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[ Friday, Feb. 19, 1999 ]
PHOTO: Manoj Kalava
A mannequin models a pair of vintage eyeglass frames at The Rag and Bone, 220 S. Allen St.
Vintage specs are hot
By NIKKI PETROWICZ
Collegian Staff Writer
Suddenly dad's nearsighted college cronies don't appear nearly so dorky. The hottest styles in eyewear these days look like they were from a page torn directly from dad's old yearbook. Blink as you may -- big, bold frames from the '50s and '60s have been making a comeback. The retro relic made its first comeback appearance perched on college-aged and high school-aged noses last summer, said Judy Smith, manager of Spectacles, 138 W. College Ave. Plastics have remained the most noticeable styles for these guys and gals ever since, she said. But it's no wonder they're the most visible. Considering their distinct thickness and flamboyance, plastic frames are a tough item to overlook. "They really change your appearance," Smith said. "Put them on, and you'll see quite a difference." She isn't just talking about astigmatism. In fact, the purchase of thick frames often is not a matter of vision correction at all. "I get people coming in who don't wear glasses but take one look and just decide they want a pair," said Shelley Pecsek, owner of The Rag and Bone, 220 S. Allen St., which offers vintage '50s- and '60s-style frames. "One girl last week was actually going to make an eye appointment," she said. Although most customers aren't necessarily sent scrounging for an eye chart, local optometrists have been seeing a lot of Pecsek's clientele.
PHOTOS: Manoj Kalava
Downtown opticians have been filling prescriptions in a variety of unusual shapes and colors lately.
Available vintage styles range from cat-eyed, rhinestone-speckled frames to enormous ovals -- the incredibly gaudy to the hardly subdued.
Licensed eye-care practitioners sell their own slightly toned-down versions by manufacturers like Calvin Klein, Armani, Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Nine West.
Positioned in the front window to gawk at Beaver Avenue's passers-by, one particular pair of thick rims has caught the eye of numerous customers, said Donna Hockenberry, salesclerk at Bob Nace Optician, 219 E. Beaver Ave.
"We have guys looking at these," Hockenberry said, glancing toward a pair of burly frames that vacantly stared back.
"A couple months ago, we had a guy come in here who said he wanted these big, thick, black rims with tinted green lenses because some guy on TV had them."
It's understandable. One peek at MTV or Vogue and it's clear: New plastics have been big lately.
"Just watch TV," Hockenberry said. "They're going with very noticeable frames."
Many students have followed the media's lead.
But thick frames have not completely swept the market. Small metals are still an overwhelmingly popular choice overall, said Bob Nace, owner of Bob Nace Optician.
The most recent style is -- perhaps ironically -- a completely rimless version. Nace said he believes rimless frames will mark the next generation in eyeglass vogue.
Nevertheless, thick rims are still a conspicuous option. For those sick and tired of the run-of-the-mill metal version, new plastics offer a big, bold alternative.
"I don't really know why I like them," said Jeff Karnicky (graduate-English), removing a pair of very dark brown, thick, rounded glasses to give them a hard once-over.
"Part of it is that they're distinctive. They're not the typical frames you see in a store."
Karnicky purchased his pair from a thrift store in Harrisburg -- very cheap.
Other students regard their thick frames as a personality exhibit, free and open to the public.
"I feel like I get to wear my personality on my face," said Laura Cook (senior-political science), peering through a pair of black-rounded plastic glasses. "Quirky, outspoken, slightly off-the-wall -- yeah, that's me."
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