Superhero Specs: Has Marvel bought glasses back into fashion?
Marvel has the ability to turn any superhero-style into a fashion trend you want to follow. From power suits to pops of Spider-Man red, this movie franchise knows how to make its actors look stylish when running into battle.
One accessory in particular that has remained prominent from the first Iron Man to Endgame is Marevl’s use of stylish specs. Whether you’re thinking of Tony Stark’s famous blue-tinted lenses or Captain America’s aviator-style frames, some of our favourite heroes are glasses wearers in the franchise.
Could superhero specs make glasses cool?
According to experts from Investigative Opmothology & Visual Science, thanks t the stigma surrounding glasses, children and teens who wear prescription frames are 36% more likely to be a target of bullying.
However, in 2023, more celebrity style icons than ever before are sporting stylish shades and vintage frames in an attempt to bring glasses back into fashion. We’ve seen the likes of Karli Kloss and Cate Blanchett become the face of Warby parker and Shilloutte campaigns and rock their own specs over social media.
The question is, could the movie industry take this one step further? Marvel’s Endgame was adored by over 100 million people at Box Office. With such an influential platform, the franchise's portrayal of glasses wearers is a strong, powerful character that uses their specs to enhance their fighting ability.
Let’s have a look at some of the iconic specs Marvel has to offer and learn why this movie franchise is constantly breaking fashion stigmas.
Tony Stark / Iron Man
The first marvel character we think of when talking about superhero specs has to be the infamous Tony Stark. Otherwise known as Iron Man, Stark’s cool tinted geometric frames make him one of Marvel’s most stylish characters.
Better still, Iron Man’s glasses are so much more than stylish specs. They are home to one of Marvel’s most well-known artificial interfaces, F.R.I.D.A.Y.
Let’s also not forget Iron Man’s famous shades we see in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Sporting the Police S1948 sunglasses, these two tones style shades were paired with Tony’s suit for a powerful, contemporary look you can’t help but love.
Peter Parker / Spider Man
We can’t mention Tony Stark’s AI glasses without mentioning Peter Parker. After Iron Man sacrifices himself for his team in Marvel’s Avengers Endgame, his news tech protege Peter Parker inherits his famous AI specs.
Bringing a younger, Gen Z style to the marvel franchise, Peter Parker takes Iron Man’s glasses to a whole new level. Paired with his statement shirts, Stark’s frames sit much bigger on Parker’s face, but we love the new powers updated operating system E.D.I.T.H. adds to his character.
Steve Rogers / Captain America
Our top resident hero, Captain America, also rocks some stylish shades throughout the movie franchise.
As a classic, old-school character, it’s only right that Steve Rogers has classic, old-school frames. In Captain America Civil War, we see him rocking his iconic Aviator-style sunglasses.
If you look here, you can see Rogers sporting the Ray-Ban RB3026 Aviator sunglasses, which remain a constant Captain America accessory throughout the series.
Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel
Another Marvel Captain known for her frames is Carol Danvers, otherwise known as Captain Marvel. In her debut 2019 film, she is a pilot and member of the United States Air Force.
Like Captain America, Captain Marvel rocks pilot-powered aviators from Randolph. Showing that what was once a more masculine frame shape could be worn by a female superhero is just another reason why Marvel is doing fashion right.
As a franchise that promotes female power, they are constantly playing with stylistic gender norms and proving that any character can look fantastic in all types of shades and frames.
Matt Murdock / Daredevil
Marvel’s Daredevil, otherwise known as Matt Murdock, can also be seen sporting his Olympian Oval sunglasses in the 2003 action movie. Wearing Ray-Ban’s 3119 model, Ben Affleck bought the oval shape back into the mainstream. These shades have since become popular amongst a number of other celebrities, such as Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.
However, in Netflix’s newest adaptation of Daredevil, Matt Murdock’s recent specs are custom-made for actor Charlie Cox who has taken over the role.
"His sunglasses are a prop. I worked very closely with our amazing prop master Michael Jortner. The glasses were Matt Murdock’s most important accessory, and it had to be correct for this current, modern date, and it also had to pay homage to what was familiar to fans throughout,” says Stephanie Maslansky, costume director for the show. “I think that Matt tried on... I want to say close to 100 pairs of glasses to figure out which one should work. People had a lot to say about them, including Charlie."
Stan Lee
We can’t talk about superhero specs without mentioning the biggest superhero of all. Stan Lee was the writer, creator and director of the Marvel comics and movie franchise before he passed away in 2017.
Dressing like a true gentleman, his oxford shirts and v-neck sweaters were often accompanied by his signature vintage Cartier Vendome sunglasses.
In a classic 70s aviator style with warm-coloured dark lenses, Stan Lee will always be an icon, from his fashion sense to his filmmaking.
What’s next for superhero specs?
As we move into a new era of Marvel movies, we expect to see more style inspiration for their ever-growing cast. As the franchise aims to touch base with the younger generation, Gen Z fashion is quickly being incorporated into the newest movies.
Take Marvel’s newest series, Ms Marvel for example, with a Gen Z character at the heart of the show, Marvel will continue to influence teen fashion across the globe.
