Sweet Hat! Now let's work on those eyeglasses.

[scotrace]

And hair, and beard, etc.!

Many of us patiently look and lie in wait for The Perfect Hat. We fret about our face shape and body type and ask around here for help in getting the "right" brim width, crown style, height, color, etc. for your face.

But let's not neglect the rest. If you wear eyeglasses, you can fuss and fiddle all you want, but still think "I don't look right in this hat..." if your glasses don't fit your face type, or they just don't seem to "pair" well with a hat. Maybe I'm crazy (well, surely I am), but I think glasses can make or break the look you are trying to achieve, and whether or not you will look natural and at home in a great hat, or like someone who has placed an object on their head and are very conscious of its presence.
Same for hair style. Some guys (Baron Kurtz) can wear long hair with a hat and look as natural as can be. others of us... not so much.
What do you think? Am I wrong here, gentlemen?

 

[Edward]

I think you're quite right. It's all part of the wider picture. I know that if I was to try to dress in a convincingly golden era manner with my regular glasses, I would not look quite right (one pair moreso than the other) for the simple reason that the spectacles are all wrong for the period. When I can find the time (i.e. get myself organised), I plan to get my eyes lasered; otherwise I'd probably go looking for a nice pair of G-Man style frames a la the good Baron himself. Funny you should mention glasses looking right - or not - with a hat; I was actually just talking the other day about how the main reason I stopped wearing ball caps years ago was that they looked all wrong with glasses IMO. I suppose the next logical question is whether finding the right glasses to suit your face comes first and then the hat, or whether spectacles should be selected to suit the hat....

I also agree that hair can make or break a good outfit if you're trying to pull off a complete vintage look (not that the outfit won't look good alone, but if you really want to pull off the full effect...). I'm not sure if being hairless fits me into a specific time period - sometimes I think it kills the GA look completely, but OTOH, Yul Brynner was around for years.... and lack of any hairstyle does allow me to flit between different looks very easily without the hair looking obviously "wrong."

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Are you insinuating that there is something wrong with my specs???

 

[scotrace]

Well, I didn't want to say anything.... but...

lol

 

[fatwoul]

I wear spectacles, and I agree. However, I also think that to a certain extent, spectacles come under the same DOUGLAS concept as hats: If you wear the spectacles confidently, instead of letting them wear you, then that can make a huge difference.

My normal everyday glasses are quite small, but my ones for special occasions are a pair of Shurons from 1957. They're black frames, and having brown hair and eyes, strictly speaking a brown frame would work better with me, but I like them so much I don't really care what anybody else thinks, which I really believe is the key to wearing pretty much anything.

Originally, when I first started wearing them, I used to double-take at my own reflection, but now I am used to how they look, and I am perfectly comfortable wearing them.

I believe I already told the story of how popular my glasses were with the ladies at "Crazy Russian" in Baltimore - being complimented by a dozen barely-clad Russian lasses does wonders for one's confidence. lol

 

[dhermann1]

R U Sure?

I was looking for some really frumpy looking eyeglasses of the period, but these will have to do. They're 2 members of the British cabinet during WW II, Ernest Bevin and Herbert Morrison. Actually, they both look pretty cool, don't they? But there were some desperately homely sets of specs in those days. I don't think you're suggesting we revert to them, are you Scotrace?
Bevin:

Morrison:

 

[scotrace]

If they happen to fit one's face and "work," then yes.
I'm not saying "everyone should wear vintage frames." I am saying you should use care in choosing them, and maybe not settle for off-the-rack frames your optical place happens to carry. Selections can be quite limited. Especially right now, when all you see are those little bitty ovals that actually fit very few faces - but that's all they carry anyway.

 

[deanglen]

Scott's right, no one style would be a hard and fast rule...but, the issue is the visual relationship between items that are in close proximity and should be harmonious, to wit:

1) Your hat

2) Your hair, if present

3) Your face

4) Your eyeware, if present

Some eyeware just does a better job of that, than others.

dean

 

[HamletJSD]

Great points, Scot.
My experience, however, is that you can get used to how most specs look with your hats, given that they are not completely wrong for your face to begin with. My glasses are just a part of my face because they have been so constant for so long. In fact, I can't see myself without them (pun intended ... I'm so nearsighted I can't see myself clearly in the mirror without the glasses). I have never thought my glasses looked odd with any hats, any more than the extent to which they'll look odd all of the time if they are the wrong style for my face.

