Are People Finally Seeing Glasses Differently?

Not so long ago there was nothing glamorous about glasses. They had one purpose and one purpose only, to improve people’s ailing vision. They were cumbersome, bulky and highly unflattering. Every family photo album has pictures of parents and relatives in horrendous 70s and 80s glasses that make their children wince.

However, glasses have come a long way since then and they are now regarded by many as the ultimate fashion accessory. Glasses are available in colours to suit all tastes and the choice of frames on offer is staggering. Recently, it’s all been about the ‘Geek chic’ style – large, thick black rimmed specs – similar to those sported by everyone’s favourite flamboyant stylist Gok Wan. Gok has even released his own collection of glasses and sunglasses which are proving to be a real hit. The latest style of glasses to hit the High Street is the ‘John Lennon’ – that is, small round glasses, similar to those sported by the former member of The Beatles.

For celebrities and fictional characters, glasses are an essential accessory

However, it’s not just Gok whose specs are an essential part of his image. Going back a few decades, renowned Brits, Eric Morcambe, Spike Milligan and comic duo, The Two Ronnies were synonymous with oversized black glasses. Moving forward, musician and conductor of the Military Wives choir, Gareth Malone completes his Geek Chic look with a pair of black rimmed glasses, television presenter, and as for Ozzie Osbourne and Dame Edna Everage, the defence rests.

Let’s not leave the Hollywood A-listers out of the equation. So many of them are embracing the glasses revolution and using them to add a new dimension to their look. Jonny Depp was recently photographed looking very dashing in a pair of round, tortoise shell glasses and Elton John has been known to wear some rather unique looking glasses to add a bit more sparkle, to his already bold look.

For fictional characters too, glasses have been an essential part of their image. Ugly Betty, is renowned for her signature bookish black glasses and braces, The Milky Bar Kid wouldn’t look quite the same without his dorky blue glasses. Harry Potter was never without his round glasses, for ‘Where’s Wally’, his ‘John Lennon’ style glasses really completed his geeky image and CSI Miami’s Horatio is normally sporting a pair of super cool shades.

So there’s certainly more than what meets the eye when it comes to glasses.

From unsightly frames to aid vision, they are now the ultimate fashion accessory and are used by celebs, fictional characters and ordinary people like you and me to achieve a unique and trendy look.

Sean writes about fashion for designer glasses retailer Direct Sight.