No pair of sunglasses has influenced popular culture more than these Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses. Since their introduction in the 50’s, they have been copied, emulated and even reinvented but nothing comes close to the Ray-Ban version. It can be hard to choose between the Original Wayfarer sunglasses and the New Wayfarer sunglasses;  both have great points and greater points. (Click to Tweet) Read on to find out more!

 Image credit: Pinterest

Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses are awesome, stylish and just generally bad-ass.

 Image credit: Ray-Ban

Ray- Ban Original Wayfarer vs New Wayfarer

Sizes

The original and, some say, the best. Ray-Ban Wayfarer RB2140 sunglasses are based on the same specifications as the original 1950’s version. The style has appeared on the faces of countless celebrities and featured in nearly as many films. The larger lenses give that real retro feel. The tilt in the frame can make the glasses difficult to perch on top of your head, but, when you look so cool wearing them, why would you want to?

The success of the RB2140 spurred the creation of the Ray-Ban New Wayfarer sunglasses and they were designed to be smaller and less angular than the Original which was slumping in popularity in the 90s. You’ll see that the overall feel is slightly softer albeit with slightly wider lenses and, they are also up to 7mm shorter than the original.  The frame style is perfect for everyday wear and ideal for placing on top of your head as the sun goes down.

Ray- Ban Original Wayfarer vs New Wayfarer

Frames

The colour options for both the Original and New Wayfarer sunglasses frames offer the two most popular colours (black and Havana) but, the Original Wayfarer sunglasses trumps with intricate patterns and frames in mouth-watering shades – we’ll get to that soon!  Check out some of the frame styles exclusive to the Original Collection.

Ray-Ban Original Wayfarer Sunglasses Frames

Distressed Wayfarer

The Distressed Wayfarer sunglasses come in different shades of black and Havana and at a first glance, they look like the classic model. For those of you with a finer eye, you’ll see that the frames have been crafted with intentional “distressing” giving them a unique and vintage feel… right from day one.

Fleck Wayfarer

 

The Fleck Wayfarer sunglasses come in a deep tortoiseshell colour which has been intricately blended with flecks of blue, pink or gold. All variations come with black temple pieces so for those of you who love classic style with a modern edge, they are most definitely a subtle way to style up your look.

Cosmo Wayfarer

Some of the most eye-catching variations of the Original model include those in the Wayfarer Cosmo collection. Inspired by the colours of the galaxy, they feature an out of this world blend of shimmering hues and aptly titled model names like Mercury (metallic azure), Venus (metallic green), Saturn (metallic green/violet), Jupiter (metallic green and pink) and Mars (metallic violet).

Ice Pops Wayfarer

 

Inspired by sunnier seasons, the Ice Pops Wayfarer sunglasses is the perfect addition to any fashion beau or belle’s summer look. The dazzling, translucent frames and matching colour gradient lenses come in mouth-watering shades of mint, citrus, watermelon, grape, and strawberry.

 

Urban Camouflage Wayfarer

Camouflage prints are typically designed to ensure you go unnoticed, but you certainly won’t be blending in with the crowd wearing these unashamedly edgy Urban Camouflage Wayfarer sunglasses. They come with arm pieces dressed in blue, black, grey, or purple camouflage printed material and the arms are made of rubber which makes them more comfortable to wear.

Denim Wayfarer

Just as denim jeans never go out of fashion, neither will the Denim Wayfarer sunglasses model! Ray-Ban has developed an advanced layering process to wrap the frames in 100% authentic denim and you can choose from a range of colours including dark blue, light blue-violet, green and orange (with matching colour lenses of course).

 

Leather Wayfarer

The premium quality design of the Leather Wayfarer sunglasses has made this model a stand-out piece amongst the more recent takes on the Original Wayfarer. The frames are decked out in high-quality leather and the premium treatment doesn’t end there. This model also comes in a polarized version, so in addition to looking like the toughest guy or gal on the block, you’ll also enjoy added benefits like enhanced colour contrast and elimination of glare.Choose from a range of colours including black, brown, green and blue.

 

Other notable frames which are exclusive to the Ray-Ban Original Collection can be seen with the Rare Prints, Pixel and Bi-Colour models.

Ray-Ban New Wayfarer Sunglasses

Whilst not including the extensive range of variations in materials and textures of the Original collection, they do pack the punch with some dazzling and interesting colour combinations and patterns. With that said, let’s introduce the frame styles which are exclusively available with the New Wayfarer model.

Wayfarer Bi-Colour

Bursting with colour, the New Wayfarer Bi-Colour adds an exciting element to the inner temple pieces, allowing you to spruce up your look in dynamic colours that will really set you apart from the crowd.

Wayfarer Colour Mix

Crafted in premium acetate, the Colour Mix model is both strong and lightweight. The bold style adds an eclectic mix of colours and will complement a range of styles and personalities. They are perfect for that summer trip with friends and casual city dwelling alike.

Wayfarer Flash

Glimmering with a spectacular multi-layer coating, the New Wayfarer Flash features mirrored lenses which reflect beautifully. Try them with tangy orange or mint green lenses.

Ray- Ban Original Wayfarer vs New Wayfarer

Lenses

The options for lenses are almost the same with RB2140 (Original Wayfarer) and RB2132 (New Model)  models. For both styles, Ray-Ban offers various colours and combinations of lens technology. In most cases, the lenses are made of glass or crystal and sometimes plastic, depending on the model. We would recommend G-15 XLT lenses if you would like a soft and natural look. You’ll also be pleased to know that the G-15 XLT lenses also use Ray-Ban’s new technology which makes lenses super light AND keeps optical quality at the highest level possible. Both models also offer polarized lenses, perfect for sensitive eyes or if you often expose your eyes to intense sunlight.

Images credit: Ray-Ban

So…which pair to pick? If you’re not afraid of trying something new, you can go with the New Wayfarer model or the bolder patterns of the Original Wayfarer. For classic guys and gals, we’d recommend the Original model. Don’t forget that the Wayfarer now caters for niches and you can also shop the Asian fit version – in both styles!

Check out our site and pick the perfect Ray-Ban Wayfarer frames today.