I Don't Feel Like Myself Without My Glasses
And some eyewear brands I've been eyeing.
When I was told I needed to wear glasses in 2005, it felt like the end of the world. I remember being so embarrassed at the thought of having to wear glasses. I can never not think about Mia’s makeover scene and also every movie scene ever where hotness is achieved by just removing the glasses.
But when I started failing tests from so much squinting at the projector, I knew I needed to suck it up. I started wearing my glasses — but only when the lights were down and only during quiz time.
What eventually changed my perception of glasses years later was actually Tumblr. I started being exposed to fashion, accessories, music, interiors, and of course, Toro y Moi. Maybe I was biased because I loved his music, but every time I saw photos of him in his clear glasses, I knew I needed to get a pair. Glasses could be cool! I could experiment with sizes, shapes, and colors and see glasses as a fun accessory.
I spent all of 2014 saving inspiration (and money) and in 2015, I stepped into TOMS, of all places, and found my first dream pair of glasses. At the time, they had an optical eyewear section and I fell in love with a pair of big, gold, clear glasses with golden yellow ends. I still have them in my memory box to this day because they changed everything.
I had never felt so *me* before and almost started seeing them as part of my identity. After three years of wearing them to death and even supergluing them a few times, it was finally time for them to retire.
Since then, I’ve been enjoying trying a new pair every year. If it were up to me, I’d have hundreds of pairs of glasses in my rotation for every type of outfit. But with my super thick, high-index glasses, getting a pair of new glasses is always a huge investment, even with insurance and FSA. </3
When your glasses don’t “match” your look
There have been times when, as much as I love my glasses, it feels like my glasses don’t “match” my outfit. That somehow my look would be cooler and better without the glasses. I especially feel this way whenever I’m wearing something “fancier,” but the other day, I saw someone post their wedding photos, and they were wearing their glasses, and it was so chic.
That being said, I do keep contact lenses around for when I want to wear eyeshadow, non-prescription sunglasses, or let my lashes be free. 😌
Eyewear brands I’ve been eyeing
I’m currently on the hunt for my next favorite pair of glasses and here’s what I’ve got my eye on.
Bonnie Clyde: You’ve probably also been served a million ads, too, and they finally got me. Their glasses are so cute and bold and I need a pair. Whether you want a timeless, bold black pair of glasses or something more colorful, they’ve got such a nice range of shapes and colors.
Cubitts: My coworker recently got a pair of glasses from this brand and I knew I needed to stop by their new SoHo store. I tried on a few pairs and was wowed at all their stunning styles.
Moscot: There is a reason they’ve been around for 100+ years. I’ve always loved how nicely made and perfectly timeless all the glasses at Moscot are. I’ve been trying their glasses on for years, and need to just get a pair already.
Honorable mentions because there are just too many nice glasses out there: Ben & Frank in Mexico, Illesteva, and Warby Parker (of course) — I have this pair right now and love them.
Glasses in history
If you’re curious, women started wearing glasses way later on in history compared to men, for many reasons. Education, literacy, cultural norms, beauty standards, etc. It wasn’t until the Victorian Era that women started to be photographed wearing glasses, and this especially increased in the 20th century. I enjoyed this excerpt from this brief history of glasses, specifically in regard to Renaissance art:
While portraits of eyeglass-wearing women continued to be scarce, several finely knitted eyeglass cases survive in museums, attesting to the fact that women owned and cared for their eyewear, even if they didn’t want to be immortalized wearing spectacles.
By the way, I’ve been rewatching Sex and the City and was reminded of this moment:
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I remember despising the ugly and limited selection of frames available to me as a kid. Your essay reminded me of my own acceptance journey. Glasses are another form of expression and so many great people have had iconic frames. Thinking of Gandhi, Steve Jobs, John Lennon, José Clemente Orozco, and Ben Franklin. We’re in great company! Also thank you for writing this beautiful piece and sharing these designs and the painting which I hadn’t seen before!
Thank you for writing this! As someone who has a lazy eye and has been wearing corrective lenses since preschool, I feel the same way, my glasses are such a huge part of me and at this point I refuse to part with them. They complete any outfit, too!