[Last modified: October, 13 2024 11:12 AM]
My research explores the evolving role of glasses among highly educated women, particularly master’s students. Once primarily associated with academic seriousness and a “nerdy” stereotype, glasses have now become a fashionable accessory that reflects personal style and identity. This shift illustrates how objects, once seen as purely functional, are increasingly used for self-expression, especially in the context of modern, educated women navigating both intellectual and aesthetic spaces.
In the quiet corner of the university café, I spotted Maria, a master’s student in psychology, perched on a high stool with her laptop open. A pair of glasses rested lightly on her nose, but they immediately caught my attention—not for their corrective purpose, but for the unusual tint on the lenses. The lenses had a faint, blush-like hue, giving off an almost cosmetic effect that framed her eyes in a soft, rose-tinted glow. Approaching her table, I noticed the overall harmony of her outfit. Her glasses weren’t simply an accessory. They seemed integral to her entire look, matching the pastel tones of her blouse and bag. Intrigued, I asked about her glasses. She smiled, adjusting them slightly, and confessed that she was actually wearing contact lenses underneath. The glasses, she explained, weren’t for seeing but for being seen.
Fig.1 The glasses with blush-like hue
“They make me feel put together,” she said, laughing. “I wear them because they add a little something extra, you know? A pop of color. It’s almost like makeup for my face, but not as heavy.” The mimic blusher effect on the lenses, a subtle rosy tint, gave her a fancier, more polished appearance without any actual corrective need. She went on to explain how, for her, glasses had transitioned from being purely functional to being a central part of her fashion identity. “I used to wear glasses all the time, back when I needed them for studying, and it made me feel like the typical nerd,” she said. “Now, it’s the opposite. I can play with colors, match them to my outfits. It’s like a fashion statement but also with a sense of intellectual.”
This encounter highlighted a significant shift in the symbolic value of glasses. What was once seen as an emblem of academic seriousness and specialization had evolved into an aesthetic tool for self-expression. The glasses were no longer just about vision—they were about visibility, allowing Maria to curate how she wanted to be perceived in a space that values appearance as much as intellect. At that moment, Maria’s story exemplified the changing role of glasses among highly educated women like herself, who navigate between functionality and fashion, using eyewear as an accessory that merges both. The glasses have already become a tool for women’s self-expression.