How to Select Stylish Eyewear

neon eyelgasses sign, lit up at night

How to choose the best glasses for your face is one of the trickiest questions in the book, so I asked style expert and You Look Fab blogger extraordinaire Angie Cox to weigh in on the issue…- Kat

Angie Cox of You Look Fab

As a fashion stylist who has an aversion to contact lenses and wears glasses every day, I’m very passionate about this subject. If you wear specs regularly, they should be the best pair for your eyes and face that you can afford. People usually look at your face before they look at your outfit so your specs have the power to make an instantly fab or drab impression. Along with your hairstyle, your specs can make or break your look. So if you are spending time, energy and money on a great professional wardrobe, it is even more important that this crucial accessory is current and flattering.

Like clothing and footwear, specs have to fit, feel comfortable and look attractive. I have spent many, many hours seeking out killer specs for myself, friends, family members and clients. It is all about patience and experimentation, but over the years I’ve also developed a set of guidelines that might help you to find the perfect pair.

First, how to shop:

  • Find a handful of reputable stores: Do the homework of finding stores that have skilled sales assistants and sell a wide assortment of eyewear from all over the world (Japanese, French, British and Danish frames are my favourites at the moment). You’re after stores that sell classic, modern, retro and completely over-the-top vibes so that you’ll maximize your chances of finding a killer pair.
  • Try on many styles: Do not go into the process with a preconceived notion of what you think might work unless you know for sure from previous experiences. Try as many different shapes, styles and colours as possible. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the cherries stand out. Be adventurous!
  • Bring a style savvy friend: One little irony about specs shopping is that you have to remove your glasses to try on a new pair, and the blurry visage in the mirror makes it hard to make a good judgment (wearing contacts during the process helps). Sales assistants are not created equal so it’s imperative to bring along as extra set of stylish eyes. The second opinion can be very valuable.
  • Take photos of the winners: You'll want to compare specs across a few retailers, or get a second opinion at home. Snap photos of the styles you like best while you're in the store for easy reference later. If you’re brave you can even post them online for input. This often happens on the YouLookFab forum.
  • Beware of analysis paralysis: It is great to get lots of input, but that can also make the decision harder. After you have a shortlist, think back to your first gut instinct when you saw these frames. Sometimes we know the winner in the first few seconds of seeing the frames.

Here are some things to think about as you make your decision:

  • Frames MUST LIFT: I cannot stress this point enough! Specs look best when they lift the cheek and eye area at the bottom outside corners of the frames upwards. If this isn’t the case, your specs may make it seem like your facial features are “drooping” (not a good look). So be wary of the vertical height of the style. It’s unflattering if it’s too high or sags downwards.
  • Your eyes should be centered within the frames: They don’t need to be absolutely dead center, but thereabouts is good.
  • Match the scale of the frames with your facial proportions: Bold, oversized frames are dramatic, Avant-Garde and fabulous, but that doesn’t guarantee that they will work for you. A small person with dainty facial features is overwhelmed in thick, chunky frames. But that person can still achieve the same effect if they choose a more refined version of a chunky style.
  • Follow the line of your brows: Choose a frame shape that mirrors the arch of your eyebrows.
  • Don’t be scared of extra width: Many people wear specs that are too narrow for their face. Their eyes may be centered and the style “lifts upwards”, but the narrow width of the frames constricts the face. You want a shape that “opens up” the face, so add a little width to the top outside corners of the frames. It makes a world of difference, often balancing out a pear shaped face.
  • Think in three dimensions: You see your frames from the front, but everyone else sees them from all angles. They also catch glimpses of the inside of the frame. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to temple and inside color detailing. Often, if the color on the inside of the frames and the temples is different, the overall look is softer and more interesting. My favorite specs are black and white, but they are bright turquoise on the inside, which softens the harsh contrast against my pale skin and dainty features.
  • Choose a color that complements your skin tone and eye color: The operative word here is “complement”, not “match”. People with bright blue eyes shouldn’t wear bright blue specs. But wearing brown specs with blue detailing might be ideal. Do not confine your choice to neutral tones either. Eyewear does not have to match what you’re wearing, but rather go with everything because it compliments your face, not your clothes. You don’t change your face to match an outfit – it’s typically the same with eyewear.
  • Create the right amount of contrast: If the contrast between the color of your skin tone and the frames is too strong, you’ll look severe. If it’s not strong enough you’ll look blah. This is not a hard and fast rule, but generally, choose a color that is a little different to the colour of your hair and eyes. There are brown-eyed people with brown hair who get away with wearing brown specs, but this is not the norm.

