Horn-rimmed glasses

Last updated
A pair of horn-rimmed glasses RCHorn.jpg
A pair of horn-rimmed glasses

Horn-rimmed glasses are a type of eyeglasses. Originally made out of either horn or tortoise shell, for most of their history they have actually been constructed out of thick plastics designed to imitate those materials. They are characterized by their bold appearance on the wearer's face, in contrast to metal frames, which appear less pronounced.

Contents

Horn-rimmed glasses were one of the first styles of eyeglasses to become a popular fashion item, after comedian Harold Lloyd began wearing a round pair in his films. [1] The glasses have enjoyed various periods of popularity throughout the 20th century, being considered especially fashionable in the 1920s–1930s and in the 1950s–1960s in particular, while ceding to rimless and wire framed glasses during the 1970s and 1990s–2000s. Michael Caine's first appearance as Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File in 1965 featured his signature look of thick horn-rimmed glasses which made him a style icon of the 1960s. [2] [3] [4] The style has brought a resurgence of popularity in the late 20th (1980s–1990s) and early 21st (2010s) centuries, with an emphasis on retro fashions. This may be due in part from the influence of hipster [5] subculture, and the television series Mad Men , which repopularized 1960s fashions in general. [6]

History

Horn-rimmed glasses were initially popularized by comedian Harold Lloyd after he wore them in his 1917 comedy short Over the Fence. Lloyd had risen to fame playing an eccentric named Lonesome Luke, characterized by an ostentatious appearance. In an effort to break away from the character and revitalize his career, Lloyd crafted a new character who would be Luke's opposite and made distinct by a nondescript appearance. Lloyd outfitted himself in clothing popular among Americans in the 1910s, completing the ensemble with a pair of round, horn-rimmed glasses that would solidify the character's status as "ordinary." Glasses wearing had long been stigmatized, with wearers stereotyped as physically weak intellectuals, [1] members of the clergy, or simply elderly; [7] President Theodore Roosevelt's wearing of rimless eyeglasses had only recently begun to eliminate the stigma, albeit with glasses designed to minimize their appearance. [7]

Lloyd named the character "The Glasses Character" or "The Glass Character" after the frames; the lenses themselves had in fact been removed, both because Lloyd did not require glasses to see, and because studio lights reflecting off of the lenses obscured Lloyd's eyes on film. [1] [8] The character proved to be a tremendous success with audiences and resulted in an unexpected rise in popularity of horn-rimmed glasses: [1] sales around the world rose as the popular Lloyd's appearance wearing glasses helped to dispel negative stereotypes of glasses wearers. When Lloyd ultimately broke the frames and attempted to order a new pair from the manufacturer, his check was returned along with an order of twenty frames and a note from the company thanking him for his endorsement. [1] Explaining his reasons for the glasses, as well as their sartorial advantages, Lloyd said: "They make low-comedy clothes unnecessary, permit enough romantic appeal to catch the feminine eye, usually diverted from comedies, and they hold me down to no particular type or range of story." [8]

Horn-rimmed glasses were popular in the 1920s but steadily lost their appeal as sturdier metal styles became more economic alternatives during the Depression. Exposure to heat and sunlight rendered the plastic brittle and prone to breakage, often to the point that they would break should an optician attempt to install new lenses. [9] [10]

Comparison of browline (left) and wayfarer horn-rimmed glasses, with prescription lenses for myopia Horn-rimmed and browline glasses.JPG
Comparison of browline (left) and wayfarer horn-rimmed glasses, with prescription lenses for myopia

A variant of horn-rimmed glasses, browline glasses, became one of the defining eyeglass styles of the 1940s and 1950s. Invented in 1947, the style combined the aesthetics of horn-rimmed glasses with the stability of metal frames by fitting prominent plastic "brows" over the tops of metal frames, creating a distinctive look that was also sturdier than solid plastic frames. Browlines quickly became popular in post-World War II America, and composed half of all eyeglass sales throughout the 1950s. Ray-Ban introduced the Wayfarer sunglasses in 1952.

