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| | Issue #19.28 :: 02/06/2008 - 02/12/2008 | Spec-tacular
Contrary to popular belief, girls do make passes at boys who wear glasses. If your vision is 20/20, try an eyepatch.
| BY RACHEL WATERS
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AUGUSTA, GA - There he was. In a sea of Coke-bottle lenses and duct-taped frames, local photographer David Russell — a paragon of good taste in his angular black spectacles — took a rare turn in front of the camera and demonstrated just how handsome a man can look when he puts a little thought into his eyewear.
Discarding contact lenses long ago in favor of flattering frames, Russell became another link in a long chain of men who discovered how to work eyeglasses to their advantage.
When he wasn’t signing the Declaration of Independence or dreaming up new creations, Benjamin Franklin honed his skills with the ladies. Though a lothario since his youth, Franklin’s affairs only mounted with time, leading a bitter John Adams to describe the aged Franklin’s diplomatic journey in France as a debauched “scene of continual discipation.”
That’s right, Benjamin Franklin: Founding Father. Inventor. Pimp daddy.
Though his brilliant mind and political prowess probably didn’t hurt Franklin’s pursuits, what woman could resist the Father of the Bifocal as he flaunted his own invention?
There’s just something about a myopic man sporting stylish frames, and seeing one can be enough to make a girl swoon. Maybe it’s the naughty, professorial air they give, or simply the way they can emphasize steely eyes, but the sight is enough to erase any teenage Clark Kent fantasy.
A very biased poll on the Web site geekculture.com revealed that, of 230 females polled, 67 percent agreed that men with glasses make them quiver more than an epileptic Chihuahua.
And on another Web site, spectacle.provocateause.com, women can find hundreds of photos of famous men sporting glasses beneath the salacious line, “We’d do more than make passes at these bespectacled men.”
Vickie Faglier, a sales associate in the Wal-Mart Vision Center, said that Augusta men of all ages seem to be increasingly drawn to glasses that make them both see and look well.
“I’ve been noticing that they go for trend looks now,” she said. “They want to be more youthful, too. The older gentlemen stop using lined bifocals, and instead of going bigger, they go smaller. They [men] put more effort into the way their glasses appear, and they pick frames and colors based on what goes well with their face shape, hair color and skin tone.”
Aside from merely accenting chestnut locks or razor cheekbones, glasses are also a good way for guys to create a signature look — something that can be daunting for men who don’t enjoy the same degree of variety or flexibility in the realm of fashion.
Augusta State University’s Morris Eminent Scholar in Art Tom Nakashima is a particularly stunning example. His distinctive, round-frame glasses in shades of tortoise-shell and electric blue ensure that he doesn’t fade into the background of his massive paintings.
Glasses are an ideal way to tastefully create character without appearing pretentious. The variety of styles available means there’s something to suit everyone and even strictly no-frills types can get away with them because they are a utilitarian accessory.
So guys, forget traumatic images of Steve Urkel and old childhood jokes about four eyes. Rest assured that few things look as distinguished on a man as a handsome pair of spectacles. And as for those of you without visual impairments, well, you can always jam a pencil in your eye and hope for the best.
Did I mention that eye patches can be pretty hot, too?
If you know someone who has a great sense of style, send us their picture. Submit your style photos to spirit@metrospirit.com
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