So it’s been a few years since I was in Spain and went out for drinks and got back to the hostel and locked my glasses in the storage locker. When I woke up, I found them broken. I think the ear piece must have gotten stuck in the hinge of the door. Really, I don’t know how else they’d get broken in a hostel locker.
When I got back to Ukraine after my Spanish trip, I went through the motions of getting new glasses through the Ukrainian system. Turns out, it’s super easy and better yet, cheap. My frames and lenses cost only 240 UAH, which at the time was the equivalent to $30.
Now, three years later, after much heavy use of my beloved Ukrainian glasses, it’s time for me to get a new pair (I also want to get a pair of glasses that will help reduce eye fatigue when I stare at a computer screen all day at work). As it turns out, glasses in America are hella expensive. Like, seriously? The cheapest frames I found at the store were $49 and the next cheapest were $99 (and seemed to go up at intervals of $50 which is pretty arbitrary when you think about it). The $49 were nothing fancy. Not a designer brand, just black plastic frames that didn’t quite fit my face.
And then there are the lenses. Basic lenses were $90. Anti-scratch coatings were another $30. Anti-glare (which I’d need for looking at computers) was another $90. Again, arbitrary numbers here. Then there were the transition lenses and the polarized treatments. Both of which where in the ballpark of $100 each. Plus I had the option of varying quality of lenses which could tack on another $100 for high-end lenses. It was starting to look like it’d be cheaper to fly to Ukraine just to get a new pair of glasses.
Then I remembered Warby Parker. I had heard about them through a YouTube promo a while back and decided to check them out. There’s a nice selection of frames available and they’ll send you five pairs to try on for free. You get five days to test them out and ask for family and friend opinions. After you do, you can buy a pair of frames, with the anti-scratch and anti-glare coating included, for $95. Plus, they’ll donate a pair of glasses to someone in need for every pair you purchase.
I’m currently in the try on at home phase. And I need your opinions. For my try on, I selected: Oates (though I got Huxley frames in a bag labeled Oates), Clark, Felton, Theo, and Arthur. Leave a comment with your opinion below:
Theo.
Interesting choice.
I like the thinness and width of the Theo frames. The lenses of Huxley and Clark look more square/smaller, and they make your face look wider and longer. The Felton, in my opinion, is too wide…you don’t want to take anyone out when you turn around. The Arthur I think would be my second choice. Theo jumped out at me as the most flattering.
Theo Clark Arthur The others are too wide for your face
I say Arthur. . . .
That’s the runner-up. There was overwhelming support for Theo.
Hmmmmmm…. Well, I still think Arthur is better and Theo is just a little too big for your face…. Get both. . . . .then see what really sticks. . . .
The Arthur frames look great on you!
Thanks for the input, Shay! It looks like there’s a strong Theo camp but the Arthur camp is on the rise.
I’m going to have to sleep on this before ordering.