How Grandma's Glasses Became Lennons
John Lennon was a member of a cult group The Beatles, as well as the icon "Summer of Love" and hippie culture movements 1960's years. Round glasses, known today as "grandma's", have become an integral attribute of the musician's image. So integral that it is almost impossible to imagine Lennon without them! When at 11 years old John was diagnosed with myopia, he flatly refused to wear glasses. Subsequently, already being a famous musician, he was embarrassed by this, but in the end he put them on and gave rise to a whole cult! Already after his death, the legendary glasses became part of the cultural heritage, and some copies went under the hammer for staggering money ...
Myopia at 11 years old
John Lennon I learned about myopia at the age of 11. For a long time, the guy refused to wear glasses, because it seemed to him an ugliness ... His name "grandmother's glasses" optical instrument received from Lennon: "Beatle" named it so in honor of the only relic left to him by his grandmother. One day he said he was counting points "women's accessory". In his opinion, the man in them looked weak.
In the end, he gave in and put on "grandmother's glasses", but he wore them with a stern expression on his face ...
The complex disappeared only after Lennon saw Buddy Holly, serving in a horn-rimmed.
At that moment, the Beatle thought that these ridiculous framed lenses could really be stylish!
Everyday life
In the era of "Beatlemania" John could not be found without glasses! Basically, these were black mirrored models, which were incredibly popular with young people! However, this was only off stage. When the band performed live, Lennon removed his glasses. He didn't want to The Beatles were like "The Shadows", whose lead guitarist Hank Marvin wore a similar model of thick-rimmed glasses.
Was John really so worried about the image of the team, or was it just an excuse? However, there is a story when, while in a Parisian hotel, the band received a petition signed by hundreds of fans! The document made a number of demands, including the public appearance of Lennon wearing glasses!
"Grandma's glasses" left their mark on the world of cinema
In the second half of the 60s, Lennon fell in love with "grandmother's glasses." They could be of any color and size, but their shape always remained invariably round ... This happened after his appearance in the film "How I Won the War"in which the Beatle played a major role.
From now on, glasses have become an integral part of his image. What started as an accessory to the comic character's costume has become an iconic detail of his ensemble...
Hippie icon
Initially Lennon He wore thick-rimmed glasses, but over time he preferred more sophisticated models. Closer to the end 60s John became a symbol of hippies and the "Summer of Love", and his glasses were regarded by fans as a fashion trend, and not as a medical accessory. Soon "grandmother's glasses" became for Lennon an integral part of self-expression and gained popularity among many contemporaries and fans.
His long hair, flamboyant clothes and metal-framed glasses became part of the hippie fashion that became widespread in the youth culture of the 60s. Since then, Lennon has always worn round-framed glasses and soon began to use lenses of different colors - blue, green, orange and red. It is suggested that these shades were not just a fashion statement: they helped the musician cope with photophobia, that is, they reduced visual strain on the eyes from bright light.
From hate to love
Since the 70s "grandmother's glasses" remained an integral part of John's corporate image. His optometrist Gary Tracy, created more than a dozen models for him in 5 years! They met in the mid-70s quite by accident:
“John and Yoko dropped by my shop. I heard him ask, "Can I have my eyes checked?" I recognized his voice immediately! He was very fond of glasses, and often brought them in for repair - almost every month - as he constantly broke them ... "
In culture
After the murder of an idol, his widow Yoko Ono released an album called "Season of Glass". The cover depicts the very bloody glasses that the musician was wearing at the fatal moment ...
The label's producers were against this, but the woman did not make any compromises:
“I wouldn't change the cover. That's all I have left of John…" Ono commented.
Glasses worth their weight in gold
Subsequently lennon glasses went under the hammer for crazy sums! The most striking example is the auction of 2017, when a crushed accessory flew away for four and a half thousand dollars! The musician broke them in a fit of anger far away 1970s. The story goes that John lost his temper after a phone call at his uncle's house. The man kept them as a relic for many years ...
Personal chauffeur in 2019 Ringo Starr put up for auction a pair of glasses left by Lennon in the back seat of a car.
“I noticed them. One lens came off the frame and I offered to fix it for John, but he refused. “Don’t worry, I only needed these glasses for the role!” he stressed.
Lennon used the mentioned glasses in the tape "How I Won the War", and as a result, they went under the hammer for about a few hundred thousand dollars!
Interesting facts
- By the age of 30, Lennon had -8,25 on the right eye and -7,50 on the left.
- In 60s the performer tried to switch to lenses, but it did not end well. At that time, they were far from ideal and caused great discomfort. Lennon often lost them and eventually abandoned the idea.
- Lennon's famous glasses Panto 45 were made by a London company Algha Works handcrafted in rolled 18k gold. The frames were fitted with individually tinted orange lenses.
- John Lennon suffered from photophobia. Because of this, he often wore glasses with colored lenses, usually orange. For some reason, the musician liked them the most ...
- Since 2013, on the day of Lennon's assassination, his widow Yoko Ono tweets a photo of the bloodied glasses from the controversial cover. According to the woman, in this way she opposes American gun culture.
