So you’re looking for a new pair of glasses, but you don’t know where to start. With all the frames and styles on the market today, finding the perfect fit can be a daunting task. But don’t worry, Julie Hansen, co-owner of Owl Optical is here to guide you through the current trends in men’s eyewear that aren’t expected to go anywhere anytime soon. From extremes to 3D-printed frames, she covers it all.
Aviators
Aviators are having a very, very big moment right now. Both the plastic and metal frames are gaining a lot of attention for either sunglasses or regular eyewear. These have come and gone over the years, but they always come back, so purchasing a pair of aviators is a long-term style investment.
Editor’s Note: Aviator sunglasses were originally made in the early 1930s to be worn under the headgear of military pilots. The design of reflective lenses and thin monel, steel or titanium metal frames with a double or triple bridge, was exclusively created for the military, however, the general public were interested in them as well. Later, in 1939, Bausch & Lomb redesigned the frames for commercial use and released them to the public, marketed as the traditional Ray-Ban that everyone now knows and loves.
Decades
We are seeing a resurgence of the classic. Take for instance the movie Oppenheimer. A lot of those male characters were wearing decade eyewear from the 1940s. The interesting part is that most of those frames were modern, but they just so happened to look old enough to be in the film. Everything from chunky from the 40s, 50s and 60s, to metal frames of the 70s, it’s all coming back. Well except for the teeny tiny frames from the 90s, which is good because those didn’t look good on anyone.
We offer a ton of brands, including Moscot, Gotti, Yuichi Toyama, Cutler and Gross, and more that do their own spin on decades frames.
Extremes
Men are either going really chunky or really light – there isn’t much in the middle right now. Toyama makes a lot of chunky eyewear, which are handmade and sell out quickly when we have them in store. On the other side of the spectrum, Moscot does a lot of 70s aviator-style glasses that are made with a super thin metal style. These are super lightweight and look great on everyone.
Editor’s Note: Something interesting to draw attention to is the fact that a lot of these trends Julie is shedding light upon intermingle with each other. For example, above, we are seeing three different trends coming together: aviators, decades and extremes. This makes for a lot of fun styling options.
3D Printed
This is a super cool choice for lightweight frames because you can have them printed in an array of colors and designs. Gotti does a lot of 3D-printed frames in hues of blue, purple, orange and more.
To learn more about men’s eyewear or to schedule an appointment, visit owloptical.com.
4318 Upton Ave. S, Minneapolis | 612-367-4106