Echoes of the Past: Eyewear and fashion in the 1960s

A special dispensing supplement in the October 16 edition of Optician from 1964 is the focus of this week’s Echoes of the past.

‘Frames and the swing of style’ by John Stallwood of the Optical Information Council (OIC), looked at some of the factors that influenced trends in eyewear and fashion at the time. ‘Popular taste is a will-o’-the wisp affair, whatever the subject,’ he said in his opening line of the article.

Stallwood was of the view that the wealth of information available to the public at the time shaped how trends took hold – and subsequently faded away. But despite the exposure to print, TV and radio, he believed that the advertising and fashion at the time took inspiration from days gone by, manipulating old techniques for modern mediums.