Today, for our “Famous Glasses” column, we’re going to talk about one of the greatest female stars of all time, certainly the best known Italian actress in the world: Sophia Loren.
In addition to her very important cinematographic career (which brought her 2 Oscar awards), what makes her so famous is her image: her look, glamorous and sophisticated at the same time, is the one that best represents the world of show business in the 50’s and 60’s.
And in this look, a fundamental role was certainly played by sunglasses.
Sophia Loren’s Glasses: Features
All the glasses worn by Sophia Loren had one thing in common: they were large. And that’s no small thing. In fact, the oversized style that is so fashionable today – because, they say, “it’s very 1950s diva” – was born right here.
As for colors, black and dark brown were the preferred colors, both for the frames and for the lenses (which were often not plain, but shaded).
A Unique Style
When Sophia Loren’s star began to shine, in the period between the 50s and 60s, glasses were seen as an encumbrance, an extra to be worn only when necessary. It was thanks to the Italian diva that sunglasses became a true aesthetic accessory, capable of being the absolute protagonist of a woman’s look.
To this must be added the great attention that the actress paid to her make-up, and in particular, to eyeliner, which was used to “lengthen” the shape of the eyes outward and upward.
It was a stratagem, which attempted to recreate the shape of cat-eye glasses that was so much in vogue at that time (thanks to actresses like Audrey Hepburn) and that has come back into fashion recently, often in an even more pronounced way (see Amy Winehouse)
Loren’s style was absolutely glamorous: skimpy clothes, able to enhance her typically Mediterranean forms, accompanied by flashy and sexy accessories (not only glasses, but also necklaces, scarves and so on). The result was an explosive and irresistible mix of passion and sensuality that made her the sex symbol par excellence of her era.
Why choose the glasses of Sophia Loren
Because, as the world of fashion teaches us, elegance and beauty are timeless. Trends and tastes can change, but not style, that remains forever.
This is why all clothing and accessories inspired by the image of Sophia Loren – including her iconic sunglasses – can be seen as a means, a tool that can ideally bring us back to the Hollywood of the Golden Age.
One Dollar Glasses: eyeglasses as a means to fight poverty
Now we talk about an option to give a future perspective to people who live in the most disadvantaged areas of the Earth means helping them even in those aspects that we often tend to underestimate.
OneDollarGlasses, a German non-profit organization that has set up a very interesting project, that is, to sell 150 million glasses at 85 euro cents each, was born from this observation. A derisory price, this, made possible thanks to the superfine production techniques and a whole series of awards received that have given a big hand in this regard.
At this point, however, a question arises spontaneously, because you can not help but wonder if the quality of these glasses, given the derisory cost, is really such or is only imaginary. But the answer is clear, because these glasses can count on an undoubted quality: their fiber is light and steel, as well as resistant and hypoallergenic; the lenses are made of plastic, so they can be mounted with a certain ease and, most importantly, they are unbreakable.
Even design played an important role in the project, so much so that OneDollarGlasses eyeglasses feature two colored pearls that give an extra touch of elegance and color to the wearer! In short, the project of the German organization has its reason.
Eyeglasses for the poorest: a tool for struggle and redemption
We usually tend to underestimate the importance of glasses in our lives, but those who are poor feel this lack quite strongly. In fact, the project in question is aimed at those countries where the illiteracy rate is quite high and where, therefore, prescription lenses could change not only the way people look around, but also their approach to reading and, more generally, to studying.
Eyeglasses, then, will help people enter the job market because there are certain tasks that cannot be done without good eyesight. And giving culture and work to disadvantaged people means taking them away from the prospect of hunger, illegality and social isolation.
And, of course, there is also a medical issue to be addressed, since even today there are 2.5 billion people in the world who suffer from visual disorders and who do not have corrective eyewear. This is why prescription eyeglasses, very simple eyeglasses, can be seen as a means of struggle and redemption. And that is why, today more than ever, prescription eyewear is a necessity that can no longer be postponed.