Make sure that your lens prescription is recent. Specs can be adjusted for comfort so don't worry if they are a little uncomfortable in stores. If you regularly wear specs, build a collection over time. I have three pairs of specs that I regularly interchange depending on my mood and outfit.

Meet some of our YouLookFab forum members who have followed these guidelines when choosing their specs. First, Sarah, Kari and Astrid. Their specs LIFT their faces upwards. No droop!

Next, Kim, Ania and Heleen. Notice how their frames complement the shape of their brows.

Finally, Steph, Julie and Joha, whose oversized specs are very “geek chic”. These are three great reminders that one should never be a slave to the guidelines. Although the fit contradicts some of my basic guidelines around scale and eye centering, they still work in a great edgy way.


Thank you Kat, for the opportunity to write about a topic that is close to my heart! I'm happy to answer questions in the comments section so fire away.

Interested in writing something similar for Corporette? Check out our guest posting guidelines.

99 Comments

  1. Regular glasses wearer here. I am obsessed with Warby Parker. Their home try on is very helpful. Cute frames and and Rx lenses for only $95. I have a new pair of Webbs coming soon in the mail and I can’t wait.

    Oh, and I second the OP’s idea to bring a friend for a second opinion. I would never even have tried the pair on that he suggested, and it’s what I ended up buying.

    1. This is such a timely post as I was just debating whether to buy new glasses. I’ve been stalking the Warby Parker website for awhile and will probably take the plunge soon. Now I’m wondering how to put all this advice into effect when shopping online for glasses.

      1. Do these places (Warby Parker and the ones discussed below) accept insurance? I was about to pay a very high price for Kate Spade glasses this very evening. Thanks to Corporette for making me realize I was getting ripped off! Even without insurance, the ones at WP are cheaper than I was going to pay, but it would be great if I could find a place that does take the insurance that I am, after all, paying for.

        1. My insurance reimburses – check with your insurer (mine is VSP). But I actually was not thrilled with the quality and the relative plainness of the Warby Parker frames, so I returned mine. They were ok, but they felt like cheap glasses.

          1. I agree. The home try-on was great, as was customer service, but my Warby Parker glasses feel cheap for the price.

    2. I am going to buy a pair of these next year. I got all the way to the end a few months ago and then didn’t have my pupillary distance, so couldn’t order.

      PSA for those with strong prescriptions – Warby Parker charges more if your Rx is over a certain number (-4?), but total is still much less than regular glasses places.

      I currently have a pair of kind of Zooey Deschanel geeky girl glasses, black with turquoise insides, that make me happy. Undoubtedly they will look very dated in a few years. :)

      1. I called the last place I bought my glasses and they were able to give me my PD over the phone. It was really helpful since my optometrist’s receptionist flat out refused to give it to me. (Even though I had paid for my exam there.)

        1. Just a related rant about optometrists who refuse to give you your PD or other prescription data, even if you already paid $400+ for the privilege of getting tested there. My fault for losing the initial paperwork, but seriously? Just because I won’t buy glasses from your overpriced, understocked boutique, I can’t have my prescription information? The height of obnoxious, and confirms the suspicion that buying the eyeglass boutiques at these places are the biggest ripoffs around.

          1. I did still have the original Rx from my Dr., but he chose not to put the PD on it and wouldn’t give me the info when I asked. I’m with you, it’s infuriating and I’m thrilled the market has finally opened up.

          2. I like my optometrist but not the understocked selection. I’ll often buy frames elsewhere and have him do the glass. Doesn’t help with ordering online, but just passing along since it’s always an option.

        2. I suspect this is illegal (although I’m not a lawyer). Surely they can’t withhold the results of a medical test from you?

