Maria 055

The retro era started in 1989 and only ended two full decades later when the solid black hipster glasses conquered the streets. In my opinion, the retro era was the least interesting phase in the history of glasses design. Most of the tiny frames offered for sale by opticians in the Netherlands were rather dull. However, things were a bit better in Germany. Some glasses made there were interesting or at least funny. The half rim glasses shown here by Maria are a fine example. Note the asymmetrical nose bridge and the weird looking straight bar in front of the lenses. Upon first sight, the bar seems an obstruction to the eyes of the wearer. However, several ladies sporting these glasses assured me at the time that they did not feel any obstruction. Maria certainly has a confident look here, confirming the statements of those ladies about their visual comfort. The lenses are only a touch above the model's own prescription.