Clothes may maketh the man but did you know that glasses have played a spectacular role in the fashion stakes. It seems that everyone is making a statement whether on social media or through YouTube.
This viral sensation has thrown the spotlight open to the under appreciated glasses wearer. Now lets focus on the bigger picture for just a second! Through the decades, there have been a host of spectacled superstars who have impressed on and off screen.
Eyewear has been very much pushed to the forefront and become the real centre of attention. Take for example 1960s starlet Audrey Hepburn. Famed for being one of the most famous wearers of glasses on the planet, the British actress is without doubt a screen treasure. You may have heard the name banded about now and then.
Her signature glasses won a plethora of female admirers after she took on the role of Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Ladies, if you want to recreate this timeless look then check out these beautiful pair of Dior Cat Eye glasses.
Splashed across hundreds if not thousands of publications, the film became more renowned for her elegant Oliver Goldsmith shades. This transcended across several generations, call it a spectacle renaissance if you will. Eyewear suddenly began to undergo a radical transformation.
Gone were the days of wearing glasses purely for medical purposes. This was slowly replaced by an eyewear revolution, the likes of which we have never witnessed before. A goggle explosion took place which placed glasses as the latest must have accessory.
In fact, Goldsmith’s glasses have been worn by many of the showbiz gliterati from Grace Kelly and Sophie Loren to Michael Caine. Even the late Princess Diana was said to have gone goo goo for a pair of Goldsmith glasses. His pioneering sunglasses were actually the first to ever be shown in Vogue magazine.
So which personalities have stopped the lens more often than not for their glasses?
10. Johnny Depp
Although Mr. Depp is well into his fifties, this has not detracted from his spectacle animal magnetism. The Edward Scissorhands star is you might say a cut above the rest when it comes to his eyewear of choice. He is a big fan of horn rimmed glasses which he can be seen wearing with pride. On top of this, Depp has also been wearing blue tinted glasses for many years. This is due to his lousy vision which according to Rolling stone is “just very, very blurry [without them], I’ve never had proper vision.” Looks like Captain Sparrow will be flying the glasses flag for quite some time yet.
9. Sarah Palin
Whilst she was fighting out for the 2008 vice presidency, Sarah Palin was grabbing the headlines for altogether different reasons. Palin had the ability to make herself look like Wonderwoman thanks to her array of specs. Sporting rimless frames, the aptly named Kazoo Kawasaki rectangular glasses were her weapon of choice. An extremely lightweight pair, they are made from beta-titanium. In this way, it provides a feather like feeling on the face and was seen in a number different TV and media appearances during her candidacy.
8. Bill Gates
With his wealth estimated to be upwards of £50 billion, Bill Gates is one of the most recognisable faces in the world. Of course he founded that little known company that was to become Microsoft but we are confident Bill could have a glasses library if he wanted. Previously, he was more a fan of the Napoleon Dynamite oversized spectacles. However, Gates has mellowed in recent time and now carries off a small square framed look.
7. Dennis Taylor
In 1985, more than 17 million people tuned in during the wee hours to witness the 1985 Snooker World Championship. Taking place between Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor, it put a spell on a snooker hungry audience. Having come down to a single black ball, Taylor overcame Davis to clinch the title. But it is Taylor’s comedy sized specs and late night potting capers that turned many people square eyed thirty years ago.
6. Buddy Holly
One of the 1950’s greatest icons, Buddy Holly rocks in at number six. The musical legend helped to popularise glasses during this particular era. Many take inspiration to this day from Holly’s thick black frames which was to become a symbol of his ground-breaking music. His choice was the wayfarer style such as these eye inspiring Ray-Ban glasses.
5. Woody Allen
Talk about chicken soup for the soul. Highly regarded Jewish comedian and film maker Woody Allen has been known to wear Moscot black specs for yonkers. The company was found around a hundred years in New York. Its distinctive designs have seen many such as Allen adopt their frames. They have also set many tongues wagging over the years with a following all of their own.
4. Steve Jobs
With the world seemingly going nuts for the Steve Jobs movie, it is Apple’s co-creator who we focus our attention on. His trademark frames have seen many pick up a pair since he passed on three years ago. His biography cover has an image of him in a pair of sleek Lunor glasses. Entitled classic rund, the classic round specs are super slim and made of course from the finest German craftsmanship.
3. Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi had it all. A figure that would make even zero size models jealous and an influential mass appeal, the teeny leader has another impressive feature. The glasses worn by Gandhi it the headlines back in 2009. An undisclosed buyer purchased a variety of items belonging to him including sandals as well as a pocket. It fetched an astonishing £1.3 million in total. The rimmed glasses were made from metal and were even preserved in their original case. This historic pair of specs were originally purchased by Gandhi at the end of the 19th century. It is said the Indian leader once proclaimed his glasses allowed him “the vision to free India.”
2. Elton John
Named as one of the most iconic glasses wearers ever, Reginald Dwight reportedly owns several thousands pairs. His show stopping performances on stage and in Las Vegas has catapulted the Rocket Man to number two spot. With lenses in every colour of the rainbow, Sir Elton has had as many hits as he had shades. His dazzling collection of eyewear will certainly see him still standing for many years to come!
1. John Lennon
The metal-framed glasses sported by John Lennon has made these glasses almost as synonymous as his music. His repertoire not to mention his specs have inspired generations for the best part of fifty years. Now who would have imagined that.