          1. May depend on the state. In Illinois, I believe that drs are not allowed to say what your contact lens prescription is if older than a year or two old (can’t recall exactly). Public health issue…maybe.

          2. In most states it would be illegal not to give you the PD (not the same as contact lenses), and I would threaten to report them to the BBB or the state attorney general’s office if they refuse to give them to you (or a consumer protection agency in your state).

            Separately you can also have someone else measure your PD with a ruler. I’ve done this and worn glasses using that measurement for 3+ years without a problem.

          3. I think the PD is a simple measurement and different from your basic prescription (which can’t be withheld), at least in some states.

          4. I think they have to give you your Rx, but I’ve found that I can usually only get my eyeglass or contact Rx from them in one go.

            When I left for college, my mother got the doctor to give me both, so maybe if you went to a new place and said you were leaving the country for six months?

      2. yea, high prescriptions… Pretty much everyone charges more for mine. It’s always fun when the store goes “well, you really need to pay extra for the special type of thinner glass, because if you don’t, it’s going to be like an inch thick.” I wish I wasn’t scared of lasik.

        1. I used to be in your boat -7 and -7.5 with lenses the size of bottle caps unless I got the special “thinner” lenses (which still looked thick to me). I then got lasik 9 months ago and am telling you, don’t be scared; you get a sedative, they numb your eyes and numb them again, you don’t feel a thing. Best thing I ever did, wish I had done it sooner.

        2. Ugh- high prescription progressives are the worst. With progressives, the difference in price point is really noticeable so you really have to fork out if you don’t want to get a headache. Oh the thrill of eye disorders- no lasik for me and I will always be gouged on lenses.

    3. FYI – Warby Parker has a try on location in SF and NYC. I went to NY showroom and tried on a bunch of frames, it was super easy (not that the free home try on isn’t). I really like my glasses from them, although I don’t wear them daily. I was actually quite willing to pay more for a “fancier” pair from Chanel or the like, but nothing looked quite as good on my face as the Warby Parker “Belen” in kings’ purple. Plus they donate a pair to someone in need for every pair sold.

      1. Thanks AIMS! I didn’t know that and now will definitely go there to try some on.

      2. OOOOOOOOOOH great to know! I’ve got a lot of flex spending left this year, so new glasses are definitely on the list.

  2. OP, any advice on how to find affordable frames? Last time i checked, the cost of new interesting frames can be shockingly high, and for something that shouldn’t really cost *that* much, considering the materials and etc …

    Warby Parker (as mentioned above) was launched on the premise of offering affordable + interesting frames. Would love to hear your thoughts.

    1. I’ve bought glasses from 39dollarglasses dot com and goggles4u dot com for under $100 each with scratch resistance and anti glare and quite light. Highly recommend. If you have a pair of glasses that fit your face very well, measure their dimensions and make sure to stick to those (within 1mm I’ve found) if you want to be safe.

      1. I used ZenniOptical.com which is just about the same. You can upload your photo there, and “try on” glasses, although you have to adjust your facial proportions manually.

    2. I’ve also been very happy with glasses and sunglasses from 39dollarglasses dot com.

    3. Target clearance rack – all clearance frames are $69.00 for a complete pair when you buy another pair (or in my case a year supply of contacts) at full price, both come with a great warranty. Target also has designer frames, fyi (which is something I was pleasantly suprised to discover). The staff was also very knowledgeable about the products and I was pleased with the quality of my eye exam. However, this may vary from location to location I assume.

  3. Any tips on using sites like Clearly Contacts? I have a pair of daily glasses that I really like (and that I bought at a bricks-and-mortar store after much trial and error and hours of trying things on), but want to get some “fun” glasses as well, for cheap. However, I’ve looked at Clearly Contacts and am petrified of doing all the required measurements incorrectly and ending up with glasses that simply don’t fit my face and look awful. Do any of you have any good advice?

