USA TODAY

Monday, October 16, 1989

Section: LIFE

Page: 1 - D

By: Elisabeth Sporkin

"A TEEN STAR WITH FASHION VISION"

Kellie Martin has specs appeal. The 14-year-old actress is setting a teen trend for red-rimmed glasses like the ones she wears as the spunky Becca in "Life Goes On."

"I've gotten a lot of fan mail about them," says Kellie, who sports her own specs on the show. "I've had boys write and tell me never to take my glasses off. And I've had a lot of girls come up and say they want glasses now that Becca's made them acceptable."

Opticians across the country - who have been selling red- rimmed glasses to adult women for several years - say teens are looking twice at Becca's eyes.

"We've already had kids come in asking for the glasses seen on that show," says Marj McGraw of Sears Optical's 600 stores. "We expect a show like this will cause a big increase in the desire for that type of eyewear."

Once frowned upon among teens, glasses have become status accessories.

"People have more than one pair these days - a basic pair and a fun pair," says Kara Apperson of Pearle Vision's 920 stores. "Young girls buy mostly soft pinks and blues, but theres been a steady increase in brighter reds as their fun pair."

Ironically, Kellie, who's worn glasses since age 10, says she first brought red frames "because I always wanted to look dif- ferent at school."

"I don't think I'd have this part if I didn't wear glasses," Kellie says. "I wore them at every interview. They're kind of un- forgettable. Everybody knows me as Kellie-with-glasses or Becca-with-glasses."

One day her eyewear wardrobe may rival Elton John's. "I'd like to have a pair of glasses to wear with each outfit," Kellie says. Next on her list: "Circle frames."

For now, she has four pairs - two blue, two red. She wore both colors on the "Life Goes On" pilot, but since Becca's family is blue-collar, producers thought two pairs were too extravagant.