1950s Glasses Aesthetic | You’ll Love these Chic 50s Styles
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All about the 1950s glasses aesthetic, as worn by Old Hollywood fashion icons, including the 1950s cat eye glasses, retro horn-rimmed glasses, browline glasses and wayfarer glasses
This post is all about 1950s glasses
Ever get bored of the same old glasses styles?
Need some Old Hollywood 1950s style inspiration?
Welcome to the Golden Age of Hollywood where starlets like Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor modeled just how glamorous and chic glasses could be.
The fabulous 1950s fashion aesthetic for women was very feminine and curvy, think big bust and hips with a defined waist.
Coming out of the scrappy years of World War II, not only did women have more money to spend on fashion, but looking feminine and polished was important culturally.
Perfectly matched accessories, like glasses, were oh so important to a lady’s outfit!
Whether you were looking for a chic feminine style (think Grace Kelly) or a bold rockabilly style (think Jane Mansfield), you needed the perfect pair of glasses to complete your look.
Ready to learn about the most popular 1950s glasses styles, and get style tips from Old Hollywood on how to make these looks your own?
Today’s 1950s fashion romp starts off with feline inspiration–not poodle–and yes you will never look at glasses the same way again.
You’re welcome.
50s Style Glasses: Cat-Eye Glasses
What are cat eyed glasses?
Cat eyed glasses get their name from their shape, that distinctive angled teardrop shape that looks like a cat’s eyes.
The upswept pointed outer edges of the frame are like prominent eyelashes.
Why are 1950s cat eye glasses so flattering?
The feminine cat eye style makes your eyelashes look longer. Who doesn’t want that?
Plus the upward angle of the frames emphasizes the outer corners of the eyes, which creates an overall lift to the face.
The elongated effect also makes the eyes appear wider and more almond-shaped! Hence the sexy feline essence….
1950s ladies went all out with different colors and loved to play up and the drama of their cat eye glasses.
They had crazy narrow and pointed styles, and more subtle ones too. Plus adding glitter, pearls, jewels and carved flowers, were oh so chic and popular!
Just check out the carved flowers in Audrey Hepburn smashing cat eyed dark glasses! (top right)
Notice the masquerade inspired design of her dramatic white cat eye frames.
(Don’t these look like the top half of a mask that you would wear to a masked ball? Hint…. Hint…. More on this to come.)
What is the history of the cat eye glasses?
“Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses.” – Dorothy Parker
Back in the day, glasses were usually so ugly and nondescript, that if a girl wore them they didn’t think they would get noticed by a dude!
However, In the 1930s, the New York artist Altina Schinasi Miranda set out to invent a new feminine glasses style.
Her inspiration? The Venetian Harlequin masks, that were popular for ballroom dances.
This is why these glasses were at first called “Harlequins”.
Her style invention luckily coincided with eyewear innovation.
The “pantoscopic” tilt added strategic hinges so that frames fit better.
At first, large companies like Ray Ban, ignored Altina’s early designs, so she started selling directly to boutiques.
Women loved them, and voted with their pocketbooks. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Learn more about Altina, an amazing American trailblazer and entrepreneur, who revolutionized the eyewear industry, in the documentary Altina.
Cat-Eye Glasses: Favorite Accessory from Housewives to Hollywood Filmstars
From Old Hollywood actresses to the fabulously fashionable 50s housewives, cat-eyed glasses rose to mass popularity in the 1950s.
In the 1953 movie How to Marry a Millionaire, Marilyn Monroe sizzles in her dramatic cat eye glasses. (top left)
Her glasses are central to her character’s personality and style in the film.
Although extremely near sighted, she hides that she needs glasses, which results in a number of hilarious mishaps.
Why? Because she thinks her glasses make her look dorky.
However, once the guy she’s falling far, makes her realize how smoking hot she is in them, it finally clicks how they enhance her looks.
And thus, straight from Marilyn Monroe in a delightful lol comedy, you get the 1950s message loud and clear — it’s cool and hip to wear glasses!