    1. Just realized Clearly Contacts is Canadian so most of you probably don’t know what I am talking about….I guess the US version would be Warby Parker…

      1. I have ordered from Clearly Contacts several times, including when they give free glasses (literally). I am wearing a free pair of glasses as I write this post! They seem to do this all.the.time- just “like” them on facebook and they post their promotions. The glasses, including lenses, are actually free (people never seem to believe me!)- all you pay during these promos is shipping (usually about $12). The designer glasses are excluded from the free glasses promos, but this is a great way to try them out. I promise, I don’t work for them- I am just very enthusiastic and lots of my friends have gotten free glasses as a result :)

        Look inside the arms of your current glasses, the measurements of the frames should be printed there. If not, measure them yourself and buy frames that are similar in proportion.

        I have had a friend actually exchange the free glasses she received for another pair!!

  4. I am just going to get new glasses this very evening! I’ve been debating what to do because I have my eyes on two pairs after going to try on last weekend. They are both a little funky and oversized, but one is brown tortoise shell and one is pink/red Kate Spade. I love love love the latter but worry they are too much. I generally wear a lot of color so I’m thinking I might go with them anyway.

    1. I have a glasses wardrobe the includes an orange pair. I love them, though I wouldn’t wear them every day.

  5. I made the mistake a couple of years ago of going the matchy-matchy route with my glasses: I got a set of green ones that almost exactly match my greeny-blue eyes. My eyes fade away in them, and they’re now my spare pair at the office.

    I usually wear my contacts everyday now, but my glasses are a pair of wine-red square plastic frames. They’re a good contrasting color and look fine with everything, but I’ve been seriously yearning for a pair of purple cat eyes (by Betsey Johnson, no one should be surprised) that are in the Cohen’s I walk past every single day.

  6. Finding an opticians which has a good selection of frames ought to be secondary to finding an optician who has the skills to make and fit your lenses correctly. This is especially true with strong (> +/- 4) or complex (bifocal or prism) prescriptions that won’t work with all frames. Glasses are primarily medical devices. Making sure they fit and work is more important than making sure they look good.

  7. Related Threadjack:

    Does anyone have any prescription glasses that they run in? If so, where did you find them? I would like something, and am willing to shell out the cash, but I can’t seem to find them anywhere. I have found goggles, but I want glasses.

    Thanks!

    1. Excellent question. I will be interested in responses. I can only wear contacts when I exercise. You could try a trick my mom used when I was little to keep them on my head: She’d have the optician drill small holes in the behind the ear part of the frame, then she’d run a length of elastic through. You may be able to find those rubber frames for children in a larger size?

    2. Yes. I have contacts but really, really hate them, so I usually run in glasses. I have Kazuo Kawasaki frames (I don’t want to put a link because the comment will then go to moderation, but Google it). They are very lightweight and don’t bounce around on my face at all. They are also completely customizable (you can pick the stem and bridge colors and the lens shape, and they fit them to your face). I got them to wear as regular glasses, but I’m sure you can get them as prescription sunglasses too. They are pricy, but well worth it in my opinion. I would see if you can find a retailer near you and see if they will let you take them out for a run around the block.

      1. Interesting. Have they held up well? I’m willing to spend the money, but will be quite sad if they can’t withstand the dust/grime of the outdoors.

    3. I have a pair of glasses from See eyewear. THey are rimless and just have bendable sides that are sort of moldable and hook around my ears (sort of). They are super lightweight and the way the sides are, they don’t slide around.

    4. My husband has a pair of RecSpecs he uses — they are between glasses and goggles, IMO. Ugly as can be, but they will withstand a lot and it’s not like you’re wearing them to work or out.

    5. Great question. I recently started working out in the AM and I work out in my glasses and put my contacts in post shower. I wear my regular every day designer glasses. I feel like they are getting out of shape and gross from it. I was going to take them to lens crafters for a tune up and ask their advice on working out w/ them. I guess at the gym I could take them off and run blind on the treadmill but I’m afraid I’d get dizzy.

      1. I used to use my last pair of glasses at the gym. They were already beat up from everyday wear for 2 yrs, so I didn’t worry about getting them messed up. Then I would just switch glasses when I changed for work.

