Beauty Tricks for Women Who Wear Glasses

[Miss Neecerie]

Thought these were fun. The article continues on the second picture.

I will try to post the text of the article a bit later.

 

[Lady Day]

GREAT! Now I have MORE to learn!

LD

 

[BettyValentine]

Oh no, I'm hopeless! That first little "wrong" on the page I looked at and said "Oh, how cute!"

I can't wait for the text!



BV - girl who wears glasses.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

That is great! I always feel so uncomfortable being all made up and then putting my glasses on. Can't wait to see the text. Yup, there's always more to learn ugh!

 

[LizzieMaine]

I want a pair of those "Oxford glasses." I hear the Lady FDR look is gonna be all the rage next year...

 

[Paisley]

One advantage to wearing glasses is that they hide the dark circles under my eyes.

One thing I'd like to know is how to get glasses to sit level when one ear is a little lower than the other. A, um, friend has this problem...

 

[Naama]

Oh no, I'm hopeless! That first little "wrong" on the page I looked at and said "Oh, how cute!"

Me too! lol
I think, my eyes are getting worse, and maybe I should wear my glasses more often (only when driving) but I just can't find glasses to suit me, so I'll keep on going half blind through this world! But the positive side is that it makes people look better!


Naama

 

[Miss Neecerie]

and here they are.....the words of Helen Templemen on glasses and how to style around them. July 1936

With so many of our patrons faced by the necessity of wearing eyeglasses, it seems to me that the problems of appearance and grooming that accompany the wearing of glasses should be given careful consideration by the beautician. The thought that glasses will mar her good looks has kept many a woman from admitting that she needed their aid… a tragic delay for nothing is ultimately so ruinous to facial beauty as the strained expression induced by neglected eyes.

Certainly this close relationship between glasses and beauty puts the problems of the glasses wearer within the province of the beauty culturist. From my own experience with grateful patrons who have followed my advice on certain points of grooming, I know that it is within our power to make the lot of the glasses wearer a far happier one.

First of all, there is the important problem of the coiffure, for the proper line in a hairdress can do a great deal to lessen the prominence of the eyeglasses. The hair should never be combed in a harsh line off the ears and forehead for the woman who wears glasses, regardless of her age, because this will make the glasses the most outstanding feature of the face. There should always be a soft, flattering line about the face, best achieved by bringing the hair over the ears and temples. Be careful, however, not to bring the hair too far out on the face, for this error is as serious as slicking the hair back in a severe line. While the hair should form a soft frame about the face, it should not project far enough on the temples to touch the rims of the glasses, because the hair will then draw the observer’s attention directly to the glasses. This is an important rule which, if carefully followed, will give much coiffure satisfaction to the woman who wears glasses.

Simplicity of design and a suggestion of femininity in the hairstyle are far more suitable to the glasses wearer then coiffures of an elaborate nature, yet I have found it a good idea to accent some detail in the design of the simplest coiffure, such as a cluster of ringlets, a puff or a roll, because the observer’s attention is then drawn toward that accented detail and away from the glasses. I have found, too, that a side part is to be preferred to a center part. A center part is usually too harsh an accompaniment for glasses because it tends to exaggerate the division of the face made by the glasses themselves. A side part always creates a better, more informal, balance.

The coiffure illustrated on these pages, modeled by a fellow beauty shop owner, Mrs. Elsie Loeslin of St. Paul, Minn., effectively meets the needs of the matron who wears glasses. The necessary softness about the face is achieved by a shadow wave and an almost complete covering of the ears. There is no suggestion of a sharp, off-the-face line, yet at no point does the hair come far enough out on the face to touch the glass rims. The accented detail is the soft flared puff that dips onto the right temple. As the illustrations how, this type of hairdress is equally effective with the glasses worn over the ears or the Oxfords.

Make-up is another matter of grooming in which we can give valuable advice to the woman who wears glasses. The very presence of the glasses accents the eyes, and sometimes the nature of the lens is such that the depth or breadth of the eyes is very much exaggerated. Consequently the eyes and the brows should be made up with great discretion. Exotic eyebrow lines should be avoided in favor or a well-groomed, natural arch. It is well to keep the brows free of all straggly hairs because these are frequently magnified by the lens. An effective trick is to lengthen the brow line slightly with a pencil so that it extends a trifle beyond the edge of the glasses. In a subtle way this tends to make the glasses appear smaller.

Most glasses throw at least a slight shadow on the eyelids and under the eyes. Eyeshadow and rouge will accent this shadow and therefore must be used with great care- too little rather then too much always being a good rule for women who wear glasses.

