You could say that the preppy trend is having a bit of a style surge at the moment, but if truth be told, it’s never really found itself in the fashion trough either. A true sign of a timeless look, preppy pieces have been cropping up amidst the more whimsical, fast-fashion trends on the high-street. Edging up florals and accentuating tomboy-inspired denims, scholar style silhouettes are big news in fashion and naturally, in the eyewear world. Spec silhouettes don’t discriminate at the school of prep, but classic styles include retro rounds and laid back wayfarers. Indie Queen Sevigny in Wayfarer Glasses   Whether the silhouette be neat and tidy, or over-sized and attention-demanding, opt for a 2012 update and experiment with tones of tortoiseshell and red with brands such as London Retro and Element offering an extensive range. For retro rounds and classic styles, the GD Collection should whet your appetite, as well keep things massively purse friendly meaning that you can try something different with our 2 for 1 deal.     Element Norton     For high-end inspiration, take a truly British slant on getting preppy and look at Paul Smith’s AW11/12 show. An avid fan of glasses himself, the British designer sent his models down the fashion pavement in boldly silhouetted acetates, to accessorise their classically Paul Smith brogues and sweats. Fendi teamed a mixture of monochrome and neutral stripes with tinted rimless glasses at their SS12 show, whilst on the celebrity front, Drive star Ryan Gosling has been snapped in circular tortoiseshells frames, much like the John Lennon frames available at Glasses Direct. Ryan Gosling in Circular Frames Female stars including Demi Moore, Alexa Chung and Chloe Sevigny are all regular specs wearers and expert coveters of the preppy look. So, however far you want to go with this studious and timeless look, you’re sure to add an injection of educated viewing with a pair of glasses. Prescription optional.   Paul Smith AW 2011     Shop from our retro selection for more inspiration, Here.      

U.S house-hold clothing empire, GAP haven’t exactly been setting the world alight with their fashion-focused collections of late, so it’s nice to see that they’ve gone back to what they do so well, and that’s the classics. Once the go-to brand for your true blue denims, and everyday chinos GAP ruled the all-American roost with its casual classics. Gap's New Classics And bring back the classics, we say! The GAP Pure line consists of an array of scoop necks, race backs and v-neck t-shirts that will frequent your everyday ensembles. Styling their models with black and tortoiseshell rimmed glasses, GAP illustrate why they’re a household name in the art of dressing preppy. At Glasses Direct we’ve got a whole host of classic frames to get you in the mood for prepping your wardrobe up and adding an extinguished touch to your everyday prescription. From eco-fabulous Element, to the leaders in vintage attire, London Retro, Glasses Direct’s selection is unrivalled when it comes to online eyewear. If you’re looking for a purse friendly option then shop from our own range of classic frames where you can shop from a wide range of acetates and metals, colours and prints. What do you think about GAP’s new Pure line? Geek or chic? Element's Caprio in tortoiseshell London Retro Carnaby in Red Glasses Direct's Mai Tai in Black Glasses Direct's Harold in Black

Corden and Jagger channel Sellers and Ekland   Its official, Peter Sellers-style specs are in Vogue. Well, Harpers Bazaar actually, but either way the thick rimmed classics are having a fashion moment this month with funnyman James Corden sporting a pair whilst he and model Georgia May Jagger pay tribute to the  iconic duo of the swinging 60s, Peter Sellers and Bond Girl Britt Ekland. Posing with Mick Jagger’s model-daughter Georgia May Jagger, the former Gavin and Stacey star was snapped by Harpers Bazaar reclining on a chair wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses similar to the ones sported by Sellers, as Jagger cuddles him from behind, looking sexy in a sixties-inspired cream patterned dress. An admirer of Sellers and his notoriety in having the ability to laugh some of the most attractive women into bed, James, who has achieved huge success of late with his run in West End play ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ said he’s been inspired by the comedian from the beginning of his comedy career. Eco brand Element's Hopper He said: ‘I worked out pretty early on that if you look like I do then you sure as sh!t had better make the girls laugh if you wanted to get anywhere. The newly slimed down actor has apparently gone down from 21 to 16 stone, aiming for another 2Ib loss before he hits New York with his critically acclaimed production. The 33-year-old actor is believed to have gone from 21 stone to 16 stone, and is thought to be aiming to shed another 21lbs before hitting New York with his critically-acclaimed production. Channel the funnyman’s look. A sure fired hit with the ladies:   The Oscar frame    