        1. I do this, too. Most of the time I wear contacts to work out in, but I have a pair in frames that I don’t like so much that are my “grubby” glasses – reserved purely for bedtime (since I’m prone to falling asleep with a book in one hand and specs in the other), hiking/camping, or working out. They are in an outdated prescription, but are fine for working out and much preferable to having no glasses on at all – I tend to bump into things very easily with no vision correction!

    6. Um, I may be doing it wrong, but 98% of the times that I go running (3-4x per week) I am wearing my normal prescription eyeglasses. I just wear Croakies to keep them from sliding down my nose, and wash them off when I jump in the shower after my run.

      Just Google “croakies” and then click on the “sport retainers”category. I’m sure there are other brands, too —

  8. Glasses are expensive! I wear bifocals, and when I’m done with frames and lenses, that’s several hundred dollars each year (my Rx changes annually).

    Don’t forget that you can run the frames and the lenses through your Flexible Spending Account/Health Care Reimbursement Account, if you are lucky enough to have one.

    1. Oh my gosh, thanks for the tip! I can’t believe I’ve never thought of that. I also require very expensive lenses, so this will be a big help.

        1. Yes! I heart my flexible spending account.

          Although I do not heart that Congress excluded OTC medications as of 2011 and is reducing the maximum contribution from $5,000 to $2,500 as of 2012. I really don’t understand how that fosters inviduals taking better care of ourselves and having more healthcare choices. From what I’ve been able to see online, there was disturbing little debate over that particular provision in Congress and very little lobbying on either side.

  9. Any recommondations for glasses stores in Orange County, CA? I love love love EyeGotcha in San Francisco (Noe Valley). But it would be nice to have something local, too. TIA.

    1. I’m sure there are lots of eyeglass stores in OC, but I go to AV Eyes in south county, have a wide variety and custom ordered me a color they didn’t carry. I like the optometrist and the tech has always been very helpful. And for me, very conveniently located.

  10. Also, spring for the anti-glare anti-reflective coating. I know it sounds like an easy way to save money when you’re a broke student (or any other kind of broke), but people need to see your eyes. I’ve had too many “is she talking to me?” moments in roomful-of-strangers settings.

    1. Agree on the anti-reflective coating. However, I avoid adding a protective (scratch-resistant) coating. My doc said he usually only advises for children. The coating over time tends to yellow. So you end up spending more for something that doesn’t look as nice.

    2. I have to disagree after having to trash three pairs of “night-time only” glasses in three years. I usually wear contacts during the day so I only needed glasses for at night. The anti-glare coating always scratched or peeled within a year of getting them. There was no way to fix it so I had to buy new glasses every year.

      The last time I bought glasses, I had to start walking out the door before they would sell me glasses without coating.

      1. Wow. I’ve never had that happen, and I’ve been getting anti-glare lenses for more than a decade. I’m sorry this happened to you.

  11. just recently got an updated prescription and picked out an awesome pair of Skaga eyeglasses, I got them in a nice purple color, since my wardrobe is mostly neutrals thought it would be fun. Love them so much I’m thinking of going back to get the tan/brown in the same frames just to have a *fun* pair for drab outfits and a neutral pair for fun outfits.

    Think the name of the frame was “Amy”, the frames were $95 (with minimal insurance). Really cute, with just a little “geek chic” look, so I think they will still look current down the line. Even though I’m fairly new to eyeglass purchasing I’m glad these met more than a few of the requirements above!

  12. I appreciate the tips. I’ve worn glasses my entire life and still don’t feel like I know how to pick a good pair. I end up trying them all on without any method.

    1. That was how I felt! And then I went to a glasses place where the woman really new how to fit glasses. They ran me $400, but they were the first pair of glasses I had that I loved! And now I have a good idea of shape and size for my face.

      And it wasn’t a fancy boutique shop either, just the glasses place in the mall in Atlantic Center in Brooklyn. But the woman was a genius!

      Ask people who have glasses that you like if someone helped them pick them out. A good sales person can change your life!

  13. Curious if there are any E. Asian Corporettes who have problems with falling spec (because of our low nose bridges). Has anyone ever found glasses that solve this problem? Or other thoughts/ideas?

