New Look
I’m not really one to change my look. A case in point: I am turning 40, still shop from the children’s department at Old Navy, and am wearing a coat that is so old that it realistically could have grandchildren by this point. But I bought a new pair of glasses on an impulse this weekend.
My friend told me this week that she thinks the glasses choose the wearer in the same way that the wand chooses the wizard. There are a pair of glasses out there meant for your face; you just need to try them on to find them. And then you know. You know in a major way that this particular pair of glasses (with a core of unicorn horn and phoenix feather) was meant to be matched with your face, and only your face.
I’ve never had that experience. I’ve had more of the “are these good enough?” conversations in my head. That’s how I ended up with my last pair of glasses 12 years ago. It was this time of year, and I needed a pair of glasses to wear when I walked down the aisle. So I bought the pair you’ve normally seen me in. Barely-there rims. Small ovals.
Please ignore the squint…
This weekend, I was in a glasses store and my eye kept going up to a particular pair on the wall while I was speaking with an employee. So after I finished my conversation, I tried them on. And they felt so right on my face that it was like that moment when Harry Potter grips his wand at Ollivander’s and feels the power of the tool.
I had Josh take a picture, and I texted it to my sister from the store. From several states away, thanks to the beauty of technology, she was able to reassure me that the glasses fit my face. And even though they were very different from my normal pair, it was worth branching out and trying something new. We had money leftover in our flex spending account, so I went for it.
Glasses in the store without my real frames, but better than the selfie I just tried to take.
The point of my old glasses were to fade into the background and beg people not to notice them. And these glasses practically scream at you, “look at my subpar myopic eyes!?!?” I had a moment of doubt right after I put them on for the first time with my prescription in place. I mean, my modus operandi is to go through my day without being noticed, so why would I choose something loud and solid that reminds the world that they’re there? I don’t know. I guess it was just time for a change.
35 comments
Love the glasses. They are really flattering and you look very happy in the picture. I struggle with glasses as well – it feels like a high pressure purchase since they are not only expensive but always there, unlike a pair of shoes that I can just switch out when I’m not feeling it.
I usually try to emulate some famous person/regular person I admire and end up with something not really suited for my face. However, I tried to ignore that with my last pair and bought something simple, not noticeable (kind of like your old pair actually) and I am pretty happy. So I think you’re right about the glasses choosing the wearer – because if you try to force yourself into being someone else, even just in the glasses department, ultimately you’re going to be unhappy.
I love them! I have been in the same glasses forever. Lately I have been seeing more and more people getting the black rimmed glasses and I am starting to think maybe (just maybe) I am ready to move forward from my glasses of ol’.
I love the new look!
I think the new glasses look great!!
the other glasses are ‘fine’ but the new ones are great! My dad was an optician, and I’ve helped tons of people pick out new glasses. you did a good job!
Love the new glasses! They are perfect!
I love them!! And I am a fan of showing off my glasses, rather than having them blend in. I used to have wire frames, but never liked to wear them. Once I got a thick framed pair, I felt like they become more of an accessory and I love them!
Beautiful.
The glasses, too.
I love them. Also, I love the glasses choose the wearer idea.
love them! you look great.
OMG SO PRETTY! They really accentuate your gorgeous eyebrows. Dang, you have nice arches 🙂
I love your friend’s theory, and I’m glad you listened to your impulse about those glasses, because they look fantastic!
I love the idea that glasses pick you like wands. My last pair & I were not meant to be, but I have a set that was meant for me now. Your new pair looks great!
I kinda think that’s true, too. The glasses do sometimes choose you. I had that experience a while back, and even though my prescription has changed, and I’ve gone through several pairs of glasses since then, I still remember them fondly (and occasionally consider asking someone to go to the hassle of making lenses to fit those frames again, even though most opto-places get really pissy about that sort of thing).
When I got the frames I currently wear, I did kinda take that approach of “Well, I wear glasses anyway. No sense in trying to hide that fact. Might as well choose something that screams, ‘THESE ARE MY GLASSES! LOOKY HERE!'”. And I like my current frames, but they aren’t as good as those old ones that “found” me. (see current FB picture for current frames… and old FB pic for old frames!)
Oh, and I rudely forgot to say so, but those new frames are boss. Love them!
Wow, these are GREAT on you—really work with your features and coloring.. Not sure I agree with your friend’s theory (I’ve had myself some doozies that were DEFINITELY chosen by nothing but my own poor taste), but I love the IDEA of it, and that it seemed to work for you!!
