Kids Rock
Sharp styles in eyewear keep kids in tune with today's trends
By Amy Spiezio
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER BAKER
A prescription for eyewear may not be at the top of every kid's hit list for fun, but the latest generation of youthful frames can change attitudes from rocky to rocking.
Taking a cue from kids' fashion trends for 2009, styles throughout the year will draw inspiration from a number of trends.
KIDS' EYEWEAR OUTLOOK
According to fashion and style forecaster WGSN, there are a number of strong trends that are driving kids' fashion. The top trends influencing the youngest style set include:
■ Mini me: Designer kidswear collections
■ Media: Kids' style magazines
■ Nature: Organic and green kidswear
■ Global: International styles
■ Vintage: Classic retro kidswear
■ Celebrity kids: Stars and children of the stars
Some of these trends have quickly flowed into the eyewear design arena.
NAME THAT EYEWEAR
Brands are reassuring, particularly in tough times when people are concerned with quality along with price tag. Thanks to the success of networks such as Disney and Nickelodeon, there is a whole crop of fresh names to inspire eyewear licenses for young fans inspired by live action and cartoon characters from Hannah Montana to Dora the Explorer.
While many of this year's options in new children's ophthalmic and sunlenses have been house brands, many refreshed name brands and kid-centric character-based lines are also upping the ante in the style and construction arena.
In addition, kids still love to look like mom and dad—and wear the same brands they see on adults' clothing. Eyewear styles from popular designers serving all age groups deliver youthful colors and details with style inspirations taken from grown-up collections.
| Keep Rocking |
|---|
| Young people can only benefit from music exposure. And in time, it may even help them see better. According to research by the Imperial College London, patients have seen an improvement in their eyesight after listening to music. The study was conducted by music researchers on three patients who had lost awareness in half their field of vision as a result of a stroke. The scientists found that each of the patient's field of vision improved when they listened to their favorite music. As a result of the analysis the experts came to the conclusion that their research indicates that music can have a positive influence on emotions and music may result in more efficient signaling in the brain. |
GREEN DAYS
Organic baby and kidswear collections are increasingly popular as a planet-protecting generation of parents comes to the purchasing forefront. While the slowly growing crop of recycled and low-environmental-impact material eyewear hasn't infiltrated the kids' market yet, the aesthetics of the trend are being embraced full tilt.
Young eyewear consumers have the option of nature-inspired colors as well as adornments inspired by a world in bloom, including flowers and vines. Other collections make contributions to worthy causes with each frame purchase, inspiring small changes for little people.
| Kid Dollars |
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| According to a fact sheet composed by Susan Linn, associate director of the Media Center of the Judge Baker Children's Center and an instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School: ■ From 1992 to 1997, the amount of money spent on marketing to children doubled, from $6.2 billion to $12.7 billion. Today they are spending at least $15 billion. ■ Children influence purchases totaling over $600 billion a year. ■ The average child sees about 40,000 commercials each year on television alone. ■ 65 percent of children eight to 18 have a television in their bedroom, as do 32 percent of children two to seven and 26 percent percent of children under two. ■ The marketing industry has found that babies are requesting brands as soon as they speak. ■ Children are more vulnerable to marketing than adults. Very young children are not able to distinguish between commercials and television programs. ■ Until about age eight, children can't understand persuasive intent—that the purpose of commercials is to entice them into buying the product being advertised. |
THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME
Vintage kidswear is one of the latest hot looks to come down the runway. Classic, preppy styles found in the 1980s and earlier turn back the clock for youngsters, adding a touch of retro whimsy to their eyewear. In this incarnation, however, the eyewear gets color updates and technological features such as spring hinges and multi-layer laminates. EB
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