    1. I find that nose pads are key to a good fit for me. I used to get red marks on the sides of my nose where my plastic frames rested. After getting them retrofitted with nose pads, the fit and comfort are much improved. And I just found out that a good optician will be able to add nose pads to almost any frame. Just ask!

    2. YES. I have to choose wire rim or rimless glasses with nose pads and the lenses cannot be too round or else they end up resting on my cheeks. Even so most glasses end up perched on my face at an awkward and unbecoming angle. My solution is to wear contact lenses.

    3. No suggestions, just sympathy! Mine are constantly sliding down my nose, especially when it’s humid outside and my skin is more slippery than usual. sigh.

    4. Do any of you lovely Corporettes have suggestions for goggle brands? I teach swimming lessons, and have noticed that some of the E. Asian kids have real trouble getting goggles that fit. I’d love to be able to make a recommendation to parents (sometimes adoptive) for better fitting goggles!

      Thanks in advance!

      1. check out my love affair with (Canadian) Clearly Contacts above- I think they have some Jimmy Choo frames but not sure if they include the ones you linked to.

  14. About online glasses ordering – be sure to compare the lens width and height to a pair of glasses you already own. This measurement should appear on one of the arms. This is particularly important if you have an unusually large or small build, since you’ll need wider or narrower frames than the average.

    Warby Parker’s online try-on function, for example, resizes the glasses to your face rather than showing how the actual size of the glasses would look on your actual face. I am a veritable giant with a big head and I was pleasantly surprised to see using the try-on feature that the Warby Parker frames appeared large and wide even on me. But when I looked at the listed measurements of the frames, I found that they were far smaller than my current glasses and would never have worked in the flesh.

  15. Anyone have a recommendation on where to find extra-wide frames? My skull is apparently so enormous that absolutely nothing I tried on recently fit my face (looked like I was trying on kids-sized frames with a few). Granted, I only went to Walmart, but I’ve tried other places in the past and have had the same problem. I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking.

    1. Go to a big eyeglasses store with lots of frames and see how they are. Sometimes they come in different sizes than the display sizes. Also, try men’s frames.

    2. Same here. My optometrist told me to go to stores that carry German frames, and it worked. I guess Germans have freakishly large heads?

    3. Niko, I hope you don’t mind my chiming in. My face is very wide at the temples, and apparently my eyes are a bit far apart, and for a while I had trouble finding frames that fit properly. It seems like a lot of the mainstream optical suppliers (Costco, WalMart, etc.) carry a lot of brands in medium widths but not too many that are either wide or narrow – even though I was very impressed by the quality of lens that I got when I purchased my glasses at Costco.
      However, I’ve actually had very good luck at finding brands carried by Lenscrafters that ran wide. The last two frames I purchased there were plastic frames – one was Adrienne Vittadini, and the other was by DViations (the black and white pair in Angie’s post.)
      More recently I found a *great* (though more pricey) pair by Orgreen in a specialty eyeglass store. I was lucky to find a very helpful sales clerk who took a look at my face and prescription, and started pulling frames off the wall that would be a good fit *and* would be likely to flatter my face.

      1. (Also, to complicate fittings – I’ve discovered over time that my left ear is quite a bit higher than my right ear, and not really “in line” with the rest of my facial features. Glasses always fit me crooked at first until I have a great technician manipulate them a bit!)

          1. You’re very welcome. Good luck in your search!

            And if you’re interested in trying it out, the frame that worked for me most recently, which I’d definitely recommend to others who are wide in the face, is the Orgreen Pussycat.

  16. I tried on some pairs in the store and ultimately bought my glasses online at eyebuydirect.com. I bought two pairs during the BOGO pair, so I got two pairs of prescription glasses + cases + shipping for $30! You have to make sure to have your eye doctor measure your pupil distance, though, as you can’t purchase glasses without it. Not the perfect setup for everyone, but if you do research before, know what you want and follow the right steps getting glasses online saves TONS of money. I have converted several friends to this method and personally won’t ever go back.

  17. Great comments and information!

    By all means check with your health insurance. Many plans will cover at least part of your eyewear costs either annually or every second year. My husband and I also both wear sunglasses with prescription lenses, and our insurance paid for the lenses.

