For a vintage flair with modern protection, wear retro style safety glasses. These traditional ANSI Z87.1 rated eyewear styles looked good on your grandpa and will look good on you. The styles span from the 1950s through the 1990s. When a classic style becomes iconic, why change anything?

That Buddy Holly Look

First of all, let’s start with the traditional. Horn-rimmed or thicker framed solid color eyewear was popular in the 1950s-60s era. And now they have regained their popularity. Safety glasses with this style frame often have attached side shields. And they provide increased protection from flying debris and particles. The Bouton 5900 Traditional series safety glasses feature a dual-lens. And built-in wire mesh side shields. Long-lasting heavy-duty metal hinges complete the quality over-built styling not always common in modern safety eyewear.

Furthermore, they have real-world useful features. What’s the point of looking good if you can’t work in them? The Bouton 5900 series has lens options like anti-fog, smoke color, or green IR 3.0 welding lenses. Each style has the attached side shields. They are most often worn by metal fabricators, carpenters, shop workers, and welders. And they meet ANSI Z87.1 safety and impact ratings.

Vintage Carpenter Eyewear

Another type of safety glasses with a similar horn-rimmed style is the Pyramex Monitor. This is one of the best-selling men’s safety glasses. And they feature a clear lens with a caramel-colored frame. Like the Bouton 5900 series, these have attached side shields. The scratch-resistant lenses block 99% of harmful UV-A and UV-B rays. They feature a durable polycarbonate that also blocks excessive glare. And if they look familiar, they are the same pair worn by Ben Napier on HGTV’s Home Town.

While time always moves on, the 1970’s and 80’s brought about the rise of the aviator. Sure they look good cruising in your Corvette down a sun-parched stretch of road, but they also function as safety glasses. The Pyramex Pathfinder safety glasses have a gold metal frame and clear lens. And the traditional aviator frame style also has side shields. Retro style safety glasses have useful enhancements like scratch and impact-resistant lenses. They are ideal for indoor applications that require impact protection.

Retro Glasses = Cool

And retro style safety glasses of the 90’s added colorful frames and oversized style. High brow guards add extra protection and an unimpeded view. The Pyramex Integra and the MCR Safety TK1 series feature adjustable ratcheting temples. And they come in colors like classic Americana red/white/blue. The Integra series even has a mixed colorful frame that looks like a laser light show of the past.

Finally, consider the best part of retro style safety glasses. All of these meet current ANSI Z87.1 safety ratings. The designs might harken back to previous decades, but their protection is completely modern. And you can achieve more style on the job, and might even turn some heads. Eye protection doesn’t have to be boring. In conclusion, retro-style eyewear from brands like Pyramex, Bouton, and MCR Safety has a timeless look. And for not a lot of money, you can add style to your work apparel. If it looked good on grandpa, it will look good on you.

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