Wow. Just wow. A Russian street artist who has created a giant pair of spectacles from a streetlamp has been dubbed ‘the Russian Banksy’. The mysterious figure, known only as P183, reveals little about himself except that his name is Pavel, he is 28 and that he previously studied ‘communicative design’. Not a man of many words, by the sounds of things but we think that he’s latest piece of work shows absolute genius. Using a lamp post for an arm, the camera-shy artist created a pair of giant specs that create a stark contrast to Moscow’s snow- sprinkled streets   Giant Glasses in Moscow   We’re keeping an eye out for more creations from this hot new talent.  

The New Year has bought many unsightly things to our attention: Diets, boring resolutions, no money, living in endless days of darkness, willing the joys of spring to hurry along. But however grim this time of year seems, there is always the planning of your summer holidays to focus on. And yes, it might seem like a lifetime away, but it’ll be here before you can say ‘suncream’, we promise.  In the meantime, those forward thinking, ultra stylish types at The Independent on Sunday Magazine have  shed some light on the matter, with their Travel Special issue this Sunday just gone. From Cornwall to Sri Lanka you can divulge into the delights of travel. In the style department, The Independent’s style team showcase their favorite specs. *Enter Glasses Direct*. For those of you who didn’t manage to nab a copy, you wouldn’t have spotted us in the ‘Style_Fashion_Food & Drink_Homes & Interiors’ section, so we thought we’d show you:   No.2 London Retro's Fitzovia in Dark Tortoiseshell. No.5 Element's Norton in Light Tortoiseshell For the style-savvy sister, The Independent fashion team have picked out their favourite frames. This included London Retro’s Fitzrovia in dark tortoise and our newest recruit, Element showcasing the Norton in Light tortoiseshell. Both personal favourites of the style team at GD, we’re really excited that our brands had made the cut. Take a closer look, below:     The Norton in Light Tortoiseshell View Element’s debut collection, here. London Retro Fitzrovia in Dark Tortoiseshell View London Retro’s range, here.

The Harold. Bold, oversized and holding its own in the style stakes: A modern day hero of the eyewear world. The GD Harold When I first joined GD I assumed that this bold aviator frame had been created in homage to King Harold… Of Ramsey St that is. But although the triple chinned busy body did rock this shape, I’m told that the Harold stands on its own 2 feet, tempting all those with a partiality for gentlemanly attire and retro apparel. On the more practical side of things- (we’re not all about vanity here you know!) The Harold is the ideal frame for a plethora of prescriptions which includes Vari- vocal and Bi-focals. Learn more about lenses, here. Formed out of lightweight acetate the Harold has a strong brow bar, complimenting those with rounder faces and soft jaw lines. Its silhouette is also ideal for those who are planning for the sun to shine, with its large lens capacity being perfect for prescription sunglasses or transitional lenses. Learn more about transitional lenses, here: http://www.glassesdirect.co.uk/transitions-benefits/

Oldman: Hoping to replace the Berlin Bear with an Oscar this year? Reported in today’s London Metro, British actor Gary Oldman has been nominated for an Oscar. We actually find it quite surprising that the massively talented and respected actor hasn’t won as Oscar yetm let alone receive a nomination. Oldman said he was ‘shocked’ to learn he was up for an Oscar after he failed to win a Golden Globe or Screen Actors Guild nomination for his role as spymaster George Smiley in ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’. ‘It is extremely humbling, gratifying and delightful to have your work recognised by the Academy,’ he said. The British actor will battle Demian Bichir, George Clooney, Jean Dujardin and Brad Pitt for the prize. While Clooney is predicted to win, there was no doubt in the minds of film fans on Twitter who deserved the award the most – Oldman, who bagged his first Academy Award nomination today for his role as George Smiley in the spy thriller; ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’. Oldman: Spec-idol for many a distinguished gent: Shop using our style finder, here: http://www.glassesdirect.co.uk/retro-glasses/