    @budget, have you tried Costco and Lens Crafters? I have not had good experiences with ZenniOptical, but you might have a better one. I still think it’s best to have specs professionally fitted in a brick and mortar store as opposed to trying to sort it out online. The smallest detail can make all the difference.

    @Asian Specs, there is an eyeglasses boutique in Seattle called “Ottica” that specializes in eyewear for low bridge noses. One of the owners is Asian so it’s a professional passion of hers.

    @Niko, extra wide frames are not rare. You should be able to find them in a specialty eyewear shop. Trying mens frames as reader L suggested is also a good idea.

  18. Don’t laugh, but when Sarah Palin appeared on the scene – as a woman of her age, while I dislike her politics, I really did like her glasses. I ordered a fairly similar pair (Prada brand) and get compliments on them all the time.

    And I hate that geek-chic look. It just looks like geek and overeager hipster.

    1. Funny, because when I bought my last pair of glasses, the salesman — this was on the Upper East Side — said three women customers had told him that week NOT to suggest anything that looked like Sarah Palin’s frames.

      I think she’s an attractive woman. It’s her politics and stupidity I hate.

  19. Excellent suggestions. Wish I’d thought to have pix taken so I could think it over.

    1. Yes, it was on last week’s Weekly Round up: “Kat’s son finally made an appearance on August 19, 2011 at 7:20 AM — 8 lbs, 13 oz, 22″ long.”

  20. Does anyone have a good recommendation for online children’s glasses? I spend a fortune on them for my son!

    1. Don’t do it.

      Children’s glasses are hard to fit and must be fitted in person by someone who knows what they’re doing.

      You could permanently damage your child’s visual development if you cut corners.

  21. What do you guys think of the huge frames? I guess they are “geek chic”. I think they look cute but feel like they will be outdated in a year. I think of glasses as an investment and am willing to spend whatever to look good in them but not if they will go out of style in a year or two.

    1. I feel like large plastic-frame geek glasses have actually been in for a while. Are they going to go out of style? Of course, eventually. But they’ve had a lot of staying power.

    2. I think the big frames and thick plastic frames are awful looking, despite being “in style.” Of the frames pictured, there is only one I’d remotely consider wearing. As someone who wears glasses every day, I much prefer a simple thin wire pair.

    3. I got my first pair in 1997. They are not going anywhere. I don’t wear as big frames now, but I feel like thicker frames are a better choice for my level of nearsightedness. A thicker frame hides my thick lenses, and takes the focus away from how tiny my eyes look. I also have to wear progressives and you have to have a certain size of lens for them to work properly.

    4. Classic “geek-chic” frames have been fashionable as long as I can remember – at least if you mean fifties-style frames like these. That’s one reason I have a pair – they’re always classic and a little bit unusual. (If you’re into those styles, Shuron has been making them since the fifties, in the US and in a great, great variety of sizes, styles and widths – there are smaller versions of the geek-chic ones, for example.)

      There’s always a mainstream/popular shape (oblong at the moment) and a trending shape (rounder, eighties-preppy right now). I like to have my classic fifties-style specs as a fallback and a pair of the trending shape too because although my clothes are classic I’m appallingly trendy with my glasses.

      The fifties shapes are very definite, though, so you need to have the right style to wear them. My clothes are classic and a bit severe; I have a short, defined haircut, I like simple jewelry and my features are fairly marked, so I feel that a strong and unusual pair of frames suits everything else.

      I also like them because they come in giant sizes to suit my giant head…

  22. @anon, I agree with AJ. Geek-Chic specs have been in for a while and I don’t think that they will date soon either. If you wear specs all the time like I do, it’s great to have a mixture of vibes and looks. I don’t wear Geek-Chic specs, but I do have both modern and retro specs that I interchange daily.

  23. Thanks for this post! I’m buying new glasses pretty soon, and while I love cute glasses, I generally hate the process of acquiring new ones. It takes me forever to make decisions when faced with too many options on something like this. I think that this article gives some great tips that will help me narrow down some choices.

    – Alisha

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