Fashion is currently having a love affair with glasses.
Whilst it’s safe to say that sunglasses have always had a cache and are seen as perennially cool, regular glasses have lagged behind a bit. But in the last few years all that has changed: not only are people now more than happy to wear prescription glasses and stylish reading glasses, there’s also been a rise in people who have 20/20 vision wearing glasses made of plain glass just to make a fashion statement.
These non-prescription glasses are often referred to as ‘fashion glasses’ or ‘clear lens glasses’. At London Mole, we call our collection of non-prescription glasses ‘Zeros’, due to the fact that they have zero lens strength: they exist simply because they look great.
So, what exactly are ‘fashion glasses’?
The term ‘fashion glasses’ refers to eyewear with a clear (non-prescription) lens, which are worn as a fashion statement to give a cool and unique appearance. Whilst they have no prescription, they may include beneficial add ons, such as blue light blocking lenses.
Whilst we have recently seen a sharp uptick in the number of people wearing glasses with no prescription, this trend actually dates back to the 2010s in Japan and Taiwan, when young girls began donning large, thick plastic frames without any lenses. The trend then caught on in America and gained momentum when Justin Bieber started wearing them.
Gradually, people from all walks of life started incorporating fashion glasses into their everyday wardrobe. But why do so many of us love wearing glasses that don’t have any medical benefits? Let’s dig a little deeper…
The psychological influence of fashion glasses
Glasses are stereotypically linked with personality traits, such as intelligence, wisdom, and dependability. With this in mind, it’s understandable why some people might like the kudos that comes with slipping on a pair of glasses! Susan Krauss Whitbourne, a professor of Psychology and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, has studied the impact that wearing glasses can have on people’s opinion of you. She found that wearing glasses makes others believe you are more honest, trustworthy, and even of a higher social class. She also suggests that wearing glasses has various social benefits, which is a pretty good reason to wear fashion glasses on a regular basis!
Protection against blue light
True ‘fashion glasses’ have non-prescription lenses- they really are just clear glass, like London Mole’s Zeros range. However, some people with 20/20 vision like to wear glasses for fashion purposes, but with the added health benefit of a blue blocking lens (which has a slightly yellow tint).
Blue light is found in many artificial light sources, including digital devices like computer screens, phone screens and TV’s, and overexposure can be harmful to our eyesight. People who have extensive exposure to blue light often complain of headaches, as well as difficulty falling asleep. Additionally, digital eye strain can cause sore or itchy eyes, light sensitivity and even pain in the neck or shoulders. Blue light blocking glasses aim to minimise the amount of blue light racing our eyes, helping to alleviate these symptoms.
Fashion glasses which have the added benefit of anti-blue light coating are a great way to join the fashion glasses trend whilst also looking after your eye health.
