Frame Designers Gettin' Catty, circa 1950's

The frame design department at the 1950's American Optical headquarters had a serious sense of style. By the look of the frames and coats they're wearing, I would guess late 1950's or very early 60's. Looks like they were on the verge of coming up with the next, great space-age cateye frame. Man, I love this stuff! Special thanks to Dick Whitney at the American Optical Heritage Museum. Check out their site http://www.opticalheritagemuseum.org, it's outstanding!

My Retirement Plan

Here it is, my retirement plan. No complicated 401k's for me. Pop art from 1968. My parents attended the 1968 Grammy Awards in NYC and brought this home from a gallery. This awesome piece found its home among olive green shag carpeting, royal blue velvet chairs and lots of gold leaf furniture. I figured by the time I turned 50, museums would be begging to buy this. Only problem with my plan: no artist signature, it's an unknown piece and to top it off, it's missing a glass eye. Oh well, it's still pretty cool.

I added the 1960's USS frames myself. Not a bad store display item!

Affordable Vintage Looks

There's nothing I like more than wearing a great looking pair of authentic vintage eyeglass frames. The quality, styling and sizing on pre-1970's eyewear has always fit my face better. I guess I've got a "retro" face. And I prefer glasses that "define" - bolder shapes that speak loud. I'm not a fan of the standard rules that most opticians use regarding face shape/ frame shape. My opinion on choosing eyewear for faces that lack "classic" features is this: bolder looks that fit well will distract others from noticing your flaws. Instead of "the guy with the big nose" you become "the guy/gal with the cool round glasses. Fit and color is everything. Personality is everything.

The prices of the most classic vintage frames have gone through the roof. Tart Arnel's, American Optical zyl (not safety's!), Shuron's, Swan's, Windsor's and even choice Italian made 90's Ralph Lauren Polo's are way out of my budget. I spotted both frames below at Target Optical and both are priced under $160. If you're a AAA member, you can get 30% off on frame & lens combo.
Sorry for the low tech pics, but I'm new at this. The top picture is Ray Ban 5244 in tortoise. It's a super small frame (45/20) but really James Dean cool. Bottom frame is new, Ray Ban 5283 in striped brown (49/21).

Chicks Dig Joe Morello, circa 1966

Joe Morello  is so badass, he doesn't even need drumsticks for half of his Take Five solo. Check out the black Tart Arnels and natural shoulder Ivy League suits, no wonder that girl is ready to leave her date for a chance with any of these jazz immortal's!  The Dave Brubeck Quartet 1959  "Time Out" lineup featured Paul Desmond on sax, Joe Morello on drums and Eugene Wright on bass.  If you think of yourself as having style and good taste, you need to own at least one Dave Brubeck album. Time Out should be the first one.

UPDATE: Yesterday, Dave Brubeck passed away. A day before his 81 birthday. RIP sir. One of the greatest. 

Bird Lives

Wish I was here.

One of the only known videos of Charlie Parker in existence. A great performance of Hothouse from 1952. What makes it even better is Dizzy, looking his bebop best. Love the clothes: Bird's bow tie, big-fitting 1940's suit jacket and of course, Dizzy's frames. Diz favored big thick black or tortise plastic frames. Beyond cool. 

not so different

As a kid growing up in the San Fernando Valley in the sixties, I used to think I was different. I loved old stuff. Touching something from another era, fantasizing about who owned it and what that person was like. Dreaming about having a 1936 Cord, when most boys were yearning for a new Mustang or a Camaro. Spending hours in my room listening to The Beatles and Stones, and as much time in front of the mirror trying to get my hair and clothes to look like theirs. Then, in my early twenties, I became obsessed with bebop- Bird, Diz, Monk. Loved the music, the suits, glasses and what I thought was a romantic lifestyle.
Growing up, I rarely met other kids who were as passionate about music and fashion as I was. To me, they were synonymous. You couldn't love a band and not want to dress like them. Or wear the same eyewear.
Luckily, I did grow out of this. Not the love of vintage, but of trying to dress like my musical heroes. A fifty something guy showing up to work one day dressed like Keith Richards and the next day like Dizzy Gillespie probably wouldn't last long at the job. A great marriage, kids and career will do this to you. Now, I dress like an adult - slightly vintage, slightly preppy. And, as an optician, I get paid for doing something I love!
Here's why I dig the blogs I read: However different or unique you think your obsession is, there's somebody out there blogging about it.  Rockin' Optics certainly isn't the first blog about the love of cool eyewear, be it vintage or new. There are lots of fantastic blogs already out there. Maybe just a new spin on it. I try to focus on cool frames and how to purchase them on a retail workers salary. Nothing stuffy here. Zero tolerance for snobbery. All in all, a tale of an ugly guy still trying to look a little bit cool, even into his fifties. Maybe there's someone interested out there.


Thanks for reading.

Rick