Observed on March 17th every year, this year St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday - which means the celebrations will be in full swing all day! Of course a national holiday in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, the day is also observed and celebrated by many across the world, including in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and more - especially amongst the Irish diaspora. There’s nothing like embracing the festivities by dressing for the occasion, which is why we’ll be taking a look at some of our favourite vintage green specs in this article, donning them as we take a dive into the history and tradition of St. Patrick’s Day. We may even have a little surprise for you at the end... keep reading if you’re feeling lucky!
St. Patrick’s Day Traditions
We’ve all heard of and know about St. Patrick’s Day, but what is the history behind it and why is it so heavily celebrated in Irish culture?
History
According to legend, St. Patrick was actually born in Britain, not arriving in Ireland until he was 16, when he was supposedly kidnapped and taken there to work as a slave. Here he worked as a shepherd, which is the same time that he found God. It’s rumoured that he had a vision from God telling him to go to the coast, where he would find a boat and escape home - and he did. This is when St. Patrick officially became a priest, choosing to return to Ireland to teach others about the religion. It’s believed that he was one of the most influential figures in converting many of the country’s pagan residents to Christianity. It’s assumed that he died on the 17th of March, hence why this is the date that St. Patrick’s Day falls on every year. Over the following centuries, many legends were associated with him, leading him to become Ireland’s foremost saint.
Traditions
Whilst originally a religious holiday, St. Patrick’s Day has since become a celebration of Irish culture in general.
One symbol that has become heavily associated with the day is the three-leafed clover, or shamrock, as it’s more commonly referred to. From decorations to novelty items and clothing, shamrock symbols are guaranteed to be seen on the 17th of March - it’s even Ireland’s national flower.
However, as predominant as this plant is in the country, there are still religious elements entwined with its popularity on this day. According to legend, St. Patrick himself used the shamrock as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity back when he first introduced Christianity to Ireland, making it an even more fitting symbol to use during the day’s celebrations.
It’s also the Shamrock that’s to thank for the staple green synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day. Originally, St. Patrick was actually associated with the colour blue - it wasn’t till the 18th Century that green was introduced to the festivities, which is when the shamrock became a national symbol.
The combination of the shamrock’s popularity and Ireland’s natural landscape are what made green the colour of the holiday. Although, folklore also played a part.
If there’s anything that could rival shamrocks in popularity on this day, it’s leprechauns. A popular and mischievous creature in Irish mythology, folklore states that wearing green makes you invisible to leprechauns, who like to pinch anyone they can see - so wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day ensures you won’t get pinched!
There are more reasons that people like to wear green on this day, with some believing it will bring good luck, whilst others wear it to honour their Irish heritage.
Saving the Planet and Your Pocket
Sustainability is a core principle that is recognised on an international scale as having urgent importance - and that’s no different in Ireland. With a ‘Sustainable Ireland’ travel initiative and the title of the first country to commit to 100% sustainable food exports, following their sustainable mindset is something we certainly encourage everyone to do.
One of the ways you can do just that is by curating your St. Patrick’s Day outfit through ethical shopping - one such example is by choosing second-hand or deadstock accessories, such as vintage glasses!
By shopping vintage, you’ll be saving an old pair of glasses that could otherwise have gone to waste - most likely landfill - where they would contribute to emissions that negatively affect the climate and environment. With that said, don’t be fooled by the term ‘old’!
Old doesn’t equate to bad, in fact far from it. Many vintage frames have been made using the finest materials and constructed with quality craftsmanship. The result of this? Longwearing frames of an impeccable quality that you can rely on time after time. Since such a pair of frames is less likely to break or show signs of wear (as long as you take proper care of them, of course), you’ll also find that your investment saves you money in the long run, as you won’t need to keep replacing your glasses quite so often.
In choosing vintage over contemporary, you are actively standing up to the fast-fashion, throwaway culture of today, reducing the demand for unsustainable, virgin materials to be sourced and disencouraging wasteful fashion.
This St. Patrick’s Day, we’ve decided to thank our customers, old and new, for shopping sustainably with us by treating you to a lucky discount… but we’re not quite at the end of the rainbow just yet, so you’ll have to keep reading before we get to that pot of gold!
Accessorising from Day to Night
The St. Patrick’s Day festivities are celebrated from day to night, so we thought we’d suggest some of our favourite glasses you can transition between as the day goes on.
Day
Silhouette Mod 1112 / 20 Col 2632
With gold-hued lenses and a touch of green on the browline, these Silhouette sunglasses are great for protecting your eyes from the sun whilst you're out admiring the St. Patrick’s parades, yet not so tinted that you won’t be able to see if the day is slightly cloudier.
Simple and versatile, they’ll be sure to compliment your viridescent outfit!
Cazal Mod 177 Col 241
If green really isn’t your colour, then turquoise is the perfect compromise. These Cazal butterfly frames feature gold brow detailing and a turquoise trim, ideal for those looking to make a more subtle ode to the day.
Concert Mod 634
For those looking to celebrate with an element of class, these tinted Concert browline frames are ideal. The tortoiseshell browline exudes sophistication, while the deep green lenses are fitting for the occasion.
Night
Christian Dior 2408 11
If gold and green is the vibe you’re going for, then these Christian Dior sunnies are the ones for you!
The bottle green lenses are brilliantly complimented by the gold, nature-inspired butterfly frames, resulting in a glamorous piece of eyewear to party the night away in.
Luciano Soprani LS 3930
Let people know you’re the life of the party with these unique Liciano Soprani glasses. With gloss black frames on one side and sea green on the other, they harmoniously blend luxury with mystique - making them the perfect pair of going-out glasses for St. Patrick’s Day!
Sunmodes SR
Arguably saving the best till last (although we’re a little biased, as these are our favourite pair), there isn’t a more perfect pair of specs to wear on St Patrick’s Day than these ones from Sunmodes.
Made using translucent bright green acetate, they really are a show stopping pair of frames that are sure to go down a treat as you fully immerse yourself in the celebrations and party late into the night!
Are you Feeling Lucky?
So, are you ready for the festivities to begin? We know we are!
As promised, we have a special surprise for you this St. Patrick’s Day - using the code LUCKY17, you can get 17% off all green glasses in our collection! Why not treat yourself and take advantage of our exclusive discount to get two pairs to transition from day to night? Be sure to secure your frames now, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.
As always, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us with any enquiries, and we’ll be happy to lend a helping hand.
