Brittany Spears and eyewear trends...

[Pete Hanlin]

Having recently read in an edition of 20/20 that "big is back" in eyewear, it was no big surprise to see Brittany Spears doing an interview (I was just channel surfing) in a pair of sunglasses that were approximately a 66 eyesize... Ugh, am I the only one who does not relish the return of Martina Navritolova (sp?) aviators?!?

I'm kinda curious to see how all of the industry's new atorics and aspherics will perform in large eyesizes, however...

Pete "A Brittany Spears concert is like a soft porn movie- except the music's worse" Hanlin

PS- Sorry to all you Brittany Spears fans out there in OptiBoardLand...

[Darris Chambless]

Chica Chica Bauw Bauw. < (1970's porn music in the background :-)

Hey Pete,

Here is the deal. People will beleive anything if they are told by celebs.

I always feel dirty if I watch Brittany Spears because shes just a baby, which brings me to my next point. Should we take fashion advice from someone that is too young to even know the origin of the fashions they wear today? I think not.

Brittany Spears fashion is that of the late sixties, early seventies and was only fashionable to those stupid enough to wear it in public. (I never owned a pair of bell bottoms when I was a kid because I thought they looked stupid and would get caught in the chain of my bike. I did have long hair though :-) When they say that Brittany is a trend setter I have to laugh and say "No, the Go-Go girls of the sixties were, obviously."

"Fashions by Giagando" When you look for fashion think BIG. It's not just you that you wish to impress but the whole world and what better way to do it than to wear a fashion statement that could FIT the whole world. Come see the new line "Brittany Spears Does the Fashion World" The Gargantuan, Behemouth, Laviathan, Rohtundra, Uglor and Barfasaurus. Yes, the world can't wait for Brittany's fall fashion extravaganza "How to wear your clothing inside out." What will she think of next? :-)

Fashion should be what you like and what looks good. I like double breasted suits with pleted pants a vest and wing-tip shoes of all colors. For casual wear I like blue jeans, boots or tennis shoes and T-Shirts. For eyewear I like out of the ordinary. Oh my glasses fit me, but they're a little different (I too can make a fashion statement ;-)

Sun wear is a diffent story though. For that I like to go with something totally obnoxious. The "lunatic fringe" so to speak :-) Again, my sunwear fashion fits me but it makes a statement of its own (whether I'm there or not :-) It DOES NOT state "Here I am and I have no fashion sense." :-)

Brittany should go back to highschool and date a football player and leave the fashion world alone. Stupid people should not be allowed to make fashion decisions either :-)

That's what I think.

Darris "There comes a time in every mans life when gold looses its luster, jewels sease to sparkle and all a man has left is the love of his child." Chambless

[Pete Hanlin]

From whence comes the heady quote, you word merchant?

I agree... the Pacers game is just about boring enough to flip by the "Brittney Does Hawaii" thing (I've resisited the urge). I mean, its tough to tell the difference between Spears and the PowerPuff Girls (I have a four and a five year old, so I know about such cartoons).

I agree about the double breasted suit... preferrably with a watch and fob set (which I had until the five year old 'examined' it). For casual, you can't beat an Izod shirt and dockers (do they still sell Izod?), which is what I wear to work.

As for my quote of the day, I leave you with Louisa May Alcott:
"A little kingdom I possess,
where thoughts and feelings dwell;
And very hard the task I find,
of governing it well...
I do not ask for any crown,
but that which all may win;
Not try to conquer any world,
except the one within."

Pete "Dare you to wear the wingtips on Bourbon Street" Hanlin

[Darris Chambless]

Hello Pete,

First off (as fashion is) double breasteds do not call for a watch faub. Double breasteds call for a thin line gold chain, usually serpentine of some form :-)

Izod's and Docker? The Dockers are okay, but Izod is out Henleys are in. I'm wearing a Hneley as we speak.

Talk to you later,

Darris "A Bernuise and fishnets would be more of a challenge" Chambless

[Blake]

Britney wears sunglasses? Guess I need to look higher up...



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[bblack]

Never say never but I don't think large dress eyewear will ever be back. Eyewear has always been around a 50mm eye size or smaller throughout the history of spectacles. In the seventies and mid eighties there was an aberration in time where we made big glasses. I think we made a bad leap in logic when CR 39 was introduced. We decided since it is 1/2 the specific gravity of glass we can now take some fashion risks and make frames larger. The problem was that at a 1.49 index of refraction and an increased amount of decentration we made some ugly thick eyewear. It is nice when eyewear is attractive but it is imperative that they are comfortable. Sunglasses are OK larger; after all they are designed to block light. Smaller eyewear look better, (in my opinion), are lighter, (fact), and you will have superior optics, (fact).
Large dress eyewear only had about a 10 to 15 year time in history where they where popular. The other 600 to 700 years we had a smaller more effective product. Our job is to design a product that is attractive and comfortable while providing the best vision possible. We are doing a better job today fitting eyewear than we did in 1980. If this trend to larger eyewear starts again it will be because our customers will be buying eyewear on the Internet without the guidance of optical professionals. In the optical industry design must follow function or we will not be successful with our fiduciary charge to the clients we serve.
Modern spectacle lenses are high index materials with AR coating and as little decentration as possible. Combine the science of lenses with the art of a beautiful frame and we can work magic.

Bill Black

[Steve Machol]

Originally posted by bblack:
Never say never but I don't think large dress eyewear will ever be back.....
Bill Black

It's funny you should say that. I was just talking someone just yesterday who told me that the frame manufacturers at MIDO were featuring larger frame styles. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see this trend grow over the next few years.

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Steve
OptiBoard Administrator

[bblack]

Steve,
When they said they were going bigger did they mean to a 50 eye or to a 54-56 eyesize. I believe there is an *** for every saddle and the 60 eye may always exist but I do not believe we will see the resurgence of charging an oversize charge for 90% of eyewear made, the way it was 20 years ago.

Bill Black

[don A]

i too have two children who adores backstreet boys but just like every overnight sensations they fade away in due time. brittney will fade away from the limelight in due time and so will her eyewear fashion statement. as for the big & bold eyewear frames, most times are sold as sunglasses (i.e. second pair) and frankly bears little impact other than window treatment. in general, the public still longs for not wearing glasses but if they have to prefers to wear as small as possible.
(w/ clip-ons ofcourse).

don A.

[Steve Machol]

Originally posted by bblack:
Steve,
When they said they were going bigger did they mean to a 50 eye or to a 54-56 eyesize.

Bill Black

She didn't mention a specific size. I'll try to remember to ask next time I see her.

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Steve
OptiBoard Administrator