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You can’t talk about unique visionaries in music without mentioning the eclectic artist Bob Dylan.
His anthems still ring true, transcending generations, as evidenced by his 10-date tour in the UK in November. Dylan has also announced a no-phone rule for the tour, offering pouches to put their devices in until the show’s conclusion. NME’s Mark Beaumont agreed that this move could make the crowd feel more energetic and engaged — potentially setting off a new form of etiquette when watching live acts. This trend wouldn’t come as a surprise, considering how Dylan has long been a trailblazer and trendsetter. And today, we’ll be looking specifically at his sartorial choices.
Dylan has been an icon of songwriting and the stage for decades, with plenty of looks to match his immortalised repertoire. Among his trademark pieces, the go-to forever tied to his image is his pair of black sunglasses. It’s the image most associated with him to this day, and its impact lingers across the board.
What sunglasses does Bob Dylan wear?
Bob Dylan has garnered many nicknames from fans and media throughout his illustrious career. Among these is the title of “Mr. Wayfarer”, dubbed from his love of the Wayfarer frames. Aside from the classic Ray-Ban offering, he has occasionally been known to tout styles like the original Ray-Ban Carribean and other rectangular frames. Modern men’s sunglasses continue to take a page out of his book, with plenty of similar models emulating this design. Nowadays, you can easily find affordable alternatives in the form of Henry, Wren, and Elsie frames from GlassesDirect’s TheCollection line.
Even though he no longer keeps his shades on all the time, his penchant for a sleek pair of tinted black lenses continues. The music legend even wore a stylish pair of square aviators when he received a Medal of Freedom from former US President Obama in 2012. This harkens back to the gold-trimmed aviators he also donned in his 1974 Madison Square Garden performance, with a live performance only recently released with a 27-disc set documenting the whole tour. Often touted as the tour that saved his career and solidified his place in the folk-rock pantheon, it’s no wonder the pictures of him performing in his sunglasses have become galvanised in the minds of music lovers.
Why Bob Dylan wears his iconic sunglasses
Although wearing sunglasses has long been a style choice made by Hollywood legends and rockstars, many people remain curious about why and when Bob Dylan started wearing his go-to sunglasses. Pictures and videos from the time suggest he started wearing them regularly in the late ‘60s, with phases of prolonged wear over the decades in between times going eyewear-free.
Fans often speculate on the intention or purpose behind them, with many theories going from simple fashion preferences to notions of hiding his eyes from bright fluorescent lights due to shyness or other proclivities. Dylan himself has given a few reasons over the years, with earlier interviews suggesting he wore prescription lenses as he needed to see while performing. Later, he would tell Ron Rosenbaum that wearing them had become a habit that made him feel more comfortable when going out.
In the age of social media and digital cameras, he has also requested fans and concert attendees to avoid flash photography. In his television appearances, he has also been known to wear sunglasses before reading. From both his words and actions, it seems clear that his sunglasses help shield his eyes from the bright lights that famous musicians are so often subjected to. Either way, his style and influence remain undeniable.
The influence and impact of Bob Dylan’s sunglasses
The iconography of Bob Dylan’s sunglasses has become so cemented in the public consciousness that music lovers and fans already know you’re making a reference if you just put on the right pair of shades.
Even in collaboration with other iconic artists, the artwork, more often than not, depicts him in his instantly recognisable look. In 1987, he worked on music with Grateful Dead and even went on a short tour with them. For this, legendary poster artist Rick Griffin created the ‘Dylan & The Dead’ oil painting that would grace the stage. Featuring various pieces representing the musicians, the huge artwork included a slow steam train, a skull with a harmonica and a wreath of roses, and Dylan’s black sunglasses with a lightning rod reflected on one of the lenses.
Deeper into his career, the unmatched lyricist also heavily featured his Wayfarers in album art. On Infidels, his cover is a close-up of his bearded face with the sunglasses everyone knows. At the time of release, this album became known as a resurgence for him in both commercial and critical reception.
Along with the likes of Tom Cruise, Paul Newman, Audrey Hepburn, and Steve McQueen, Dylan belongs to an unforgettable cast of personalities who are often credited with influencing what kind of sunglasses people wear. Just as the Oliver Goldsmith Manhattan sunglasses became enduring symbols for Hepburn and the Ray-Ban Aviators saw a resurgence in Tom Cruise, the Wayfarers continue to be the timeless epitome of cool, thanks to Bob Dylan.
Their impact on the culture has been so ingrained that countless references and media dedicated to him have included the sunglasses as a core part of their design. In the 2004 experimental film I’m Not There, six actors played different facets of Bob Dylan – with Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett famously portraying the singer-songwriter as Jude Quinn. In an interview with The Guardian, she shared how 1966 Dylan is considered “the most iconic silhouette of his musical career”, with her aesthetic of the quintessential sunglasses and dishevelled hair netting her a Golden Globe win and an Academy Award nomination.
In 2024, critical darling Timothée Chalamet dons the signature tinted shades from Ray-Ban as he films a new Bob Dylan biopic. A Complete Unknown sees Chalamet pairing the Caribbean frame with the brown suede jacket most synonymous with ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’ era. Even rising stars who aren’t playing Dylan have taken on his look as a direct influence, with Dominic Sessa strolling the Golden Globes red carpet in Dylan-esque form via tousled locks, tinted Saint Laurent sunglasses, and a black suit with a wide-peaked lapel.
You would be hard-pressed to find anyone arguing against Bob Dylan’s legacy in the world of songwriting and music, but it’s also worth celebrating his influence on fashion. Over six decades since his debut album, there’s no doubt that every seminal piece of his aesthetic can be felt across the music scene and beyond.