The story of Joe Biden’s Ray-Ban sunglasses

Vice President Joe Biden joined Instagram with a bang today -- posting a photo of his famous/infamous cheap Ray Ban sunglasses in the foreground while the Veep read papers in the background.  "Follow @VP for the latest from the Vice President, and the occasional aviators pic," reads his Instagram account page.

This is FAR from the first time Biden has put his shades in the limelight. (See what we did there?)

As far back as 2009, Biden was rocking the Ray-Bans (+ a scarf!)

Vice President Joe Biden points to some new sunglasses he tried on while talking with Special Olympics athlete Michael Barrantes on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009 in Boise, Idaho.. (AP Photo/Matt Cilley)

By 2010, the Ray-Bans had become so closely associated with Biden that President Obama was mentioning them at campaign rallies. "Plus, Joe looks cool in those glasses, too, doesn't he?," Obama said in Philadelphia.

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

When President Obama's campaign wanted to "welcome" the VP back to the  trail in 2012, they posted this image on their site.

Image courtesy of OFA

In the fall of 2012, Biden was fully sunglassed while stumping in New Hampshire.

(SAUL LOEB/AFP/GettyImages)

And, just in case you thought the sunglasses were only for the good times, here's Biden wearing the Ray Ban Wayfarer at a ceremony for the late Ariel Sharon earlier this year.

 (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)