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The start of eye glasses
Eyeglasses starts with their invention, believed to be between 1268 and 1289 in Italy -
Lorgnette
In the 1800s eyeglasses were considered evidence of old age and infirmity. As a result, people preferred to wear spectacles only when they were needed. This was especially true for women. Those who could afford it found hand-held designs such as the lorgnette to avoid having glasses on their faces. -
The 1900s
The 1900s saw eyeglasses become an industry of their own, complete with manufacturing and distribution networks. Styles quickly changed in this century as Hollywood and celebrities began to influence fashion and new materials became available, especially plastics -
The 1930s
In the 1930s sunglasses became popular for the first time. Although colored lenses were available early in spectacle manufacturing, it was not until 1913 that Sir William Crookes of England created a lens capable of absorbing both ultraviolet and infrared light. Further advances in sunglass design were accomplished in order to meet the needs of military pilots in World War II (1939 - 1945). As a result, manufacturers began to market sunglasses that were both practical and fashionable. -
The 1940s
As time go on by 1940 the, advances in the manufacture of plastics made a large variety of spectacles available in every color of the rainbow. Women wore frames characterized by an upsweep on the top rim, a style that was very popular until the end of the 1950s, while men tended to sport gold wire frames.