Change is good! So glad you took the opportunity to give your ‘look’ an update. Got my husband new frames recently, too, and he looks younger and refreshed.
The new glasses are awesome and suits you perfectly! Good choice.
I remember when I broke out of my glasses mold and got super trendy. Made me feel instantly cooler. Hope it does the same for you!
I love them! They look great on you.
I like them. They look fabulous!
I think these look amazing and really suit you. There was nothing wrong with the old pair, but these are fantastic. Kudos for taking the plunge on a new pair!
I LOVE them! You look beautiful!
I think the new frames make you look younger!
The last time I got glasses I really tried to make a pair work but they just didn’t even after several weeks of going in and trying them on. Then one day when I decided to just go ahead and make a decision, I tried a pair on a whim and they were just perfectly right. Which completely surprised me because I really didn’t want a pair of glasses with purple frames, but once on the purple just kinda disappears.
They look awesome! I love bold frames. That’s all I wore when I had glasses. Then I had laser surgery, and I now pick out big, bold sunglasses for myself.
Fabulous frames that fit your features well. Picking out new glasses is a very personal choice and glad to hear you gave them a try. Love the comparison to HP and wand selection. Sometimes things speak to you and may reveal more to you about yourself.
Wow! Those glasses look fabulous on you! It’s good to change things up sometimes.
The new glasses are fantastic.
I bought new glasses before we left the US. My new ones are also a bold change….they are red.
You look amazing!!! Those glasses bring your face into the foreground. Which is a good thing. It’s reassuring to know that you still shop in the same store, have an old coat and had those glasses forever. If love to be around more non materialists like you.
They’re fantastic frames for you! And I totally agree with you that sometimes glasses choose the person. And I spend a lot of time thinking about glasses and looking at pictures of faces with glasses, and there are frames that are just. right. for a particular person — yours are right for you. I had a similar experience 6 years ago where I saw a pair in an optical shop, and they haunted me. I kept thinking about them, and agonizing over the price, but eventually shelled out quite a bit for them (though, spread over the length of time I wore them, it was far less than $1 / day). And then I had a friend who really was like an Ollivander for glasses. She worked in an optical shop, and she’d see a pair, and know they were meant for someone and would set the pair aside and call her friend. That’s where my current pair are from. I’ve worn them for over four years now – the longest I’ve had a pair for a while, I still love them, and I’m sad my friend has moved on to another career, because I’m not sure I can ever pick out another pair as great as these.
Those glasses are awesome! I had a Harry Potter moment a few days ago, when my daughter’s cello teacher decided that her bow didn’t fit, and that she had to have a different one. We had a long conversation about length, material, etc., and I found the right one and put it in her hand, we just knew. It really does seem like a wand when she plays it. I will be eternally grateful to JK Rowling for moments like that. Alas, the pair of glasses that chose ME the last time I was at the optician cost $400! I went home without them. Sigh.
I love how the mirror in the background shows the back of your head, and the camera in both Josh’s hands.
And I admire you for raising twins and keeping the same pair of glasses intact.
I have frames in different colours and sizes. Frameless pairs too for the ‘invisible’ days, bold ones for the ‘hello here I am’ days, acquired in the last 20 years.
Those new frames look wonderful on you!
Great choice! Your friend’s comment is very interesting – I’ve never had it that one particular pair of glasses was getting my immediate attention when I walked into the store but I find it always pretty amazing that when I go shopping for new glasses and I have a vague idea of what I want, I manage to pick a pair out of a selection of 6-10 that they will lay out for me (some of those immediately fall off because they do not fit the shape of my head / position of my eyebrows etc, others because I really don’t like them) and I never regret my decision afterwards – except once, when I went in with a much more specific idea of a frame and it actually turned out that wasn’t such a good idea – I changed to another pair much quicker than I usually do (1 yr instead of 3-6 yrs) because I was getting married and didn’t want those frames in my wedding pictures 😉 (I had some prescription sun glasses put in them later, so it wasn’t a complete waste of money after all)
How did I miss commenting on this one before?? The new frames are fabulous. 🙂 I have an optometrist appointment soon… not sure I need a new prescription, but I think I may get a new pair anyway. I’ve had these for at least five years, maybe six — time for a change! (Although the pair I have right now is very similar to the pair I had before, lol.)