Stanley Tucci has been in the public eye as an actor since 1982, and has long been established as an actor when starring in a movie you get a feeling its going be a 'good one'. Best known for films such as: The Devil Wears Prada and Hunger Games; and his highest grossing films: Conspiracy (2001) and Spotlight (2015).
Despite all of that Tucci has become some what of a cult style icon amongst men. His classic approach to dress ensures he's always looking his best. Focus on investing in key pieces for any outfit and you can't fail to look understatedly stylish.
As a man who is follically challenged after going bald in his thirties and deciding to take the plunge and shave it off his frame game has definitely upped the ante and is definitely following the tips found in our blog "Glasses for bald men". As a man of maturing years he’s an excellent example of how to choose glasses that’ll make you look younger.
And as soon as we saw him sporting black thick rimmed eyeglasses with "the three dots" in his latest series “Searching for Italy” we knew it was time to find out more about them. To help you with your search we've put together some great tips to help you find your perfect pair of Stanley Tucci glasses.
What is Stanley Tucci wearing in searching for Italy?
If, like us, you have been hooked on Tucci’s CNN docu-series “Searching for Italy” (watch in the UK via BBC iPlayer) you will no doubt have seen his latest frames. He has become synonymous with bold, thick rimmed, chunky frames both on and off the screen. This particular pair’s brand is actually completely unknown - even to Tucci himself!
As mentioned in an interview with him with CNN PR they were a gift and are completely unbranded. As spectacle makers we can shed a little light on this and fill you in on exactly who makes those frames!
Most likely the exact frames Stanley is wearing are vintage. Unbranded frames are usually vintage as nowadays. As eyewear brands can’t help themselves from sticker slap the exterior of their frames.
Another reason we can assume they are vintage is the styling, classically 50’s in shape, colour and style. It’s thicker than the usual frame you’d see today, an upswept wayfarer style was also a common sight throughout the 50’s.
The bold, statement look of black acetate also points to vintage, as back in the day acetates weren’t as readily available in the great myriad of colours they are today.
Tucci’s “Searching for Italy” frame also sports wide, paddle-like temples with a very subtle ear drop. This means the frame relies more on the ‘wrap-around’ effect to hold the frame in place rather than dropping down behind the ear.
Many reporters online have suggested an Oliver People’s Cary Grant frame would be a suitable alternative however, we disagree and heres why:
The Cary Grant glasses produced by Oliver Peoples has a keyhole bridge, which isn’t a feature of Stanley Tucci’s frame. His features a classic, simple saddle bridge.
This frame is also missing the signature 3-pin rivets in a triangular formation, with the pins pointing in-ward towards the lenses. This is also a key giveaway as to his frame also being vintage as prior to heat-sinking, hinges were most commonly fitted using rivets.
This is a far superior fastening method compared to the shortcut techniques of today. As well as providing an attractive, intricate detail it also allows for easy repair which can be repeated time and again.
So who makes Stanley Tucci's Searching for Italy Glasses?
After much searching and wracking our brain to all the brands we have studied and come to know on our journey to becoming spectacle makers . It's an American brand named Julius Tart Optical who now produce in Japan. The style is called the F.D.R. and comes in a range of colours, of course Tucci has gone for the classic black.
As you can see the detailing is EXACTLY the same, particularly the paddle temples with the slight subtle drop and what is known as 'ear-joys'. Everything down to the formation of the pins and lack of exterior branding.
We still have a suspicion he wears a vintage version of this frame as Stanley himself admits there is no visible branding on the frame. Which we suspect has rubbed off over the years.
Julius Tart is an old New York based brand, originally started by an optician named Julius Tart. Founded in 1948 he started producing sculpted, stylish frames which soon caught the eye of many movie stars and celebrities of the day. And vintage versions of these frames commonly show up all over the place however, the new FDR version is exactly the same as the original.
Here are a few of other suggestions to get a similar look to Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy Glasses:
F-DRK-GRY is a close match to Stanley Tucci’s glasses in searching for Italy. Traditionally riveted hinges give you the same look and most importantly quality feel. Not quite as many pins has Tucci's but two out of three ain't bad!
These are dark grey so not completely solid black like Tucci’s. Definitely has the 50’s upswept wayfarer stye though. if you’re not as confident to so for a solid black rimmed frame this semi translucent option may be the best for you.
Next option is: Cutler and Gross’ 1392. They have nailed the 1950’s style, and is made from solid black acetate. However, this particular model sports tortoiseshell temples, so not quite an exact match to Stanley’s but a cool interpretation nonetheless. This frame also lacks the triple pin rivet detail, instead features “oyster pins”, a decorative pin detail which can be found on the frame front.
Our third suggestion is the Celine-CL50066I-00. A bit taller and a little more square than Stanley Tucci’s signature frame. But it does feature the all important triple rivet detail of the front facer. However, sadly these are just decorative! They aren’t actually pin riveted frames, which is disappointing, but if you like the look of the pins and don’t mind heat sunk hinges these might be the ones for you.
This frame being a little taller would also be a better option if you are a varifocal wearer. Choosing a taller frame will allow for a wider field of vision across all powers.
Our fourth suggestion is Garrett Leights Broadway frame. Although this is fitted with sunlenses it can be easily swapped out for your traditional prescription lenses. As you can see the shape is very similar to Tucci’s with the retro feel and solid black acetate.