Notice just how incredible Marilyn Monroe looks in her vintage cat eye glasses!
See how the upswept frames highlight her cheekbones?
Want to see and every outfit Marilyn Monroe wears in the film, with and without her cat-eyed glasses?
Marilyn Monroe How to Marry a Millionaire – Your Guide to 1950s Glam
Cat-Eye Glasses: Old Hollywood Starlets Go To Look for Sunglasses
In the 1950s, the cat-eye shape was not only a favorite for clear lenses, but also sunglasses too!
Audrey Hepburn oozes feminine sophistication and charm in her polkadot bikini paired with fabulous cat eyed sunglasses. (top left)
“Big girls need big diamonds.” – Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor was famous for her love affair with diamonds.
Even while on the set filming for the western movie, Giant in 1956, (top right) which didn’t call for a strings of diamonds, yet Elizabeth Taylor made sure her fabulous cat eye sunglasses pop with “diamond” sparkles.
And although you may, or may not have Audrey Hepburn or Elizabeth Taylor’s impossibly tiny waists, yet it is quite easy to recreate this timeless vintage style.
Simply pair a figure flattering two piece, with lots of feminine ruffles, with dramatic retro cat eye sunglasses.
Need more Old Hollywood sunglasses inspiration for your upcoming vacation?
7 Incredibly Chic Ways to Copy Audrey Hepburn Sunglasses Aesthetic
Love the Audrey Hepburn Aesthetic? Here are 10 Ultra-Chic Outfit Ideas
Cat-Eye Glasses: From Golden Hollywood to Princesses
In the Hitchcock romantic thriller, To Catch a Thief, Grace Kelly (top left) wears one the most iconic cat eye sunglasses and swimsuits outfits of all time.
While sunning at the beach on French Rivera, and scoping out the handsome tan stranger who just swam to shore (played by Cary Grant), Grace Kelly pairs white cat eye sunglasses with a yellow pastel one-piece swimsuit and a turban sun hat.
We love how her sunglasses, not only complement her stunning cheekbones, but take her European vacation outfit to the next level!
Need more sunglasses inspiration from a Old Hollywood star who would become the real life princess of Monocco?
9 Chic Ways to Channel the Grace Kelly Sunglasses Aesthetic
Jane Mansfield, (top right) one of the most famous sex symbols in the 1950s and 1960s, in her typical flaunting style, pairs super dramatic cat eyed sunglasses with a short sleeve sweater shirt.
Even though she spoke five languages fluently (English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian!!) and had an IQ of 163, she’s much more famous for her insane curves and real life femme fatale persona.
So for those ladies that love the larger than life rockabilly style, this look may be for you!
Notice the pairing of her highly dramatic glasses with conservative earrings and classic blouse that shows off her famous curves.
Retro Sunglasses: Horn Rimmed Glasses
Now, time to move to the next 1950s glasses style, which was horn rimmed glasses.
Horn rimmed glasses had bold distinctive frames that encircled the eyes.
The thick frames could be more rectangular or square, with rounded corners, or semi-round.
How come they were called horn rimmed glasses?
These glasses were originally they were made from animal horn, and made a popular comeback in the 1950s with “modern materials,” i.e. plastic frames.
Judy Holliday (above) sizzles in her horn rimmed style glasses in the 1950 smash hit romantic drama Born Yesterday.
In this film, an multi-millionaire hires a tutor to teach his ex-showgirl girlfriend proper high society etiquette.
Also, in 1958 romantic thriller Vertigo, Barbara Bel Geddes (above) plays the bookish ex-fiancee who is determined to reclaim her man.
These round vintage horn rimmed frames help define her character.
And you must admit she looks fabulously nerdy, yet chic in them.
No wonder they were such a hot 1950s accessory!
Retro Sunglasses: Old Hollywood Stars Wear Horn Rimmed Glasses
Need additional inspiration on how to pull off this iconic style?
Grace Kelly (above) wears distinctive horn rimmed glasses as key accessory to her role in The Country Girl (1954).
