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Framed! Eyewear gets a fashion boost
Tina Fey in "30 Rock" | Photo by Ali Goldstein~NBC
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Updated: February 25, 2013 6:17AM
Gone are the days when wearing glasses was supremely uncool.
Geek, nerd, four-eyes — the lot of the visually challenged was difficult.
Now it seems that everyone is wearing glasses, whether they need to or not.
Check out the NBA. That would be the National Basketball Association. At every press conference, after every game, at least one pro player is wearing glasses that aren’t the dark, anti-sun variety. Check out the faces of Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Dwayne Wade.
Musicians are getting in on the act, too. Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z and Justin Bieber sport this hip new look.
But maybe, after a quick nod to the late John Lennon’s grannies, it’s the ladies who’ve done most to upgrade the specs image.
Most obvious would be Tina Fey, 30 Rock and SNL, who’s proved that glasses are smart and sexy. And of course, there’s Sarah Palin — or is that Fey again — who took humble eyewear onto the national stage.
Marla Diamond and Minna Pirogovski are experts in eyewear. They opened Eye Magic, Inc. in Highland Park 24 years ago. Their store offers great personal service, and families have gone there from generation to generation, trusting no one else.
Pirogovski told me that their philosophy in business is the same as in life: Treat people the way you want to be treated.
Diamond stated that the geeky chic-retro trend is still big for 2013. Big plastic glasses in tortoise shell and two-toned darks are very popular along with round shapes.
She also noted that frameless glasses — in the Palin mode — are still big sellers. It’s really a more classic style, lighter weight and more comfortable to wear.
Two lines that they carry but you often don’t see in other stores are Oliver Peoples and Anne Et Valentin. These frames are trendy and well made. . Magic Eyes also showcases frames by Gucci, Prada, Paul Smith and Tom Ford.
Tammy Lanier of New Vision Optical Boutique in Wilmette says that younger generations always set the trend in eyewear. So, she exclaimed, “Bigger, rounder, plastic and color are in!” Her favorite frames are the ones with the “pop” of color inside them. Frames with embellishments on the temple also sell well.
Lanier added that frameless glasses remain popular because they’re sophisticated and dressy.
Faux or prescription, it always pays to be choosy about your frames, and find the best fit and shape for your face. “The right glasses for the right person,” says Diamond, “will never go out of style.”