Above: She wears ‘Miller’. With disposable consumerism seemingly reaching an all-time high, we felt compelled to look into a way of keeping our carbon footprint’s mileage down, so when we came across eclectic eyewear brand Element we were pretty chuffed. Not only does this brand and its bunch of eco-warriors recycle acetate and metal to make their 10-strong-and-growing collection of specs, they also make their designs contemporary and wearable, too. Norton; our personal Element favs: Norton Now, don’t get us wrong, we love a bit of doing good and therefore feeling good, but sometimes it’s tough finding eco-conscious products that won’t compromise on style, so the fact that ’Team Element’ have cracked the common ’Eco V’s Stylish’ dilemma with such brilliance, makes us love the collection even more. Shop The Collection Here: http://www.glassesdirect.co.uk/element-glasses/ We caught up with Element designer; Olivia Steel to get the 411 on what makes the designer and her team tick when it comes to creating eco-friendly glasses: GD: So what made you decide to take up the challenge of designing recyclable frames? Not that we’re complaining, of course! OS: We noticed that there wasn’t anything out there that offered stylish, affordable and eco-conscious glasses. So we decided to do something about it. GD: So how do you do it? OS: Well, when a frame is cut out of acetate, there are always off-cuts left over. We collect all of these up, merge them together (all colours and prints together) to make more Element acetate and therefore create Element frames. Our metal frames are made from all manner of recyclable metals, too and each frame comes with a case that is made from a mixture of recycled iron, recycled plastic bottles and 50% recycled blister material (we’re working on the other 50%). GD: So what about the styles? Where do you guys get your inspiration from? OS: Our trend analysts keep their highly trained fingers on the fashion pulse to ensure that we’re creating stylish and wearable frames. We also take inspiration from renowned scientists specialising in the effects of climate change as well as silver screen stars who’ve become role models for environmentally conscious living. GD: Ah yes, we’ve spotted a few frames who’s names ring a bell! OS: Yeah, we had tons of fun coming up with those names….We’re also really intent on our frames being affordable without compromising on durability and quality, and  features such as sprung hinges and hypoallergenic acetate are included in our design processes. GD: And your personal favourite? OS: I’ve a soft spot for Caprio, but I think that the Natalie is gorgeous too- the red is my favourite. GD: Thanks Oliva! we’ve ordered our favourite (the Norton, fyi) already! Caprio   Natalie Shop the collection here: http://www.glassesdirect.co.uk/element-glasses/

We’ve always got our ear to the ground when it comes to whats new and great. So when we first heard East London band; Native Tongue we knew that we stumbled across a good thing. We had a quick catch up with the band on their love for London Retro specs and touring with Kaiser Chiefs this year. Here, take a read! Read all about it!!! Shop the entire London Retro collection, here : http://londonretro.com/ Like what you see? Don’t be shy and come and say hello and request your FREE (yes, FREE!) magazine where the interview with Native Tongue is featured, today: http://www.glassesdirect.co.uk/order-catalogue/

Aside the spot light hitting Jenna Lyons’ marital status, rather than her undeniable talent, the J Crew creative director still remains one of the most influential women in fashion. Now, in a newly-released interview, the spec-wearing genius of dress-down chic, reveals the secrets to her distinctive personal style. Speaking during her label’s debut presentation at New York Fashion Week in September, she described how important it was to have a degree of imperfection in an outfit- A girl, quite frankly after our own heart. She told PopSugar TV: ‘I think to me there’s always got to be something that sort of turns it off – meaning, if everything’s shiny, there has to be something that feels a little casual, or something has to be a little messy. Things can’t always be perfect, not everything can be buttoned, you know, there’s got to be something that turns it on its head.’   Chic, understated : Jenna Lyons in tortoiseshell specs   And lest we forget her impeccable taste in glasses, as the 42 year old fashion designer dons tortoiseshell specs with effortless panache whilst showcasing this Spring Summer 12 collection at New York Fashion Week. Teaming her soft brown wayfarers with an understated cream shirt dress, a Parisian inspired chignon and a slash of red lippy, Jenna Lyons showed how to channel imperfect perfection. Maybe she’ll extend her Midus touch to specs… watch this space people! We live in hope! Get the look with Mai Tai in tortoiseshell: