Vintage eyewear is characterized by the frames that convey the look of fashion from a bygone era. It is an old-school style of frames that consists of Wayfarers and Cat’s-Eye frames often characterized by thick rims and double bridges. The celebrities from the 50’s and 60’s were often seen sporting such eyeglasses. They had a sense of style that few modern celebs can match. They wore stylish clothes, drove stylish and curvy cars, and they wore stylish eyewear that made them the great icons of the era.
People today follow their style to get a unique look or simply because of their fascination with retro fashion. Many of them are tired of mass-produced clothes and accessories. Such people want something different that is not only good-looking but classy as well. For eyewear that matches this description, there is no classier option than vintage frames. Many people have started collecting these frames. They take great care of their collection and love to grow it when they find a new vintage frame, whether on the internet or at auctions.
Some simple tips for a new collector looking to create a collection of vintage fashion eyewear are mentioned here.
Pince-Nez: Pince-Nez glasses are an excellent way to start your collection of vintage frames. They have no arms and they clip on the nose. In French, Pince-Nez means the pincer or to pinch and as the name suggests, they pinch mildly on the nose bridge. Pince-Nez frames were highly popular around 1885 and were in trend even around 1920. They come in two basic types – the C-bridge and the hard bridge. However, they have not been manufactured on a large scale since the 20’s. But you can find a good collection of these vintage frames on the internet.
Marshwood: Marshwood frames were introduced in 20’s taking advantage of the newly invented nose pads. They are also known as P3 style as they were given to the US soldiers and they had a specific code name for them. These frames come in only silver or golden shades with either round or ovoid-shaped lenses. Most of the Marshwood frames were gold filled and they used to have a heavy gold filling in them. However, modern Marshwood frames are made out of light metals and they are not as expensive as the previous ones. A good collectible item that has held its own even in today’s effervescent fashion trends.
Horn Rimmed: It is a type of thick vintage glasses that were made from horns, tortoise-shell, or thick plastic. Modern horn-rimmed frames are made out of either metal or plastic. They are also referred to as a nerd or rockabilly glasses as well as retro glasses. Although they have been around for many years they became popular when the musician Buddy Holly started wearing them. They were quite popular until the 70’s but after that, people started leaning towards aviators. This led to the downfall of horn-rimmed glasses. But they have returned in a big way now and people love them for their unique looks. A collection without horn-rimmed glasses is definitely incomplete.
Cat’s Eye: These frames are one fashion accessory that every collector must own. These glasses have an edgy look like no other. They have a colorful history as they have been in existence since the 12th century. In the 1900’s, they were a common accessory of movie stars as they used them for protection from direct sunlight and it was the era of their triumph. Since then, cat eyeglasses have been in fashion and they inspired many other fashion accessories and they still are. Their impact on the fashion trend is remarkable and no collector would deny their significance in any collection.
The Vintage Optical Shop offers a unique selection of carefully sourced vintage eyewear pieces ranging from the 1850s to the 1980s. The company proudly boasts of selling authentic vintage glasses that have been carefully crafted to bring forth the history, creativity, and personality of these gorgeous fashion styles from each era.