# What do you call the eyeglasses style that Malcolm X wore? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 9, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336 "2007-01-09T20:32:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/1 "2007-01-09T20:32:59Z")
I’ve heard them called “browlines” but googling isn’t showing too much. I’d like to buy a pair but I can’t search if my vocabulary is incorrect. Help! ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/2 "2007-01-09T20:34:01Z")
(just saw a banner ad for “The Good Shepard” and it seems Matt Damon was wearing pretty much the same style) ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/3 "2007-01-09T20:43:54Z")
Semi-rimless. That’ll get you a lot of styles, though. While I don’t think they have a unique name, telling the eyeglass person, “Horned, but semi-rimless” while waving your finger across your eyebrows will get your meaning across. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/4 "2007-01-09T20:44:46Z")
the [Clubman](http://www.eyeglass.com/ronclasey.html) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/5 "2007-01-09T20:55:46Z")
Malcolm [X-Ray Specs](http://www.fakecrap.com/products/xray_specs.html)? ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/6 "2007-01-09T21:01:01Z")
**WhyNot** : Thanks. Found several I like within those parameters. **whole bean** : Perfect. **Eve** : Put some pants on. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/7 "2007-01-09T21:15:53Z")
The Club Man, huh? I always called them The 1950s Grandfatherly Businessman model. And that is why I hang out here. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/8 "2007-01-09T22:17:02Z")
[QUOTE=Birdmonster] **WhyNot** : Thanks. Found several I like within those parameters. **whole bean** : Perfect. **Eve** : Put some pants on. [/QUOTE] No prob, dude. I’ve always liked them myself. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/9 "2007-01-10T16:52:21Z")
[ZZ Top]Go out and get yourself some Big. Black. Frames.[/ZZT] ---
**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/10 "2007-01-10T18:23:37Z")
[QUOTE=Birdmonster] **Eve** : Put some pants on. [/QUOTE] She is wearing pants, **Birdmonster**. That’s how X-ray specs work. Duh! ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/11 "2007-01-10T18:30:23Z")
That would explain a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/12 "2007-01-10T18:46:26Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Semi-rimless. That’ll get you a lot of styles, though. While I don’t think they have a unique name, telling the eyeglass person, “Horned, but semi-rimless” while waving your finger across your eyebrows will get your meaning across. [/QUOTE] “Horn-rimmed” was always how I heard them described, so I think your description is right on. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/13 "2007-01-10T19:02:33Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] “Horn-rimmed” was always how I heard them described, so I think your description is right on. [/QUOTE] “Horn-rimmed” glasses also include styles that do not have any metal rims, however. In the early 20th century, glasses began to be made with materials like natural horn and tortoise shell. Later, the same styles were made with plastic. All plastic frames you see today fall within the “horn-rimmed” style. Barry Goldwater and Drew Carey wore horn-rimmed glasses, but they are not the same style as the horn-rimmed glasses worn by Malcolm X. ---
**Author:** ![dr\_intrepid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dr\_intrepid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dr_intrepid)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/14 "2010-11-15T06:25:10Z")
The style (as in type or fashion) he wore is properly referred to as browline. The specific brand he wore was usually American Optical (or just “AO”). You can see a couple of different AO model glasses in various pictures of him from the old days. I am not aware of him wearing [Shurons](http://shuronglasses.com), but I’ve seen more than one of his modern-day followers who do wear them today. It seems he was an AO man. So if you want to look like Malcolm X, get your self an pair of AO’s and a suit. And some attitude. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/15 "2010-11-15T08:15:45Z")
> [@dr\_intrepid](#): > > So if you want to look like Malcolm X, get your self an pair of AO’s and a suit. And some attitude. 🙂 And some zombie make-up, for that “risen from the dead” look! Brrrraaaiiinss! ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/16 "2010-11-15T09:45:55Z")
Yep, “Browline” is the answer. Some pretty good shots of a pair up close can be seen in [this article](http://www.sunglassesid.com/shuron-ronsir-zyl-matt-damon-the-good-shepherd.html) about the glasses Matt Damon wore in _The Good Shepherd_. ---
**Author:** ![rayman5321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@rayman5321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayman5321)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/17 "2010-11-15T09:49:34Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > The Club Man, huh? I always called them The 1950s Grandfatherly Businessman model. And that is why I hang out here. That’s what I’d call them. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/18 "2010-11-15T15:37:14Z")
They were also a signature prop for Noah Bennet on _Heroes_: [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/de/Noah\_Bennet.jpg](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/de/Noah_Bennet.jpg) You can even get them as sunglasses: [http://www.amazon.com/Private-Island-Malcolm-Original-Sunglasses/dp/B003U7X27S](http://www.amazon.com/Private-Island-Malcolm-Original-Sunglasses/dp/B003U7X27S) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-eyeglasses-style-that-malcolm-x-wore/387336/19 "2011-04-07T03:23:59Z")
I see they’re now available through Ben Silver of Charleston, S.C., too: [No Search Results - The Ben Silver Collection](http://www.bensilver.com/SearchResult.aspx?searchPhrase=epg)