Plastic eyeglasses mounted in popularity throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s, ultimately supplanting tortoiseshell as the most popular material for eyeglass frames.[ citation needed ] Buddy Holly iconisized the horn-rimmed style, with his upbeat pop culture rock and roll music.[ citation needed ] The trend died out in the 1970s with a backlash against 50s and 60s culture, as oversized metal glasses in the style of the Ray-Ban Aviator became popular.[ citation needed ] Semi-round horn-rimmed glasses came back into fashion in the 1980s, with tortoiseshell being fashionable amongst entrepreneurs and "yuppies".[ citation needed ] Wayfarers were popular among New Wave musicians, which popularized them among the late 1970s anti-disco "resistance".[ citation needed ]

Horn-rimmed glasses fell back out of fashion in the 1990s but returned to popularity with the rise of the emo and hipster subcultures in the early 2000s. Many glasses manufactured during this period tended to imitate popular metal eyeglass styles, with significantly thinner frames and vertically smaller lenses. The popularization of 1960s styles by the television show Mad Men led to horn-rimmed frames produced in the 2010s being more traditional, with large lenses and thick, heavy frames.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Palmer</span> Fictional secret agent

Harry Palmer is the name given to the anti-hero protagonist of several films based on spy novels written by Len Deighton, in which the main character is an unnamed intelligence officer. For convenience, the novels are also often referred to as the "Harry Palmer" novels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corrective lens</span> Type of lens to improve visual perception

A corrective lens is a transmissive optical device that is worn on the eye to improve visual perception. The most common use is to treat refractive errors: myopia, hypermetropia, astigmatism, and presbyopia. Glasses or "spectacles" are worn on the face a short distance in front of the eye. Contact lenses are worn directly on the surface of the eye. Intraocular lenses are surgically implanted most commonly after cataract removal but can be used for purely refractive purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glasses</span> Form of vision aid

Glasses, also known as eyeglasses and spectacles, are vision eyewear with clear or tinted lenses mounted in a frame that holds them in front of a person's eyes, typically utilizing a bridge over the nose and hinged arms, known as temples or temple pieces, that rest over the ears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunglasses</span> Eyewear for protecting against bright light

Sunglasses or sun glasses are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can sometimes also function as a visual aid, as variously termed spectacles or glasses exist, featuring lenses that are colored, polarized or darkened. In the early 20th century, they were also known as sun cheaters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pince-nez</span> Style of glasses

Pince-nez is a style of glasses, popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, that are supported without earpieces, by pinching the bridge of the nose. The name comes from French pincer, "to pinch", and nez, "nose".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Optician</span> Profession that makes or fits eyeglasses

An optician is an individual who fits eyeglasses or contact lenses by filling a refractive prescription from an optometrist or ophthalmologist. They are able to translate and adapt ophthalmic prescriptions, dispense products, and work with accessories. There are several specialties within the field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Jacob Bausch</span> American optician and businessman

John Jacob Bausch was a German-American maker of optical instruments who co-founded Bausch & Lomb. Over six decades he transformed his small, local optical shop into a large-scale international enterprise, pioneering the American optical industry.

"The Glasses" is the third episode of the fifth season of the American sitcom Seinfeld. The 67th episode of the series overall, it was written by the writing team Tom Gammill and Max Pross, their debut for the series, and directed by Tom Cherones. It first aired on NBC on September 30, 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray-Ban Wayfarer</span> Line of sunglasses by Ray-Ban

Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses and eyeglasses have been manufactured by Ray-Ban since 1952. Made popular in the 1950s and 1960s by music and film icons such as Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison and James Dean, Wayfarers almost became discontinued in the 1970s, before a major resurgence was created in the 1980s through massive product placements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eyewear</span> Items and accessories worn on or over the eyes

Eyewear is a term used to refer to all devices worn over both of a person's eyes, or occasionally a single eye, for one or more of a variety of purposes. Though historically used for vision improvement and correction, eyewear has also evolved into eye protection, for fashion and aesthetic purposes, and starting in the late 20th century, computers and virtual reality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GI glasses</span> Eyeglasses issued by the American military to its service members

GI glasses are eyeglasses issued by the American military to its service members. Dysphemisms for them include the most common "birth control glasses" (BCGs) and other variants. At one time, they were officially designated as regulation prescription glasses (RPGs). This was commonly said to mean "rape prevention glasses" due to their unstylish appearance. At times in the US Navy they were called to "Standard Navy Ugly Glasses" (SNUGs). Similar glasses can be issued to inmates in state and federal prisons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Browline glasses</span> Style of eyeglass frames

