For Fashion or Necessity: The Many Types of Eyewear
Eyewear is a term used to describe an item worn in relationship to the eyes. Eyewear can be prescription or of designer in nature; used to correct vision, to protect eyes, or worn for fashion purposes. Eyewear can be worn directly on the eye such as contact lens, or in frames which sit on the bridge of the nose. The choices in the design, material, and functionality can be daunting.
Some of the most famous people wore eyewear, and some famous people are known for their style of eyewear. Benjamin Franklin, who has been given credit as the inventor of bifocals, wore glasses of a type known as spectacles. Theodore Roosevelt also wore spectacles, with a neck cord attached. This cord attached to the spectacles thorough a small hole. The cord, worn around the neck like a necklace, prevented the glasses from falling to the floor if they slid off the nose.
John Lennon was another famous person that wore glasses. John’s glasses were made of a wire frame with round lenses. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, many people copied John’s style and wore these glasses as a fashion statement. Some were prescription lens, while others were strictly for style.
Selecting eyeglass shape is as important as the right hairstyle. Certain shaped lens compliment different face shapes. For example, a round face should wear wide angular or rectangular styles. A square shaped face has a better appearance with round or oval frames. If one should be so lucky to have an oval shaped face, any style of eyewear looks great. A rule of thumb is to have the eyewear make your face appear longer and thinner.
The materials used to make eyewear frames are equally important to looks as the shape of the lens. A plastic frame gives an entirely different look to a face than metal, even if they are the same shape. Frames made of plastic are not as durable as their metal counterparts, but they are available in an array of colors and shapes. Metal frames on the other hand, are from many different metals and combination of metals.
Monel, which is a mixture of metals — titanium, a strong lightweight and durable metal; beryllium, a lightweight, strong, and flexible metal; stainless steel; flexon, a fairly new metal which is called the “memory metal” because it returns to its original shape even after being bent or twisted; and of course lightweight aluminum frames.
Eyewear is so versatile, as it is used for various purposes, has many different shapes, is made of an array of materials, and can be found in many colors. Whatever your preference, the choices are many.
Ojo Designs (http://www.ojodesigns.com) offers a wide selection of eyewear to suit your unique personality and sense of style. Art Gib is a freelance writer.