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“Elton John has over a thousand pairs, Canadian singer Corey Hart only wears his at night, and you can tell the good guys from the bad guys in The Matrix by the shape of theirs,” begins one article on today’s holiday. “What am I talking about? Sunglasses, of course!” And of course Carrie-Anne Moss, Trinity in The Matrix, shows off her pair in our Top Ten countdown below in honor of the annual National Sunglasses Day.

The first recorded instance of sunglasses occurred in the very first century when Roman Emperor Nero chose to watch nude gladiator fights by looking through an emerald to lessen glare.

Of course, he was probably fiddling around with them in the sun while Rome got burned.

Naturally, the Chinese improved on the technology—after all, they invented everything from paper to gun powder—and in the 12th century their judges wore smoke-colored quartz sunglasses in the courtroom “to conceal their facial expressions when questioning witnesses, as well as to mask emotions and appear impartial.”

Nine hundred years later, all the top pro poker babes use shades indoors to hide their “tells.” And because it sells.

While Nero invented the “thumbs up or thumbs down” gesture…it’s now most associated with movies—thanks to the late, great Siskel and Ebert. And it was movie stars who first popularized the practice of wearing shades, in the 1920s. According to Wikipedia: “Sunglasses have long been associated with celebrities and film actresses, primarily from a desire to mask their identity and avoid recognition by fans. Since the 1930s and ’40s, sunglasses have also been popular as a fashion accessory, especially on the beach.

Blonde beauties Jean Harlow (above left) and Ginger Rogers provide perfect examples of each trendy use.

But the actress who did the most to popularize “getting made in the shades” was ballsy Barbara Stanwyck, who starred in ads for sunglasses styled just for her—an early example of celebrity endorsements—and wore them to great effect in the 1944 film Double Indemnity—which earned her an Oscar nomination {she lost Best Actress to Ingrid Bergman in Gaslight}.

As author Jennifer Wright observes: “Another fun fact is that sunglasses were used in mid-century noir films for the exact same reason they’d been used by Chinese judges in the 12th century. Shady dames employed them to hide their true emotions. There’s a scene in Double Indemnity where Phyllis Dietrichson (played by Barbara Stanwyck) wears a pair of sunglasses while browsing a grocery store, one place no one ever needs to wear sunglasses. In this case, they served only to indicate that she had secrets.

The use of tinted lenses first became widespread among the masses through an odd coincidence—related to the transparent plastic called celluloid on which movies were made. In the late 19th century, celluloid was invented as a cheap substitute for substances such as ivory and turtle, in order to produce cheaper hair combs. Enterprising young Samuel Foster founded a company he called Foster Grant to mass produce these celluloid combs earlier last century.

Unfortunately for him, Hollywood actresses in the 1920s—ironically featured on celluloid film, its new use—started wearing shorter hair styles as part of the “flapper” craze. These “bobs” became so popular that the market for combs collapsed and nearly put Foster Grant out of business. But as luck would have it, injection molding technology arrived just in time, and Sam Foster had the brilliant idea to mass market celluloid plastic sunglasses! Owing to the brilliant California sun where film stars frolicked, “Sales rapidly increased with Hollywood stars featuring in advertising campaigns.” That’s Sam Foster and Suzy Parker below.

To capture the country, Foster “found a ready market on the beaches of Atlantic City, New Jersey,” notes Wikipedia, “where he began selling sunglasses under the name Foster Grant from Woolworth on the Boardwalk.”

By 1937, 20 million sunglasses were being sold in the United States—“but only about 25% of American wearers needed them to protect their eyes.” Nowadays, sales of sunglasses produce an annual profit of $34 billion…though, like the equally ubiquitous smart phones, someone in the States will either lose or break a pair of sunglasses every 14 seconds!

Especially if you wear them on a crowded street (above)…or an empty pool (below).

Not surprisingly, “Half of Australia’s total population wears sunglasses”—as you’d expect in its sweltering ‘Bush.’ Or even without any…

And in Europe—before it blinked in the glare of the recent refugee crisis—shades were de rigueur whether you were blond, black or brunette.

Not to mention shaved or shaggy!

“One final thing to remember,” concludes Days of the Year.com, “is that sunglasses also help protect your eyes from harmful UV light, so channel your inner cool and slip on those shades on Sunglasses Day!”

Even when you’re inside or snapping a selfie!

Interestingly, the earliest nickname for shades in the 1920s and ’30s was “nippers” … probably because they pinched the wearer’s nose. So fittingly, our Top Ten countdown of Sexiest Sunglass Sirens finds them wearing little…and letting those “nippers” go solar!

10. AMBER HEARD – just divorced Johnny Depp for beating her {sunglasses can help cover bruises}

9. ELIZABETH HURLEY– has her own line of sunglasses and beachwear, sold at Harrods

8. CARRIE-ANNE MOSS – named after Hollies hit song, made shades cool in The Matrix

7. ELVIRA – why the Mistress of the Dark would need sunglasses is an open question

6. DAISY LOWE – illegitimate daughter of Gavin Rossdale of Bush has shaved hers all off

5. LINDA BLAIR – guess the Devil made the star of Hell Night and Night Patrol wear shades…and little else!

4. RACHEL WEISZ – when you’ve won an Oscar and married James Bond (Daniel Craig), the future’s so bright you gotta wear shades

3. PARIS HILTON – had a hit single with Stars Are Blind … maybe from too much topless tanning or getting groped by Girls Gone Wild guru Joe Francis?

2. MADONNA – needs four pairs of sunglasses, but just her singular pair…and a bit of hair

1. MELISSA THEURIAU – French broadcaster voted ‘The World’s Most Beautiful News Reporter’ now shares her scoops with Moroccan actor hubby Jamel Debbouze

“You can celebrateNational Sunglasses Day in a variety of ways,” concludes Perfect Imprints.com. “Many people will go out to someplace where they can show off their favorite pair in a beautiful natural spot.

But remember, they warn, “Sunglasses are mainly a form of protection against the Sun and ultraviolet rays that can harm someone, especially when exposed to them for long periods of time.”

Hopefully, you’ve finished by now …

THE END