Glasses are my favorite accessory. I've been wearing them for only a few months short of my entire life, so you could say I am pretty into them, despite them being a necessary solution to my poor vision. Sure, I could get contacts and never have to worry about unnoticeable eye makeup or watching videos while on my side, but then I'd be missing out other simple joys, like putting on a freshly cleaned pair of lenses and mimicking the girl-is-hot-when-she-takes-off-her-glasses trope.
But beyond any patriarchal-poking-fun, I legitimately love my glasses and how they have become a part of my visual character. Unfortunately, in the past, it was a two-year commitment before I could get a new pair from my local eye-care provider, because insurance.
But no longer is that true, because the internet.
Normally, I would spend upwards of $300 purchasing glasses, which is complete bull, because the majority of glasses are made by the same company. So your Prada glasses are not so different from the ones you find in Sears. I was done paying so much for glasses.
I decided to start with Sunglasses, since I had never owned a pair that didn't clip onto my regular glasses, and I was told that transitions were, and I quote, "dorky."
So I started with home try-ons from Warby Parker. The whole process was really great and required almost no work on my end. The box they send you comes with a return label that you cover the old one with and just stick the whole box in your mailbox. Not having to go to the post office was a big plus for me. In terms of the glasses, you have to keep in mind that they aren't fit to your head and will feel a bit flimsy. Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of how they looked on my face, but that's a-okay because the at-home try-on is free.
Next, I went around to a bunch of online shops like GlassesUSA, Zenni Optical, and Coastal, and narrowed down my search based on price and style. When I landed on Marvel Optics, I knew I had a winner. The variety of styles, easy to figure out website, simple return policy, and prices all helped me in my decision.
I ended up getting the "Summerville" sunglasses for only $30 (+$5.95 shipping) with my prescription in them. And these were, by far, the best purchase I have made in months.
"Summerville" by Marvel Optics, a.k.a. the basis of all my conversations.
When I went to purchase everyday glasses, I decided to use the same company again, since I was very pleased with the first pair, and ended up with "Combs" and "Ferrera" for $35 and $25, respectively.
"Combs" from Marvel optics featured in the process of doing my hair.
Now, when choosing glasses, it should be known that trying them on is a pretty essential part in understanding if they actually look good on you. This is why I started with the at-home try-ons, because now I know, round glasses: not cute on me. But you can also use the available measurements of the pair you are interested in and compare them to the dimensions of your current pair. This should help with how they fit on your face.
"Ferrera" from Marvel Optics.
Lastly, this whole experience has opened my eyes to costume glasses. In the past, I planned my Halloween costumes around my glasses, but now, the possibilities are endless.