In nature, butterflies are the result of an evolution. An evolution, that is, of the caterpillar who builds a cocoon around himself and turns into a beautiful butterfly.

Also the result of an evolution is a new eyewear shape--the butterfly. Called the butterfly--or bow-tie--shape because the outside of the eyewire is wider than the inside, this style has evolved as one of the hottest new trends in eyewear due to an increased consumer demand for "something other than oval."

OLD AND NEW

"Even if people don't buy a frame in the butterfly shape, it draws them into my dispensary," says Paul Campbell, owner of Eyewear, a two-location dispensary in Derry, N.H. and Plymouth, Mass. "People always comment on the variety of frames shapes I offer. The butterfly is a welcome addition to an assortment full of ovals and rounds."

Carol Norbeck, FNAO, VICA's national "Envision Yourself" spokesperson, says the butterfly shape is not a new trend. "It was very popular in the late '70s," she says. "The frame was huge then. Today, we are seeing a much smaller version."

FACE FACTS

Campbell believes that consumers choose this eyewear shape because they want something unique and striking. And while Norbeck agrees that the butterfly shape is an attention-getting style, she explains that butterfly frame shapes are perfect complements to certain face shapes. Such faces include:

• Broad jaw-line or base-down triangle: The frame balances a broad jaw line at the eye level.
• Narrow, rectangular face: The butterfly shape adds width to the face.
• Diamond face shape: A narrow butterfly frame balances the cheek bones. The key word is narrow, so that the frame doesn't cover the cheek bones.

Dave Chute, executive vice president for Marchon Eyewear, echoes Norbeck's philosophy, calling the butterfly a great balancing frame. "Gentle arches and angles that move both outward and upward around the cheeks and brow-line are perfect for off-setting a broad jaw-line or triangular-shaped faces," he says, "creating symmetry between the top and bottom of the face."

In the end, according to Chute, the draw for consumers is less about face shape and more about attitude. "People wear what they like, bottom line," he says.

Seen in ophthalmic and sunwear in metal and plastic, and in a laundry list of colors, the butterfly shape is flying out of dispensaries across the country. If you haven't already done so, break out from your own cocoon and make the butterfly shape the newest part of your frame mix. FB