by Terri Antone, Co-owner, Antone Optical
What do your eyeglasses say about you? While eyeglasses are medical devices to help us see our best, they also are fashion and personality statements.
When we observe someone we don’t know, we tend to make superficial judgments based on their appearance. Often, their eyewear contributes to our unconscious assessment of them. Is this person fashion-conscious? Conservative? Flamboyant? A techie? A nature lover? If your glasses are greasy and smudgy, are you a clean person?
Numerous studies back up that most people tend to view those who wear glasses as more intelligent and trustworthy. Job interviewees have been shown to be rated higher when wearing glasses.
But if someone’s frames are obstructing their eyes in an overt way, that can change to distrust. If your hat shades your eyes or the tint in the lenses you wear indoors is too dark to get a good look in your eyes, that tends to make others doubtful of your true intentions. Hence, the term “shady character.”
Many people today wear glasses even though they don’t require a prescription merely as a fashion statement, as “IQ glasses” or for eye protection.
Whatever image you wish to portray, don’t forget the message your eyewear sends. Multiple pairs of eyewear can give you freedom to express who you are at work, in social situations and at play. Who says you only need one pair?