But hair is a definite "must-keep-in-check." Since hair grows and changes in relatively short time, keeping it styled and trimmed as fits your face reflects very strongly. My fat round face looks even more wide and out of proportion when my sideburns start showing and the hair above my ears starts tufting out from under my hat. If I don't keep the hair trimmed properly, it makes my hats look almost comical on my head lol

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I think you're right, Scott. As a semi-blind, myself, i spent many years fussing and fretting over finding the "perfect" glasses. I knew what i wanted: The Malcolm X Glasses, as i called them at that time. It turned out they were Shuron Ronsir Zyl, and i don't think a more quintessential pair of 1950s spectacles exists (perhaps the NHS glasses, but those are terrible). However, do they look good on my face? I think so, but i've had negative comments. What do you people think? The less said about the "beard" the better.

Sorry no hat . . .

bk

 

[scotrace]

They suit you about perfectly. An example of finding the right frames for your face, no matter what the current "trend" is.

 

[apipeguy]

Baron! I think you look cool!:eusa_clap

 

[carter]

Baron, I think your specs look fine. You wear them with confidence and you can see!

Originally posted by Edward
I plan to get my eyes lasered

I finally had this done on my left eye. I wore a contact lens on my left eye and no lens on my right eye for years. It's called monovision. This way I could still read and I had good distance vision. Not everyone can do this but it worked for me. I finally decided to take the next step and have one eye corrected by laser. Works like a charm.

My hair used to be longer but I looked like a dork when I removed my hat. So I found a barber who could cut my hair close on the sides but leave it longer on top. She has my haircut written on a card so she knows what to do every time I have a haircut.
I was amazed how many barbers just couldn't get it right or thought it was wierd. To me it looks like a haircut from the 30's. It's very similar to my grandfather's haircut as I remember it.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

scotrace, You've definitely got it together!

deanglen, Now that's an avatar!


:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Baron, those glasses are perfect for you. I've always wanted something like that. I missed out on my Grandfather's because he passed away when I was young. If I had only known that they were awesome.... :eusa_doh: Plus, they would have been a great bit of personal history!

 

[fatwoul]

I think you're right, Scott. As a semi-blind, myself, i spent many years fussing and fretting over finding the "perfect" glasses. I knew what i wanted: The Malcolm X Glasses, as i called them at that time. It turned out they were Shuron Ronsir Zyl, and i don't think a more quintessential pair of 1950s spectacles exists (perhaps the NHS glasses, but those are terrible). However, do they look good on my face? I think so, but i've had negative comments. What do you people think? The less said about the "beard" the better...

Yep. Those are the ones. The only difference from yours - mine have the broad arms, yours have the narrow - I think that's the right choice in both of us, as you have a narrower, more angular face.

Mine still have the label on the right arm, from when they were a demo pair in an opticians in the US. They'd never even had glass put in them until I owned them, because some opticians didn't used to bother with glass for the racks of glasses you try on in the shop.

Anyway, here they are:

If you've had negative comments about yours, Baron, you obviously don't hang around with enough Russian strippers. Seriously, though, I've not had any negative comments about mine. Anybody who has anything to say either tells me how great they look or asks where they can get them.

Are yours new or vintage? The new ones are much easier to get glazed - two shops refused to glaze mine because they were frightened the vintage plastics might be flammable and catch fire during the process.

 

[thefedorastore]

1950's Browlines, Very Nice!

I know, this will mostly likely be moved to another category, but since the thread is still here in hats, my 2 cents. I agree the browlines are very nice. I picked up these from an online vendor who is selling vintage frames, but they are NEW old stock, never sold before. I had glass put in them, instead of the new plastic. Here's a pic of the frames and a link to the site:

http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/2108-12.html

I think you're right, Scott. As a semi-blind, myself, i spent many years fussing and fretting over finding the "perfect" glasses. I knew what i wanted: The Malcolm X Glasses, as i called them at that time. It turned out they were Shuron Ronsir Zyl, and i don't think a more quintessential pair of 1950s spectacles exists (perhaps the NHS glasses, but those are terrible). However, do they look good on my face? I think so, but i've had negative comments. What do you people think? The less said about the "beard" the better.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

yeah, i had to sign a waver saying that i wouldn't sue if they got damaged.

I need to replace the legs on mine - one has some very old damage and repairs (looks like someone sat on them). When i bought them, i actually got 3 pair of Zyls. One in black with silver metal that i wear, one in red/marroon and gold metal, and one in grey with silver metal. They were all owned by the same person and all had bifocals. They are 1950s vintage.

Thanks for +ve comments.

bk

 

[deanglen]

I know, this will mostly likely be moved to another category, but since the thread is still here in hats, my 2 cents. I agree the browlines are very nice. I picked up these from an online vendor who is selling vintage frames, but they are NEW old stock, never sold before. I had glass put in them, instead of the new plastic. Here's a pic of the frames and a link to the site:

http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/2108-12.html

Won't be moved, this understood to be an eyeglass/hat relationship thread. Examples of eyeware are encouraged.

dean

 

[Mr. Lucky]

I alternate between two pair -

AND

Both are contemporary Ray Ban models. Comments?