I Can See Clearly Now: The enduring appeal of the bespectacled pop star

Once-upon-a-time you wouldn't have been surprised to see your favourite pop star performing in his or her signature spectacles. These days you're less likely to but that's not to say they've disappeared altogether. Justin Bieber has been known to don a pair of specs, as has Britney Spears and even Lady Gaga. One of Kanye West's most memorable fashion statements from his varied and colourful past can be seen in the Stronger video of 2007 where he is wearing a pair of Alain Mikli designed slatted specs. Ye's arch nemesis Taylor Swift has also been known to rock a pair of glasses from time to time and her Joker And The Queen partner Ed Sheeran is rarely seen without them.  

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Wheatus made the geek look de rigueur in 2000 with their breakout hit Teenage Dirtbag and Slash has created a complete outfit that wouldn't be the same without his beloved shades. Whilst Nana Mouskouri (Who?!) may not have generated a whole host of look-a-likes with her Deirdre Barlowesque eye wear, Billie Eilish has probably generated hundred's of thousands of dollars for the likes of Versace, Tommy Hilfigger and Bolle Cary - her preferred eye wear brands. 

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The most iconic of 'looks' though, almost entirely, remain rooted in the past when laser eye surgery was almost a sci-fi dream, contacts were in their infancy and buying prescription sunglasses online was unheard of. Have you ever seen Sammy Davis Jr, Hank Marvin or Stevie Wonder not wearing glasses? Jimi Hendrix could often be seen sporting a pair of specs and Elvis in Vegas wouldn't be Elvis in Vegas without his gold, metal framed glasses. Even 'the King' himself though wouldn't necessarily be a go-to pop star that you immediately associate with wearing glasses where as Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, John Lennon, Elton John, Elvis Costello, Bono and Jarvis Cocker are.

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Peggy Sue, Rave On and That'll Be The Day singer-songwriter Buddy Holly will be forever remembered for his thick rimmed black spectacles. It's difficult to even imagine the Crickets frontman without glasses. The same can be said of Oh, Pretty Woman superstar, Roy Orbison. His signature 60's look still endures to this day. The hair style, the guitar, the quiver in his voice and his distinctive glasses were all part of Roy's appeal.

Beatles co-founder John Lennon was responsible for inspiring a fashion movement that many still copy. His small round, thinly framed metal glasses were part of who Lennon was and how he wanted to be seen. It's little wonder that super fan Liam Gallagher has continued to copy his inspirational and influential hero by wearing the same eye wear throughout his own career. 

Elton John's collection of many and varied spectacles is as vast and diverse as his entire wardrobe. Some of Elton's most memorable moments have become some of the most memorable in rock and pop history. Elton at the pinball piano in his platform heels and his massive round, bejewelled glasses for Pinball Wizard, behind his Steinway grand piano at Dodger Stadium, LA, in his pink jigsaw specs of '86 or even in his feathered glasses of 1974 are standouts in the long and illustrious career of Reg Dwight.

Whilst Bono's reason for wearing glasses is a little less to do with flamboyance and fashion, and more to do with the fact that he has glaucoma, he has nevertheless created a strong look born out of necessity. For more than 20 years now U2's lead singer has had to wear glasses to combat the potentially blinding disease. Elvis Costello on the other hand wears his glasses as a nod to the family business, and as a tribute to his father - Ross McManus, and Jarvis Cocker returned to glasses after an unfortunate incident involving chili powder and contact lenses which lead to him having to visit Moorfields Eye Hospital.

All of these artists have become associated with the iconic looks that they have given us and each of them cannot be separated in your mind's eye. Just like The Two Ronnies, Michael Caine, Harry Hill or even Andy Warhol, you cannot see these stars without their signature glasses, it's part of who they are and it's hard to re-imagine them any other way.