Clothes make the man, as sociologist and fashion theorist Georg Simmel once noted. This means every morning when we slip into a certain outfit, we also put on a role or identity, a sense of who we are and how other people will see us that day. The identities we “wear” can be very diverse. As many of us experienced at school, there have always been the cool kids, the less cool kids and the kids that get paper balls chucked at them each time the teacher turns away. Chances are these kids were also targeted based on their metal braces and nerd glasses.
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But that was then. Because what nobody wanted to wear in the 1990s if they could avoid it has today become a trend. The same glasses that people mocked and ridiculed when worn by geeks, computer freaks and other nerds are among the most popular retro glasses today. These nerd glasses with strikingly thick frames and large lenses were a (often unwanted) trademark of nerds in their dark days, but are now quite deliberately used as a stylish retro accessory, not only by certain scenes. Today known primarily as hipster glasses, the oversized synthetic frames seem to be preferred by students. But little by little people from all walks of life show off confidence when they wear geek glasses at every opportunity. Geeky glasses aren’t only found on campus, but are also shaping the fashion scene in almost every metropolis in the world.
What began as an embarrassing misstep in fashion has now developed into an iconic eyewear design. Some of the major players in film and television even partially owe their fame to it. Can you imagine Steve Urkel‘s face without his glasses? The lively character from the US TV series Family Matters (originally planned as a one-off before gradually becoming the most popular character) wears an oversized frame in tortoiseshell style. While nerd glasses in the 60s and 70s were mostly made of horn, there is now a wide range of both sunglasses and prescription geek glasses available as well as the traditional horn eyewear, all recreating the vintage vibe of past decades.
The classic style à la Geek is a striking black frame made of plastic or acetate, which invariably attracts attention. Especially with the typical robust, black frames, they can appear very dominant on the face. If this look is a bit too heavy for you, but you still want to wear fashionable, retro geek glasses, you can find a range of this style of glasses and sunglasses for men and women in all possible shapes and colours in our online shop. Just select full-rimmed glasses in the filter on the left side of your screen and you can browse our range. Half-rimmed and rimless glasses are also nice to have, but they don’t give off the “nerdy” vibe so well if that’s what you’re going for.
If you’re looking for the perfect geek glasses, Ray Ban has some excellent options. Their Wayfarer glasses belong to the most iconic styles with their full-rim frame. They are available in various colours – matt or shiny. The Ray-Ban Wayfarer with green front and temples in Havana is particularly striking. Just as some people might talk about having “courage to be bold”, this high-contrast model fits perfectly to the nerd look. The Wayfarer is of course also available as prescription sunglasses, with blue frame and purple-tinted lenses. So you’ll be perfectly equipped if you want to take the swag outside even when the sun is shining. 😉