Spectacles are no longer the reason for a playground beating they used to be. It has become very on trend to wear a fat rimmed pair of glasses to give yourself a geek chic demeanour that will have you skipping club queues like it ain’t-no-thing, well, as long as the act is electro kitsch that is. And this is basically thanks to a whole load of famous folk donning their eyewear in the lime light. However the most recent examples aren’t the first, oh no…
Buddy Holly
Buddy was ridiculously short sighted. He was so bad that when he came to the top line of the chart he was all, “What chart?” Thing was he wanted to be a rocker, but thought glasses would make him look like a square. So his optician went to Mexico and came back with the specks he became synonymous with. Its often cited as the first real rock and roll fashion statement and as such we have him to thank for Gaga and the Minaj, seriously.
Elvis
The fat and gold aviators are notoriously difficult to wear without looking like slightly rubbish impersonator of the legend that is Elvis. I think the trick is to eat a load of burgers and fill out the cheeks to maintain the balance. I mean that worked for the King didn’t it.
Gandhi
The classic bookworm look glasses worked by Gandhi were sold at auction in 2009 for one and a quarter million pounds. That’s even more expensive than a pair of Tom Fords! The great man was quoted as saying that his glasses gave him the vision to free India. Pretty cool.
John Lennon
John was the most creative of the Beatles and needs no introduction. His look lives on. The disgruntled and thoughtful visage framed by long hair and an ever present pair of round metal framed glasses. He would vary the look having them as regular glasses or as sunglasses with numerous different coloured tints.
Woody Allen
The film director has seemingly been wearing the same pair of glasses for the entirety of his career. And that’s a long career. They are sort of geek chic with the thick dark rims, but maybe a little less stylish than the most recent incarnation of the look. But that’s not held him back in being one of the most famous film directors of all time.
Elton John
The flamboyant Elton demonstrated the avant-garde side of his personality in many ways; however the most obvious was his choice of eye-wear. Elton’s bonkers glasses are like a carnival on his face and apparently number into the thousands… excessive, I think.
About the author: When not snapping his glasses case shut or polishing his lenses, Darren Tew ‘looks’ into the possibilities and potential of new novelty products for Find Me A Gift.