John Lennon begins wearing ‘granny’ glasses

In preparation for his role in Richard Lester’s film How I Won The War, John Lennon was given an army-style haircut and a pair of new glasses to wear.

Lennon’s haircut took place in the breakfast room of the bar The Inn On The Heath hotel in Celle, near Hanover, West Germany. The short-back-and-sides, performed by 28-year-old German hairdresser Klaus Baruch, made headlines around the world.

John Lennon gets a haircut for How I Won The War, 6 September 1966

Baruch shaved off Lennon’s sideburns, swept back his fringe and greased it down. The cut hair was later burnt to prevent it being sold.

Although the hairstyle proved a temporary measure, the old-fashioned round National Health ‘granny’ glasses quickly became a trademark of his public image. They became soon fashionable, and he retained the look until the end of his life.

Last updated: 28 August 2018
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