by Ice Cream Jonsey » Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:22 am
Additionally:
It is a myth that monocles were uncomfortable to wear. If they were customised then they could be worn securely with no effort, though periodic adjustment is a fact of life for monocle wearers to keep the monocle from popping, as can be seen in films featuring Eric von Stroheim. Often only the rich could afford to have them custom-manufactured and the poor had to settle for poorly-fitted monocles that were less comfortable and less secure. The popular perception was (and still is) that a monocle could easily fall off with the wrong facial expression. This is true to an extent, as raising the eyebrow too far will allow the monocle to fall.
A once-standard comedic device exploits this: an upper-class gentleman makes a shocked expression in response to some event, and his monocle falls into his drink, smashes into pieces on the floor, etc. In visual media, the monocle might also be illustrated, or visually captured mid-flight, with some slack to the string as the glass travels downward.
Who knew they weren't uncomfortable? Wearing glasses to drive and such is for SUCKERS. I am immediately going to determine how to get myself into a monocle and wear that for the rest of my life. Luckily, I don't often get shocked, so it shouldn't go shooting out of my optic socket too often.
But I think I have gone as far as I am going to go with the whole "pulling off my glasses quickly like Clark Kent before he changes into Superman" thing.
Additionally:
[quote]It is a myth that monocles were uncomfortable to wear. If they were customised then they could be worn securely with no effort, though periodic adjustment is a fact of life for monocle wearers to keep the monocle from popping, as can be seen in films featuring Eric von Stroheim. Often only the rich could afford to have them custom-manufactured and the poor had to settle for poorly-fitted monocles that were less comfortable and less secure. The popular perception was (and still is) that a monocle could easily fall off with the wrong facial expression. This is true to an extent, as raising the eyebrow too far will allow the monocle to fall.
A once-standard comedic device exploits this: an upper-class gentleman makes a shocked expression in response to some event, and his monocle falls into his drink, smashes into pieces on the floor, etc. In visual media, the monocle might also be illustrated, or visually captured mid-flight, with some slack to the string as the glass travels downward.
[/quote]
Who knew they weren't uncomfortable? Wearing glasses to drive and such is for SUCKERS. I am immediately going to determine how to get myself into a monocle and wear that for the rest of my life. Luckily, I don't often get shocked, so it shouldn't go shooting out of my optic socket too often.
But I think I have gone as far as I am going to go with the whole "pulling off my glasses quickly like Clark Kent before he changes into Superman" thing.