Nerdy glasses: the new “it” bag

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Full disclosure: I’ve always been partial to so-called BCGs, or ‘birth control glasses’ -- the chunky, squarish eyeglass frames that got their name from the standard-military-issue specs worn in the ‘60s. I wear a pair of goggle-like black ones from L.A. Eyeworks called, daintily enough, ‘Hedgehogs.’ (Palin’s frameless glasses might as well be contacts, people.)

But prominent eyewear is definitely having a fashion moment. Last night at the Gen Art ‘Fresh Faces in Fashion’ event at the Petersen Automotive Museum, I spotted at least a dozen revelers in vintage or retro-feeling specs: from Bjorn Borg-style tortoise-shell and metal frames to Ray-Ban-esque shapes to those round, colored ‘70s models the size of teacup saucers. (Julia Gogosha, owner of the new Gogosha Optique eyewear boutique in Silverlake, surveyed the dense crowd from behind magnificently chunky, glittery-black frames.)

BCGs have also popped up on the runways -- models at Michael Kors’ fall show affected ‘sexy secretaries’ in heavy, tortoiseshell frames, a la ‘Mad Men’. And hip L.A. labels Rose and Mike & Chris both outfitted their models in chunky specs for their spring look books.

Who says guys don’t make passes at girls who wear glasses?

-- Emili Vesilind