I made a Beauty Brush action in Photoshop. Duplicate layer, apply Gaussian Blur to around 10, reduce opacity to about 50%, and then bring up a layer mask. Use a brush to paint black over the eyes, hair, and anything else you want sharp.

If the eyes are sharp, the photo looks sharp.

If you are using film, the soft filter, a stocking over the lens, or petrolium jelly on a clear filter in front of the lens are all tricks we used to use a lot.