WASHINGTON — What do Mr. Peanut, DC Comics’ The Penguin, Sesame Street’s The Count and the future breed of hipsters all have in common? Why that would be the monocle, of course.
Think of the monocle as half of a pair of eyeglasses. It’s essentially one lens used to enhance the vision in only one eye, and it’s usually attached to a rod, a chain or a wire.
Monocles have been around for hundreds of years, but the New York Times is declaring it the next big accessory for modern-day trendsetters.
This statement is only natural, seeing as how the wire-rimmed eyewear, often associated with wealth and status, pairs perfectly with the common hipster ensemble of a tweed jacket, a roughed leather satchel and slim-fitting pants. All of this worn with a splash of arrogance and indifference.
The New York Times reports the monocle has long appeared in Berlin cafes, Manhattan restaurants and fashion magazines, but it’s becoming more common on the streets, thanks to what British trend forecaster Martin Raymond calls the rise of “the new gents.” And no, these are not your typical J. Crew gents.
[See what these trendsetters look like in a monocule.]
Just because uber-underground European and New York hot spots are seeing more monocles, does that mean this trend will transfer to the District?
Blink Optical on P Street NW in Logan Circle has handmade water buffalo horn monocles in stock from the eyewear brand Hoffman. In the three months Grace Minkarah has worked at Blink, she has not received any requests for a monocle.
Douglas Warden of Dupont Optical has worked in the optometry industry for more than 30 years. He says in that span, he has fit two monocles — but both requests were more than 20 years ago
