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Whether you're geek chic, rock and roll or somewhere in between, you can find the perfect pair of glasses to suit your style.

Students no longer have to be embarrassed to start the school year off with a pair of outdated specs that look like they came from their grandparents' closet. Optical stores across Staten Island are offering cool and contemporary glasses from well-known designers that are helping make "four eyes" a term of endearment.
Lauren Ruperto, owner of Specs For Less in Port Richmond, is a fan of "geek-chic," a reference to large, bold frames with retro appeal. She sees the style as fun and having "personality."

Another benefit of geek chic is its durability, she said, since the large frames are thicker and stronger than other types of eyewear. Glasses with flexible frames also tend to be durable, she noted, although they are less popular with students due to their conservative oval shape.

"Your glasses are on your face, they should make a statement," Ms. Ruperto observes.

Popular designer brands at her store include Fred and TAG Heuer. She also carries non-designer labels, which cost less and mimic the fashion forward styles.

POLITE AND PROFOUND

Jeanine Camerlengo, owner of I'll Be Seeing You Optical in Arden Heights, also is a fan of geek chic eyewear, pointing to a line aptly named "Ernest Hemingway," which she believes gives off a "polite" and "profound" look.

Bright colors are en vogue, Ms. Camerlengo said, mentioning popular brands like Ed Hardy and Betsey Johnson, which come in fun patterns and designs already familiar to fans of both brands' clothing lines.

Alan Fruchtman agrees that color is in, with intricate and decorative designs picking up steam. The owner of Staten Eyeland in Great Kills carries a number of different brands and styles for children, tweens and teens to help them reflect their personal taste.

Saying kids today seem to look for glasses that will make them appear older, Fruchtman advises parents to let their children feel comfortable in what they wear, so that once school starts up again, they'll look spec-tacular.

"Glasses should be unique," Fruchtman said. "They should look like they belong there."