‘I’m not always dressing for the male gaze’: Olivia Attwood Dack on how she’s made glasses cool again

By Lara Owen, PA

There was a time when wearing glasses – especially as a woman – was synonymous with awkwardness. A shorthand for geeky, uncool or – most misogynistic – unattractive.

But Olivia Attwood Dack has never been one to lean into stereotypes.

The reality TV star and presenter has long been associated with her bold eyewear choices and it’s something she’s become proud of.

“I think I am so known for my glasses, like I really bring glasses into my fashion,” she says, “and I’ve done so since I was on Love Island. I mean, I was the first person to ever bring their glasses into Love Island.”

The reaction, at the time, was unsurprisingly mixed. “Back in 2017 […] people found that wearing glasses was kind of like geeky or like, not cool,” but Attwood saw it differently. “I’ve always been a very pro glasses wearer, a proud glasses wearer.”

She’s been wearing prescription glasses and lenses since her early teens – but, like many, didn’t always feel confident about them.

“I think when I was like 13 […] I’d have them in my school bag, and I’d be squinting at the board […] and then the teacher would be like, Olivia, you’re squinting, put the glasses on.”

But that reluctance faded with age. “As I got into my later teens […] I didn’t love doing contact lenses,” she says, “I always have really long nails. I do find them like a bit of a faff and I genuinely find glasses a really good way to express fashion.”

More than a practical choice, glasses have become part of her identity. “They can be a statement if you want them to be. I think, for me, they’ve become a massive place of security,” she says. “If I’m not feeling my best […] I feel like I can kind of hide behind glasses if I choose a chunkier frame.”

And Attwood Dack’s collection is extensive.

“I think I probably have easily 20 pairs, but maybe more,” she laughs, “I am an avid collector.”

She selects frames the way others choose shoes or jewellery: “If I was wearing a predominantly black outfit, I might go for a tortoiseshell frame or a gold frame […] or I might use black on an outfit that’s already quite busy.”

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But her go-to pair is a black, chunky frame from Saint Laurent, “they go with everything and they’re robust,” she says. “Having a large surface area with the lens as well gives you a lot more freedom than a slightly narrow lens.”

This is one of the pairs that she has included in her latest project: a style-led collaboration with Boots Opticians that showcases the range of designer frames they have on offer, from Attwood Dack’s favourite Saint Laurent to Gucci and All Saints.

“I’ve got quite a small face, so technically, they probably wouldn’t recommend a lot of the frames I have,” she says, “but I enjoy the quirkiness and the aesthetic of an overpowering frame.”

Overpowering is a moniker Attwood Dack has long been associated with, following her debut on our screens back in the late 2010s. But what some dubbed ‘overpowering’, others deemed straightforward and outwardly spoken.

Throughout her career, Attwood Dack has borne the brunt of some appallingly sexist remarks – from the way she looks to her personality. But incredibly – and perhaps this is what owes to her long and ever-growing career – she has managed to stay put in her own beliefs and identity.

“I think glasses are a fashion statement now, and I think they can be sexy and they can be feminine as well as cool,” she says, “I’m not always, you know, dressing for the male gaze.”

Her priorities – like those of many women – have evolved.

“When you’re younger, it’s something you’re very focused on – does something make me look cool? Does it make me look, you know, attractive?” she reflects, “and I think now it’s like, as long as I feel good when I look in the mirror, I don’t care.

“I want the girls to love it, the gays to love it.”

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Despite her commitment to glasses as part of her style, she still finds resistance in unexpected places – like the glam team.

“The other night, I hosted an event for eBay, and I had to read from autocue and I was like, I need to wear my glasses,” she recalls, “and [her make-up artists] were like, no, you’re hiding our work. But actually I think that’s not correct anyway, because that’s the beauty of a bigger frame – that you do see all of the eye.”

And if the outdated assumption still exists that wearing glasses makes you look more serious or intelligent – “I’m not against that,” Attwood Dack laughs, “if it makes me look smarter – there’s even better reason to wear them!”

It’s clear that she thinks glasses are just as good an accessory as a bag or bracelet – even if they don’t necessarily suit your face shape.

“Sometimes I like to lean into the fact that the frame is very big – or even too big – on my face,” she laughs.

“There is fun in leaning into a pair that isn’t your style.”

Attwood Dack is working in partnership with Boots Opticians to showcase the wide range of styles and designer brands available in-store. For more information please visit Boots Opticians.