If it feels like everyone and their mother is wearing glasses, that’s because glasses are fast becoming one of the most popular accessories.
In the US, over 40 million people are estimated to wear glasses regularly. After all, apart from providing effective vision correction, glasses can double up as statement pieces. Therefore, it’s no surprise that glasses have been used to flesh out characters in films for generations. Whether it’s to denote shyness, intelligence, or curiosity, glasses have helped shape many beloved characters, including a number of famous film teens. Considering that kids and teens are among the ones who are expected to need corrective eyeglasses the most, you may want to look to these fictional figures for your next fashion inspo.
If you’re looking to rock specs the way popular teenage film characters do, here are a few to keep in mind.
Laney Boggs
1999’s She’s All That didn’t just catapult actress Rachel Leigh Cook to stardom; it also helped popularize the nerdy-pretty girl trope. Before protagonist Laney Boggs receives her makeover, she’s an avid art lover who keeps her hair unstyled and her clothes paint-splattered. While people may not notice her, she’s shown to keenly observe the world around her through the lenses of her rectangular glasses. Although she was teased for her looks before, Laney’s bespectacled attire is now right on the Y2K trend.
If you want to channel Laney’s boho artsy aesthetic in your eyewear, look for prescription glasses in an angular frame. Models like Ray-Ban’s Wayfarers and Burberry’s Bolton are good options to consider since they have a rectangular silhouette with relatively wider lenses. These give off an artistic yet unpretentious air–just like Laney. If you really want to achieve the same 90s look, you can also choose a pair in a similar warm-toned colorway, like tortoiseshell or deep chocolate.
Harry Potter
While other movies only consider having sidekicks or pre-glow-up protagonists wear glasses, the Harry Potter film franchise proudly embraces specs throughout the main character’s journey. Here, Harry’s glasses are used as a storytelling device to denote that his heroism is not a role that comes naturally. Rather, he’s your average teenager who’s had to rise to the occasion. It’s been more than 20 years since The Boy Who Lived first hit the silver screen, but this teenage wizard remains one of the most influential fictional characters to date.
Unsurprisingly, this influence extends to eyewear. To this day, eyewear collections are still released directly inspired by the Wonderful Wizarding World. For instance, in 2021, DIFF released a collab line with specs that were designed with motifs from the Potterverse. If you want to wear specs ala Potter from other brands, just look for a pair in a round silhouette. Bonus points to your house if you can find a pair in a gunmetal or silver material that gives off a mystical vibe, just like Harry’s.
Mia Thermopolis
Last but certainly not least, we can’t talk about glasses-wearing teenage film characters without mentioning Mia Thermopolis. Or shall we say Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo of Genovia, as Dowager Queen Clarisse might prefer? An independent spirit who was never afraid to live life to the beat of her own drum, Mia represented a quiet form of rebellion. Although she did want to be accepted like everyone else, she was also happy to wear her less-mainstream boots and black framed glasses. Although Paolo infamously snapped them in half during her makeover (partly as retribution for her hair breaking his brush), Mia’s origin story would be incomplete without her glasses.
Interestingly, although her glasses were a costume choice to show how she was not in with the popular crowd, Mia’s thin rectangular specs are well within the office-chic trend that’s popular today. To nab the same look, try a pair of Bayonettas. Available from designers like Miu Miu and Warby Parker, these can come in different materials and colors, but Mia would probably go for plain black.
