Is it allowed to wear glasses without prescription?

This week, Josselin and I found ourselves at Strandzuid, a venue in Amsterdam where the presentation of Luxottica took place. Luxottica is the largest eyewear company in the world and sells, among other things, the frames of Prada, Ray Ban, Armani, and Persol. We were introduced to the latest of the latest in the field of sunglasses and ‘corrective glasses’, or as we called them, ‘real glasses.’ That sunglasses are the coolest thing ever is nothing new, but what we saw was that many brands are focusing on a collection where the corrective glasses are a literal translation of the sunglasses, and vice versa. So you buy a real pair of glasses and at the same time a pair of sunglasses in exactly the same style. But, if your eyes don't need glasses, can you still buy those corrective glasses?

So we couldn't figure it out. While we were eagerly trying on one pair of glasses after another, we found the corrective glasses often just as beautiful as the sunglasses, but since our eyes are good enough to go through life without glasses, such a real pair of glasses quickly falls off the table. Or not? Can you wear such glasses purely for the aesthetic effect? Something in me says that such vanity really can't be justified, but why not actually?

While thinking, I came to the point that it might be the case that for clothing items that have a very clear functional purpose, it is not done to wear them without making use of that functional purpose. So wearing a beanie in a club, or on warm days, I find that by definition total pretentiousness. Or suspenders, you only get away with that if your name is Jort Kelder but all those hipsters with their cropped pants, stop it already.

And that's why I also doubt about the glasses. I don't need them, so why wear them? I asked on Instagram and most of the responses were enthusiastic, “oh just do it!” and “no, it's actually fun, it can really complete an outfit.” Now I must say that I actually find glasses quite nice and moreover, I feel super smart in them, so the temptation is great. Although I still think that vanity bothers me. In short, I'm not sure about it. A matter of time? Will this soon become completely acceptable? What do you all think?