I was always admired the mystique created by Ian Hunter always wearing shades much like the fabulous Jeff Lyne of ELO, it is his ‘look’. Shades are part of rock and roll imagery that Dylan used and in my opinion Bono has never quite pulled off (sorry Bono).
It reminds me of Marlon Brando’s remark from On The Waterfront, when a character says “Are you looking for trouble” and Brando replies “What have you got?”. Mick looked like a streetwise New Yorker, who was ahead of the game. He certainly didn’t look like a quiet working class lad from Hull (in the North of England).