other creators who sought to use spectacles for visual storytelling. Characters like Noa Briqualon, Thanoth, Wendle, and Magar Jaros could then come to life and wear different types of glasses that fit their needs. Some had more tech-heavy upgrades, while others retained a normalcy in regular Earth.
People may think it’s out of place for glasses to be a mainstay in a universe that also sees fantastical elements like Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber, which has been replicated by EFX using hand-weathered metal components and solid aluminum machining. That said, the sophisticated weapon itself is arguably as ‘primitive’ as a pair of spectacles compared to blaster rifles and seismic charges. Ultimately, the continued use of these items lends credence to how the Jedi and humans in the Star Wars universe still value tradition over mere tech advancement.
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