The detailing of the decorative pins doesn’t obviously match the three pin rivets found on Tucci’s. However, the gold leaf emblem is a nice touch. If it helps Brad Pitt and Tom Holland are also fans and has been spotted wearing them in several different colours.
However, our closest match to Stanley Tucci’s glasses worn in ‘Searching for Italy’ has to be Celine CL50035I.
These are traditionally riveted with triple pin hinges, a much better quality option in our spectacle maker opinion as they can be infinitely repaired. The shape of this frame is the most similar to Tucci’s, that classic 1950s upswept wayfarer style in solid black acetate. The rims are also a bit thicker than the average acetate frame aiding the vintage feel.
The sides aren’t paddle, however they are a wider side with a good drop. The only feature of this frame which differs from Stanley Tucci’s is the Celine logo featuring on the arm.
A disappointing addition in our opinion as it doesn’t really add to the frame. We’re not fans of unnecessary branding, especially in this case where it hasn’t been particularly tactful in its placement. Aside from the branding which is small in size at least this model is by far the closest match to Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy glasses.
Stanley Tucci's Glasses in "Inside Man"
If like us, you are hooked on the latest BBC drama kicking off Autumnal TV schedule you'll be intersted to know what frame Stanley is sporting. The death row detective Jefferson Grieff is seen wearing a half rim, browline frame. Not to be confused with the Ray-Ban Classic - The Clubmaster. This is a much more rectangular design, the angles are far sharper than a Clubmaster.
After some digging, we've sourced a Burberry frame which we feel matches this style perfectly. As the exact frame worn by Stanley is unknown it looks to be very minimal with no branding. So we've opted to give you the best match in terms of the frame style.
Classic eyewear worn by Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci has always sported the classic black frame. Below we take a look at some of his looks over the years and our recommendations of how to match them.
The timeless black rectangular frame, you can’t go wrong if you’re looking for something to rely on. This frame shown has no external branding or pin details, so for those who don’t like overly fussy frames these are for you. Might not be the best frame style to choose if you are looking to fit varifocals in your frame. As you would benefit from a taller design to cater for the differing powers.
Why not check out our version
This variation is a little taller and squarer in style compared to the previous design. This would be better suited to a varifocal lens. Allowing for a good field of vision for: distance, intermediate and near powers. This style is quite a bit thinner than his usual thick rimmed style. But if you prefer something a little more subtle then try our Lite 002 in Onyx Black.
This style worn by Tucci is a slimmed down Moscot Lemtosh style. With a classic keyhole bridge detail, again with minimal rivet detailing for the pin hinges. As always solid, polished black frame, this softly square frame shape suits many face shapes and could be the one for you. Why not check out our new C-model in classic black or a warm havana?
Straying from convention Stanley can be seen above wearing a split-tone gradient frame. This is where the acetate is made up of two-colours generally a dark tone (found at the top) and usually a light sometimes transparent colour at the bottom. This makes the frame visually a bit more top heavy. So for those looking for a stronger browline style frame a two-tone may be a good option for you.
Why not check out our gradient styles
Stanley Tucci’s glasses in Films
Julie & Julia (2009)
Stanley Tucci plays Paul Childs the infamous Julia Childs husband. In it he dons an amber glasses frame. Fairly thin rimmed, rounded front with a keyhole bridge. The closet match we’ve found is the Oliver Peoples Riley frame:
Check out this scene where he asks the infamous improvised line “what is it you like to do?” wearing the round amber spectacle frame.
The Devil wears Prada (2006)
One of the most popular films he has starred in again alongside Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. His character Nigel is confidant to Andy as she tries to navigate the fickle world of fashion. In this he wears a much bolder shape than what we usually see him wearing, a traditional low end piece round eye. Almost Corbusier in style, it’s a bold look that may not be for everyone but for Tucci we reckon it’s a winner!
Check Nigel out in action during the ‘makeover’ scene of the Devil Wears Prada
The Terminal (2004)
Playing the “bad guy” in the 2004 film “The Terminal” Tucci sports a wire rim frame, a bit different for him as a lover of all frames acetate. If you’re interested in replicating this look check out our wire rims.
And for old time sake check out the infamous “goat” scene featuring Tucci’s character being out smarted by Viktor…
Transformers 4 (2014)
More of a futuristic look for Stanley Tucci in Transformers 4, this 3D printed matte black aviator style is very different from the usual frames we see him in. The company who produces these frames in German are called Mykita. And have developed the worlds first repeated 3d printed glasses frames.
In a quote from Mykita themselves describing the innovative material used to create the Mylon series: “The eyewear construction uses the respective material properties of stainless steel and the laser-sintered MYLON material to optimal effect, producing a perfectly balanced and lightweight frame with outstanding wearing comfort.”
Mykita are no strangers to donning famous faces with fans in Tom Hiddleston and Daniel Craig.
It’s easy to see why a frame like this was used for Tucci’s character Joshua Joyce in this film. Here's a little reminder of him in action in the perfect scene giving us a good view of that frame.
Conclusion: Stanley Tucci has serious style
In case you hadn’t noticed throughout Tucci’s lengthy 40 year acting career he has never been short of stylish eyewear both on and off the screen. Sticking to his trusty black colour scheme over the years hasn’t failed him yet - well, if it ain’t broken…
But he’s not afraid to go bold with the thickness of the rim and it has served him well to stay some what ‘on-trend’ in the eyewear realm.
Hopefully you found this article helpful. Please check out our other eyewear icons. Thanks for stopping by.