A pair of sunglasses

A pair of Polaroid sunglasses, bought in the US by my father in 1972.

They have old-fashioned polarised lenses that made car windscreens throw rainbow-oily stripes. With those wide boxy frames, they give the wearer (which would now be me) what is sometimes called “a strong look”; perhaps just a little too much Colonel from Boogie Nights. But in the 1970s, perched on a long straight nose below swept-back silver-grey hair, they looked magnificent.

Let us speak frankly: they are possibly the coolest shades ever made.  Dirty martinis all round.