I know you hardly ever see me in my specs, but I do wear them!
I wear the sort of contact lenses that you sleep in for a month, then I spend 2 or 3 days in glasses at the end of the month before going back to lenses. I have a super cheap pair that I bought all the way back in 2010, but for a while I have been on the hunt for something a little flashier for times when my contact lens free days coincide with doing something where I want to look a bit more special.
As much as I love 30s and 40s style rounder styles they do nothing for me, so a pair with a bit of a cats eye shape was on my wish list.
I bought a vintage pair at War & Peace in 2011, but my optician wouldn’t replace the lenses in case they broke. I’ve been meaning to try another optician, having removed the old lenses myself, but now they are in a box somewhere and are temporarily “lost”.
I’ve been sent press releases about “retro” glasses ranges in the past, but they’ve always tended to consist solely of those sort of heavy framed NHS specs that hipsters wear, that make me look ridiculous. Then I got an email from MyOptique and I spotted the glasses of my dreams.
These retro cats eye glasses are from London Retro Glasses and I love them, they’re not too “wingy” if you see what I mean, and they’re not encrusted with diamonds or anything so I can wear them every day. They also have some rather fabulous 1940s style rounder frames in the range, some lighter wire frames and, of course, a good smattering of those heavy NHS style specs.
I’ve been wary of ordering prescription glasses online before in case they didn’t suit me. In this case there was no risk for me as MyOptique sent them to me for free, but I was pleased anyway to note that if you do change your mind and they look awful you can exchange your glasses for different frames for a £20 handling fee.
They’re far lighter to wear than the vintage ones I bought, and sturdier for every day wear. I’m still planning to get the lenses changed when I finally turn up those vintage frames though as it’s good to have a choice, and those are white, so I can match my specs to my outfit!
You might notice in the photos above that I currently have lilac hair. I probably won’t keep it long, but the blue rinse effect is sort of growing on me and with the new glasses I think I have a full on 1950s librarian look going on.
See:
1950s librarian
Me:
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