Guys, let’s face it. For men with a penchant for fashion a man’s best accessory these days is his eyewear. Maybe you call it geek chic or a resurgence of the nerd, but glasses are the latest and coolest trend. Major fashion houses are rolling out their fall collections on guys with glasses and some top designers are creating their own signature collections. And while it may be true that we don’t (or won’t) dress like runway models any time soon, a cool set of designer specs can send a strong message of confidence, intellectualism, and individuality.
Some sources say that nearly seventy-five of people need glasses or contact lenses. Are you one of them? With so many of us relying on glasses or contacts to help us see, we should be stepping up our glasses game. Think of your eyewear less like a necessity and more of a statement of style. Here are a few pointers when picking out glasses.
Go try some glasses on your face. There are some rules that apply when picking out a frame. Consider your own face shape and the shape of the front of the glasses. Oval shaped faces look good with angular frames as well as round frames. Square shaped faces will look better with rounder frames and round heads look best with squares or rectangles. With these guidelines in place, it can help narrow your search for the perfect fit. However, if you think more about proportion than shape, you will find yourself with more viable options. For example a guy with a big head needs a frame that fits the width and length of his face. A small faced guy can still achieve that oversized look without the glasses being so big that they fall right off if he bends over to tie his shoe.
With style in mind, classic shapes always look good. That’s why they are classics. For instance, who doesn’t have that classic Converse trainers and white T-shirts in their closet? These pieces are staples in our fashion lexicon and even slight variations of these classic pieces make the same statement. That is, a statement of casual cool and understated fashion sense. A classic shape in eyewear can have the same effect. A prime example is the P-3 shape. Go ahead and google it, it exists. One look and you might think it looks like something a stuffy newscaster or a politician from the 1940’s might wear. On the flip side, you could just as easily look like James Dean or Bradley Cooper. The P-3 is a modified round shape with a keyhole bridge opening. They come in all sizes, materials, and colors. Maybe its not for you, but it’s a start.
With any fashion accessory we have to keep in mind that there is cheap, there’s quality, and there’s extravagance. My advice is to trust the professionals and invest some money. Because, seriously, these are on your face. They create a sense of who you are or who you want to be. Can these be worn to brunch and the boardroom? Think for a minute about how many shoes you have in your closet and for what occasions you bring those shoes out. I have about 20 pairs of shoes in rotation. I also have about 6 or 7 pairs of glasses that help to complete an overall look.
With so many styles on the market, visit a local eyewear boutique and have fun with it. Take advice from the salespeople because they do this all day for people and take your time.
