Eyeglasses Are Frame of Reference for Men

It used to be that for a young man, the next worse thing to having braces on his teeth was wearing eyeglasses. Would he come across as a nerd to his friends? Would girls give him a second look?

Fortunately, glasses have risen from the depths of purgatory and now have the potential to make a fashion statement.

Some of today’s sexiest celebrities--Michael Douglas, William Hurt, Nick Nolte, Sylvester Stallone and Rob Lowe, among them--sport specs on occasion, whether out of necessity or simply for effect.

Others have made eye wear an indelible part of their image. Consider the eccentricities of pop superstar Elton John, and to a lesser extent, late night TV host Arsenio Hall, whose choice of funky glasses often defines his mood.

It’s hard to even picture Groucho Marx, George Burns, Woody Allen, Buddy Holly, Spike Lee, Elvis Costello or Cary Grant (in later years) without their trademark specs.

Andy Warhol wanted to own a pair of eyeglasses for every day of the year. He came close with 125 pairs.

Today there is more than a modicum of choices available in men’s eye wear.

Trendy frame shops offer a range of colors such as cobalt blue, bright yellow and satin aluminum. There is also eye wear that sports innovative detailing and combination frames that include plastic rims in tortoise-shell combined with metal temples.

Many eye-wear establishments now provide a generous range of shapes, which speak volumes about a man’s character. Here are some examples:

* Lightweight, angular frames--favored by English Lit professors, folk singers and patrons of film houses--personify intellect and upward mobility.

* Small, delicate wire frames exude a scholarly air, a thirst for knowledge and an appreciation of the finer things in life.

* Dark, angular frames will age a baby face .

* Heavy, thick glasses send a message of self-assurance and control.

* Frames with a dark upper rim stretching across the brow make the wearer appear stern and unbending.

* A gently curved frame will minimize a square jawline.