Aside from matters of hairdressing and make-up, my patrons who wear glasses appreciate my suggestions in other phases of grooming for they know I have made a particular study of the glasses problem. At the same time that I suggest the proper coiffure line, for example, I frequently suggest a new hat line, particularly when I observe the patron wearing a hat unbecoming because it accents her glasses.

The sketches, pages 66 and 67, show what the right and the wrong hat lines will do for the woman who wears glasses. The off-the-face hat should never be worn because it throws the glasses into undue prominence. The beret and tiny hats of almost every description should be avoided for the same reason. Contrast with off-the-face hat the effect of the brimmed model. With this line the glasses are subordinated and they fade away in the shadow of the hat brim.

Just because a hat has a brim, however, does not mean that it will be becoming to the woman who wears glasses. Some hat brims are very severe and are meant to be worn in a straight untilted line. This is to harsh for the face carrying glasses, as the sketch clearly shows. The brim further accents the glasses by forming a perfectly parallel line with their top edge. Contrast this with the flattering tilted brim.

Jewelry is another pitfall in the grooming of the woman who wears glasses. In a sense, the glasses themselves are ornamental and the use of jewelry should be modified if a cluttered appearance is to be avoided. Earrings, above all, should be chosen with care and the dangling, pendant models should be left for the glassless fortunates. If any earrings are worn, they should be confined to the small button type and preferably not of glistening material. Heavy necklaces and large pins, particularly of the costume jewelry variety, should also be avoided for they serve only to bring the attention toward the glasses. Just the opposite is our objective- to detract attention from the glasses and every time you make a suggestion that helps a patron to do just that, you can be sure you have won a loyal follower.

 

[Caledonia]

One advantage to wearing glasses is that they hide the dark circles under my eyes.

One thing I'd like to know is how to get glasses to sit level when one ear is a little lower than the other. A, um, friend has this problem...

Um, a friend here has this problem too! I, sorry my friend, found that you need to gently bend the legs from the pin joint. Reeealllly gently. The best way is to bend the leg that sits on the lower ear, down the way. That means that it sits on the ear sooner, so raises the lower lense. When my friend says bend, it's more like applying even pressure over the pin joint and onto the leg. It takes a few minutes of jiggerypokery and sometimes almost no adjustment at all. Also consider the wee pinchy things that sit on the nose. The tiniest tweak inwards can raise the glasses to a more level position. The optician will do it in a trice, but sometimes they can't see what you're looking at. To check they're level, put on the glasses where you want them, then look upwards to the upper rim of the glasses (ie keep your head level and just move your eyes). If that looks level, then the glasses are level, no matter how wierdly off level they look when you look at the legs all askew when they are off your face. Or so I'm told... (And "my friend" has 20 year's experience if it's any help!)

 

[Lady Day]

One advantage to wearing glasses is that they hide the dark circles under my eyes.

One thing I'd like to know is how to get glasses to sit level when one ear is a little lower than the other. A, um, friend has this problem...

I er, um have a friend with this problem too. Your optometrist should be able to adjust them. They have this magical heating machine that heats up the frames and makes them slightly bendy so that can be postioned into the desired fittin' place.

 

[imoldfashioned]

Great article! Put me down for a pair of the Oxford glasses too.

Some eyeglass shops have the "bending machine" too and if they're nice they'll adjust your specs for free.

 

[Caledonia]

Absolutely. Most opticians will use the heat machine and it works! But sometimes you need a bit of emergency know how for those, oops I sat on them, moments!

 

[Miss Dottie]

Absolutely. Most opticians will use the heat machine and it works! But sometimes you need a bit of emergency know how for those, oops I sat on them, moments!

My problems happen when I fall asleep wearing them. I've ruined so many glasses in the past that way...

What a pity about not wearing berets and other rimless hats if you wear glasses. But I just throw caution to the wind. Afterall, I like my glasses. And my half dozen pair of vintage frames too!

 

[Kaela]

One of my absolute favorite hairstyles is asymmetrical top reverse rolls, and I am blessed with less than perfect vision. I just omit the specs from my wardrobe the majority of the time because of it!
I'm glad to see a real vintage account of how to do the style though! Gives me ideas... though my glasses are decidedly fifties, so I'll have to invest in at least 40s ones to go with the hairstyles!

 

[anna_newman]

sometimes you need a bit of emergency know how for those, oops I sat on them, moments!

Put a pan of water on to boil and dip your frames in the hot water for a few seconds till they are slightly bend-y. Dont submerge them or leave them in there, just get them warm. You might even be able to do this under the tap if you have your water heater set hot enough. The trick is to make very small gradual adjustments, dipping in between.

 

[Paisley]

Thanks for the advice on aligning the glasses. I'll, umm, pass this on to my friend.

She's tried adjusting the frames, but to no avail. Time to see the optomotrist.