A few days ago I noticed that some students started wearing specs as school started, even though I have never seen them wearing specs before, and I suspected that some of these specs were “fake-specs” and actually not needed by the people.
Specs as an accessory have become very popular. During summer I was in Berlin which is one of Germany’s artist-centres and everyone there was wearing “fake-specs”, which covered their whole face but did not consist but of frames.
I wear specs, because I need them. I am hyperopic; without my specs I have problems reading. I find it odd, when people wear specs even though they don’t need them, because I myself find specs often annoying. But this is a very subjective feeling and not a valid argument against them.
By thinking about it bit more, I actually found the “specs-fashion” odd for another reason as well: Myopia and hyperopia are handicaps. Since when are handicaps fashionable?
Why are people wearing fake-specs? Because they think it looks nice; it suits their style. Besides, a certain image is associated with specs: Intellectuals wear glasses.
But what would people say if I would start wearing an artificial limb or use a wheelchair, because I thought its suits my style and I would find the image, which is associated with people using prostheses or wheelchairs, useful? I am sure, I would be criticised for it. The handicaps of needing a wheelchair and needing specs are for sure of different significance, but in the end, myopia and hyperopia are still handicaps. In Germany insurances recognize them at least as such, and support their members financially, when there is the need for specs, because people are not able to work and survive in their everyday life, when they cannot see properly.
I – as someone handicapped - don’t feel seriously offended, when people wear fake-specs, but I think, people who support this fashion don’t think about the fact that they make a handicap fashionable by wearing fake-specs.
I've also noticed the new fashion, here and back home. I believe that it's a way of trying to be 'unique', or 'different' in a way. Handicaps draw attention when they pass by in the street, and that's the idea of the new fashion, to say- "I'm here, I'm different". Just like dressing up in a really nerdy way became fashionable a while ago.
AntwortenLöschenThis is at least the way it has started, I think. But like any other fashion it expanded and lost its meaning - now it's just fashionable to wear huge specs.