Grace in Glasses (Again!)

My admiration for the beauty, elegance, and class (or I suppose grace is the best way to put it) of legendary actress and princess Grace Kelly is well-documented.  When I wrote my first novel, I named my main character (a shy, not especially beautiful young girl) after her. And I've blogged about her once before as well, pointing out that when she wore her eyeglasses, she had a way of making them seem like an attractive fashion accessory. (You can read that post here, if you'd like.)  Grace Kelly was not afraid to don her specs in public, even daring to wear them at the Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood, where physical flaws of any kind are rarely exposed, and that's one of the many reasons I admire this iconic beauty.  She put the proverbial kibosh on the notion that men would "never make passes at girls who wear glasses"!

I recently came across this photo of Grace Kelly from the cover of a French magazine.  It appears that she is in the early days of her reign as Her Serene Highness, Princess Grace of Monaco here.

I love this photo!  In spite of Grace Kelly's breathtaking beauty--how I envy the perfect bone structure of her lovely face!--there is a sweet humility about her, too.  Reaching up to adjust her specs with a gloved hand, as she sits there looking resplendent in her lavender gown, regal sash, sparkling jewels, and silver crown, she reminds me a little of my book's humble heroine.  Did the princess have a habit of nervously adjusting her glasses, even when they didn't need it, like my Grace?

I did go through a phase, from college until after the birth of son #3, where I wore contacts; but I've spent most of my life (since the age of 11) wearing glasses.  They are as much a part of my face as my nose or my chin.  I feel, in fact, like I look a little weird without them. When I see pictures of Grace Kelly wearing glasses, too, I feel a kinship.  (Not a real kinship, of course; because I would hope if we were true kin, there might be more of a physical resemblance between us!)

Three cheers for Grace (as well as grace) in glasses!