Browline glasses are a style of eyeglass frames where the "bold" upper part holding the lenses resembles eyebrows framing the eyes. They were very popular during the 1950s and 1960s, especially in the US. The glasses were first manufactured by Shuron Ltd in 1947 under the "Ronsir" brand, and quickly emulated by various other manufacturers. The design became the most common style of eyeglasses throughout the 1950s and the early 1960s before it was surpassed in popularity by solid plastic styles. Browlines enjoyed a renaissance as sunglasses in the 1980s before returning to popularity in the 2010s, with the rise of retro style and the hipster subculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cat eye glasses</span> Style of eyeglasses

Cat eye glasses are a shape of eyewear. The form is closely related to the browline style, differentiated by having an upsweep at the outer edges where the temples or arms join the frame front. Cat-eye glasses were popular in the 1950s and 1960s among women and are often associated with the beehive hairstyle and other looks of the period. They preceded the large bug-eye glasses of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bug-eye glasses</span> Style of eyeglasses

Bug-eye glasses are a form of eyewear. They were popular in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and were used for regular glasses and sunglasses. They first became popular in the mid-1970s, and succeeded the cat eye glasses of the 1950s and 1960s.

Tannereye Ltd was a Canadian sunglasses manufacturing company, specializing in leather covered sunglasses. It was established in 1978 by Peter and Maureen Leunes on Prince Edward Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rimless eyeglasses</span> Type of eyeglasses

Rimless eyeglasses are a type of eyeglasses in which the lenses are mounted directly to the bridge or temples. The style is divided into two subtypes: three-piece glasses are composed of lenses mounted to a bridge and two separate temple arms, while rimways feature a supporting arch that connects the temples to the bridge and provides extra stability for the lenses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lensless glasses</span> Glasses lacking lenses, worn for fashion

Lensless glasses are glasses that lack lenses. They are worn solely for aesthetic or fashion purposes, having no function in vision correction or eye protection. The frames are usually oversized, and commonly all black in color. They may be worn in conjunction with contact lenses.

Ptosis crutches are a non-surgical solution to ptosis, also known as drooping eyelid syndrome. Affected eyes do not have the ability to open and close properly. In severe cases, a person is not able to open the affected eyelid. Ptosis eye crutches are tools installed to existing eyewear that support the affected eyelid, enabling the eyelid to stay open and allowing an individual to see.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zenni Optical</span> American online retailer of prescription glasses and sunglasses

Zenni Optical is an American online retailer of prescription glasses and sunglasses. Founded in 2003 by Tibor Laczay and Julia Zhen, it is based in Novato, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windsor glasses</span> Type of eyeglasses

Windsor glasses are a type of eyeglasses characterised by circular or nearly circular eyerims and a thin metal frame. The style emerged in the 19th century and first became popular in the 1880s. Traditionally the bridge of Windsor glasses is a "saddle", and hence to prevent the glasses slipping off the face the temples are "riding bow temples" ; however, in a modern and extended definition, Windsors typically have a bridge with nose pads and gently curved temples.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Lloyd, Annette. The Fashion of Harold Lloyd. 1996
  2. "Classic film of the week: The Ipcress File (1965)". The Times. Retrieved 17 June 2022. Michael Caine is the epitome of Sixties cool in his first outing as the secret agent Harry Palmer. His cockney smarts, his horn-rimmed glasses
  3. "Style Heroes: 1960s Michael Caine". The Rake. Retrieved 17 June 2022. Caine's signature was undoubtedly his thick, horn-rimmed glasses. He wore a number of subtly varying styles throughout the sixties
  4. "Australian Penthouse - Michael Caine: 1960s". Real Art Press. Retrieved 17 June 2022. With his no-nonsense, laconic delivery, horn-rimmed glasses and sharply cut suits, he epitomised a new class of British cool. "Michael Caine was the 1960s,"
  5. Granfield, Matt (2011). HipsterMattic. Allen & Unwin. ISBN   978-1-74237-785-8.
  6. "Pure Body Magazine Mad Men and the New Influence of 1960s Fashion. Pub. Aug 2011". Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  7. 1 2 Understanding Three-Piece Mounting Archived 2008-10-28 at the Wayback Machine
  8. 1 2 "Harold Lloyd: The Glasses" . Retrieved 2007-04-03.
  9. Ed Welch's Eyeglasses Warehouse: Antique Frames
  10. All About Vision: Frame Materials