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Aaron Aalto's avatar

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!

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Sandy Sanchez's avatar

Me too!! It never felt exciting to shop for glasses back then. I remember going to the optical center at Walmart and there was a tinyy section that we were able to select from because of our state healthcare benefits or something. And so true, lots of iconic glasses wearers in history!

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grace roberson's avatar

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!

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Sandy Sanchez's avatar

Thank you for reading! And 100% especially when you've been wearing them for so long, it's hard to imagine not wearing them haha

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Suze's avatar

Love that painting from 1839!

Another glasses-related phenomenon I really like is when celebrities wear them while presenting at awards ceremonies so they can read the teleprompter

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Sandy Sanchez's avatar

It's such a gorg painting! Haaha omg yes!! Those are such great glasses moments too

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Melissa's avatar

loved reading this!! my face feels so bare without my glasses so i wear them all the time. this encourages me to try experimenting with different styles of frames more!

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Sandy Sanchez's avatar

Thanks for reading!! And totalllllyyy get the feeling of feeling bare hahah

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Petya K. Grady's avatar

I loved this post. I am so attached to my glasses that I don't recognize myself in the rare pictures I have been caught in without them. The thick blue frames that I currently wear the most are by a Belgian brand called Henau and I really love them.

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Sandy Sanchez's avatar

Thank you!! Wow gonna look into that brand!

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anupa otiv's avatar

Toro y Moi really was THE poster boy for cool glasses in 2014, what a deep cup. 🤌🏽 Also I really forgot the rep “nerd culture” had back in the day and how so much of that just revolved around glasses lol. I purposely lost mine in 7th grade so I didn’t have to wear them?!

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Sandy Sanchez's avatar

Right! It always revolved around glasses, brows, and hair lol. That's so wild!!

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rish vee's avatar

I felt so powerful when I got my first pair of clear glasses in 2016 - thanks to Costco Eyewear for adding options to their display cases. Love the eyewear options you shared, I might have to snag a pair for my next 4-eyes era.

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Sandy Sanchez's avatar

Wow yes, I remember Costco Eyewear! Always so exciting picking out the next pair of glasses.

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Anne Tröst's avatar

Felt the same! At first I thought glasses were interrupting my face. Now it feels empty without them.

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Allison's avatar

The glasses I met you with, Toro y Moi, another SATC shout out, and being swept into glasses shopping for the bf....this read was perfect.

Also ❤️ the glasses illo so much

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Sandy Sanchez's avatar

OMG you did meet me in those glasses, tbt <3 Thank you for reading and have fun glasses shopping hahah 💖 Aaron did the illo!

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Aug 4
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Sandy Sanchez's avatar

Love this so much. I totally have had moments like that too where I am just SO grateful for the glasses allowing me to see the world around me. They truly are a blessing! And so excited for you to get new glasses :')

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