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10A
Cosmetic lenses
Story by Heather Woodward | Photos by Matt Daugherty
Wearing eyeglasses for style trendy in Lawrence
She does not need eyeglasses to read or drive. She is not the slightest bit nearsighted or farsighted. But Stephanie Vainiunas, Omaha senior, does like to wear eveglasses.
"My vision is fine," Valinlunas said. "I just wanted an accessory on my face."
Wearing eyeglasses for their aesthetic rather than prescriptive value is becoming increasingly popular in Lawrence. Similar to other accessories, eyeglasses, for some, simply complete an outfit.
Mindy Johnson, a 21 year-old student at the Lawrence Beauty Academy, said she owned two pairs of glasses, in addition to the ones that she was required to wear to drive a car. She purchased the frames about a year ago. The two extra, nonprescriptive pairs come out of their cases when they match her clothes.
"One pair is sophisticated, and one is just fun," Johnson said of her silver wire and her thick, dark brown spectacles, respectively. "Which one I wear is based
"One pair is sophisticated, and one is just fun," Mindy Johnson student at Lawrence Beauty Academy, said of her silver wire and her thick, dark brown spectacles respectively."
on what I'm wearing. "
Although wearing spectacles voluntarily might sound ludicrous to those who have been visually impaired for many years, those who do it say its just a part of being in style.
T. J. Speckman, owner of Visions Optical, 806 Massachusetts St., said he saw about 20 customers each year with very mild or no prescriptions in their frames.
Wearing glasses as a fashion statement has followed manufacturers' production of more options for eyeglass wearers, Vainiunas said.
"When I first started in this business, people had quite a few things to choose from," Speckman said. "But now, people a lot of times pile up a stack of 10 frames that all look good."
Both Johnson and Vainiunas said that the return to '60s and '70s fashions, such as bell bottoms, also had infiltrated spectacle styles in the form of cat-eye glasses.
"Frames are so much neater now," Vainiunas said. "They can really dress up an outfit."
However, Vainiunas said she normally wore the glasses she had around the house when she was studying.
Speckman said he thought some of his nonprescription customers might purchase glasses for just that reason.
"They make me feel smarter," she said.
"A lot of people get these things for odd reasons, I think," Speckman said. "They might go to class, and their professor might think they're stupid. They might buy a pair of glasses, and people might think they're a little smarter. They might get a little more respect."
The association between eyeglasses and intelligence was part of the reason Johnson said she wore glasses as well. Once she graduates from beauty
school and gets a job, Johnson said her first impression would be important.
"Glasses make you look more professional," Johnson said. "My job will be to impress other people. My image will be important."
And she is willing to pay for that image. Johnson said she paid $200 for each of her frames, which she purchased at Visions, where frames range in price from $125 to $350.
The price is also part of the reason Vainiunas has not replaced her first pair of frames, which she lost.
"I bought my frames at a really cheap shop in Omaha," she said. "I would like to buy a new pair, but they're so expensive. I not willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of frames."
Using eyeglasses for cosmetic appeal rather than medical necessity is foreign to some who wear eyeglasses to correct their vision.
Hans Sherman has been wearing glasses for the last 10 years. He said the trend of wearing glasses as accessories seemed pointless.
"It doesn't seem to serve any purpose," said Sherman, Lenexa junior. "I really wouldn't understand why people would do it unless it was for some kind of trend."
Jessica Bare, Lenexa junior, has worn glasses since she was 12 years old. Once their initial novelty wore off and she was old enough, she switched to contacts.
"I rarely wear mine now," Bare said. "I feel like mine hide my face. I feel like people can't see my eyes. I always wear my contacts."
Bare likened the fashion trend to wearing stylish sunglasses and said she had purchased a pair of cat-eye shades. However, Bare said she usually paid about $10 for her sunglasses.
Arizona Trading Company, 734 Massachusetts St., which offers vintage and contemporary clothes and accessories, sells the cat-eye sunglasses. And Ellen
firmed they were one of the most popular accessories.
Wise, who works at Arizona, con-
"They're a lot more popular than I think they have been in a long time." Wise said.
info
The Etc. Shop
928 Massachusetts St.
843-0611
Lawrence Eye Care Optical
1112 W. Sixth St.
749-4520
Sporting a pair of funky prescription glasses herself, Wise said she thought the recent popularity of spectacles even on those who do not medically need them could be attributed to the increased selection.
Santa Fe Optical
737 Massachusetts
843-6828
Sears Optical
2727 Iowa St.
832-8899
Where to buy frames
SuperTarget Optical
3201 S. Iowa St.
832.9370
Spectrum Optical
4 E. Seventh St.
841-1113
"it's not like you have to be stuck with the frosted, plastic frames," she said.
Visions Optical 806 Massachusetts St 841-7421