Now that 2012 is nearly at its end our editors took the time to reflect back on some of the most stylish and memorable eyewear moments of the year. It was a big year for glasses as they were embraced as style statements by entertainers and athletes, were featured on the runways and moved further into the realm of technological advancement.
Globe traveling celebrities expressed their eyewear styles with a variety of frame styles this year, from classic rectangular to bold, oversized shapes. Stylish sisters, Dakota and Elle Fanning, both selected forward-thinking styles with a slight cat eye shape. Ryan Gosling, Anne Hathaway, Kristen Stewart and Scarlett Johansson all favored glasses that walk a line between a rectangular and square, while Jennifer Lawrence and Jennifer Garner both selected classic shapes. Beyonce Knowles and Demi Moore choose bold frames this year that highlights their fearlessness in playing with styles.
High fashion continued to take notice of style choices by athletes. LeBron James, Von Miller and Dwayne Wade were all photographed, often when speaking to the press, in thick rectangular frames. Tom Brady selected a more streamlined design while Russell Westbrook broke the mold, experimenting with shapes and colors throughout the year, while David Beckham paired frames with a strong browline with his preppy style.
Google Glass made the leap from the Research and Development wing at Google to the runway at Diane von Furstenburg’s show at New York Fashion Week. Behind the scenes moments documented through Google Glass that included a rarely seen view from the designer and models perspective down the red carpet. Further innovation made its way with prototypes of every kind, from HD You Vision Video Glasses to Diet Glasses and Gunnar Game Glasses. Not to be left behind, health and safety also had a place in the dialogue with stylish Retro Safety Glasses to provide maximum protection and style.
Designers have long included eyewear as a key accessory for their brands, and 2012 was no exception. This year, memorable glasses were worn by models down the runway at Givenchy, Vivienne Westwood, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Malandrino and Paul & Joe. Model, Karlie Kloss showed at the CFDA Awards that great eyewear can be a perfect accessory, including the red carpet.
Eyewear was a predominant look in film, television and music. Recording Artists, Alicia Keys, Flo Rida and Skylar Grey all selected Derek Cardigan glasses for their music videos, and Psy was never without his sunglasses when performing Gangnam Style around the globe. As Mad Men moves further into the 1960’s its main characters’ eyewear selections continued to remain historically accurate while still looking to be on the cutting edge of style. Also on television, Fred Armisen brought his glasses style, and biting wit, from SNL to Portlandia. In film, Q’s glasses in Skyfall were an immediate hit while Moonrise Kingdom’s retro retro style translates perfectly to 2012’s (and moving into 2013’s) twists on the classic eyewear shapes.
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