Hi Norwegians, my friends and I are on holiday in Norway and we were wondering why everyone was wearing these glasses unironically. Are you aware that it looks ridiculous? is it a fashion statement? is it a joke? let me know!

44 comments

  3. I’m Norwegian and I feel like I am the only one who doesn’t own a pair of these. When it comes to fashion, there are many weird trends going on in Norway if you are an outsider looking in, and this is one of them.

  9. Snow blindness is a real problem if you are outside in the snow for some hours. These kinds of glasses generally prevent light from entering beneath or on the side of the glasses better than regular fashion sunglasses.

    Regular skiing goggles are a bit cumbersome for cross country skiing.

    I assume this also applies for sailing or boating or cycling.

    So many people opt to use them elseware as well.

  12. Almost all trends look ridiculous if you’re not part of it. Then you get used it, take part in it, never want to be seen without it, then it becomes untrendy and you find it ridiculous again.

    Its happened a million times before and will happen a million times again.

  13. They are better for hiking, cycling, skiing, etc. than Ray Bans and fashion sunglasses. In winter the sun reflects from the snow so you need glasses with coverage at the sides.

  14. These were highly popular back like 20-30 years ago. They were used by skiiers, part of snowmobileglasses etc. Some times old fashion resurface just for the fun of it.

  16. They’re great for outdoor activities and sometimes I forget my other pair of “normal” sunglasses in the car

  17. As a newly relocated American, I thought it was a joke at first too. But no. Norwegians do, in fact, live their “fast glasses”

  18. It’s kind of a mix between all the above. It’s a joke because everyone is well aware of how it looks, but at the same time it’s kiiiiinda cool as well.

  20. Every country/culture will have some examples like this lol like the Germans in socks and sandals, and the Americans in backwards cap and oakleys, and…. you Dutch always in your clogs!

  21. They are really good for when you wanna go cross country skiing and stay in the snow for hours, because it blocks the light that gets reflected from the snow. While normal sunglasses will only block from straight ahead, which doesn’t help snow blindness much

  22. They are actually much better then other glasses,i had ray bans and oakleys and threw them away because they were shit compared to these.And they are also fast glasses.You even run faster in these

  23. They’re better for sports but for some reason they’ve bled into everyday wear. Very confusing for this utlanding because back home people really commit to the look with at least a mullet and some denim.

  24. As an optometrist I fully support the use of this kind of sunglasses. The shape makes them way more effective than normal sunglasses, and they protect you from developing a lot of different eye problems. Personally I hate the design because they look ridiculous, but it’s better to have healthy eyes. I have seen way to many eyes damaged from not using sunglasses or using sunglasses that doesn’t cover enough.

  26. It’s a way to see if they have “afterski mentality”.
    Meaning dancing on the table singing nostalgic songs. Few do it for sports.

  27. I can’t fucking see when the sun is out, small sunglasses doesn’t give enough coverage, and also I do not care one bit what you think.

  28. As a Norwegian i have to admit that i have no idea, i think its some sort og inside joke that all Norwegians just agreed was funny but no one told me about it so hell if i know

  29. I guess it’s because those people like them.
    If they stop wearing them because someone else thinks it looks ridicolous, that’s when we got a problem.

  31. A mix of everything, everyone constantly jokingly bullies “Raske Briller” as we call them, and people who wear them are usually pretty self-ironic about it

  32. People with blue eyes and fair skin get a lot more light onto their retinae than others. Im a brown eyed Norwegian and never get brightness headaches. (yes thats a thing)

    So when people say they’re «much better» keep in mind they may have a genuine need for eye coverage.

  34. I have a pair of these. I exclusively use them when trimming tall grass with a string trimmer / weed eater / whatever it’s called. The shape blocks pieces of tree stumps, small rocks and other shit I tend to accidentally hit from getting in my eyes from most angles.

    And it also improves trimming speed by at least 20 % because they are blazing fast.

  35. The culture of Norwegians and, many Nothern europeans to some degree, has a heavy element of practicality over style or opulence.

    It is one of the reasons Scandinavians are so often accused of being conforming and all doing similar things and dressing similarly.

    Yes there is obviously a bit of conformity to it, but mostly it is just about, what clothes make the best practical sense for the weather, what house building technique and layouts leads to a more practical and efficient lifestyle, what sunglasses make the most sense, the ones that don’t properly protect your eyes and fall off easily if you are being active, I the ones that stay on and offer better protection.

  38. It’s mostly worn ironic, they are so ugly that it’s cool. Usually they are used by cross country skiers and other athletes. But younger kids have started using them more and more. They are hella ugly.
    We have some stupid song also called raske briller – fast/quick goggles

  39. If you can’t be flamboyant why be at all?

    But seriously, sunglasses like those are usually worn by skiers to prevent snowblindness, and there is a prevailing “the 90’s were cool” vibe when it comes to sports equipment here. No idea why, but nobody minds. If you can’t laugh at yourself then what’s the point?

  40. We prefer our sun related eyewear to actually be functional, rather than the piss-poor “fashion” versions that bleed light in from the sides.

    In short, we aren’t *totally* obsessed with looking like wankers. 🙂

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