In this non-typical on-screen role, Grace Kelly plays a “non-glamorous” wife.
These retro glasses are key to highlighting her facial features and giving her a mysterious and intelligent look.
We also adore Doris Day’s horn rimmed glasses that she wears in the 1954 romantic comedy Lucky Me. (above)
Notice how these distinctive dramatic vintage frames contrast so stunningly with her hyper feminine polkadot dress and pearls.
50s Style Glasses: Horn Rimmed Sun Glasses
In the 1950s ladies also loved the horn rimmed style for sunglasses too.
They were so “in” and fabulous that Ava Gardner (above) leaves them on, even at nighttime when paparazzi snaps a pic of her and her then hubby, Frank Sinatra.
Also, this was the go to look for Grace Kelly, in one of her last “pre-royal” days to wear with her fiancee while on a yacht in Monte Carlo on the French Riveria. (top right)
Of course she’s bringing along her pup Oliver for the adventure.
Grace Kelly also wore horn rimmed sun glasses during her April 1956 wedding rehearsal. (top left)
For this about to be Princess, it’s vintage glasses, not a glass slipper that’s central to the love story!
Oh, and where is her pup Oliver? Guess he wasn’t invited to the royal wedding…
Want to recreate this retro look?
Notice the color blocking!
Pair your vintage distinctive sunglasses with a white hat with matching white gloves (and don’t forget a white bow for your pup!).
If you’re as obsessed with Grace Kelly’s style as we are you might also like:
19 Breathtaking Grace Kelly Style Inspiration Ideas
50s Style Glasses: Browline Glasses and sunglasses
A subtype of the horn rimmed style were Browline glasses.
These glasses had a thick distinctive top frame imitates the browline, and thin subtle metal wire for the rest of the frame.
Although this style was most popular for men, women also liked it.
Notice how this style draws attention to the browline.
For those with a rounder or softer face shape, the addition of angles and structure to the face, can add a touch of vintage sophistication.
Check out this vintage American Optical ad (above) with the interchangeable jewel-like tops in ten fashion approved colors!
“When you change from one costume to another… for shopping, country club, tea or dinner… you can change the color of your eyewear to match your clothes of the hour.”
Don’t you love how this ad shows how important glasses were as a fashion statement in the 1950s?
We love how the browline style is paired with different sunglass shapes.
By far the most popular, and totally cool vintage style is the browline in the cat eye style.
Check out those snazzy red browline cat eye dark glasses.
I don’t know about you, but I would totally wear those!
Retro Sunglasses: Wayfarers Rise to Popularity
In 1952, a glasses designer, Raymond Stegeman, created a new model of modern sunglasses.
This cool retro prototype featured a masculine plastic frame with rounded corners and slightly trapezoidal lenses
After the Old Hollywood legend, James Dean, choose these as his go-to look, while filming “Rebel Without a Cause,” they became a hit.
Although he doesn’t wear these glasses in the film, he wore them on set and during his days off. He was very nearsighted.
And when it was sunny outside, he’d snap on his clip-ons.
This glasses style added intellectual charm to James’ classic ‘bad boy’ looks and elevated his retro casual aesthetic.
It’s no wonder these were key to his public image. He is considered one of America’s iconic eyewear trendsetters.
Retro Sunglasses: Marilyn Monroe in Wayfarers
Although originally marketed to men, Wayferers become unisex trend, that both men and women would wear in the 1950s.
We love how Marilyn Monroe pairs these distinctive masculine retro sunglasses with her feminine outfit. (above)
Doesn’t she looks so incredibly happy and relaxed while cruising with her third husband, Arthur Miller, an in their Thunderbird convertible?
To recreate this classic look, opt for a headscarf, silk button-up, casual jeans, and fitted coat.
Need more fabulous Marilyn Monroe sunglasses inspo?
Marilyn Monroe Sunglasses – 8 Glam Ways to Accessorize Your Vintage Fashion Outfits
This post was all about 1950s glasses
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