Eyeglasses for the look you love: Glasses and frames for women
Women's eyeglasses and frames are available in many shapes and sizes to suit individual tastes.
Whether you purchase your eyewear from your eye doctor or buy glasses online, choosing the right frame for the look you love can be confusing.
These tips will make your shopping for eyeglasses easier and more fun:
Narrowing down your choices in eyeglass frames
Before you start shopping for glasses, ask yourself these questions:
Do you want a frame that's delicate or bold, retro or modern, conservative or "out there"?
What are current fashion trends you like?
When are you going to wear the glasses — or just for tasks like reading or computer use?
Is a designer label important to you?
What colors are you are drawn to and look best on you?
What are the main colors in your wardrobe?
What is your face shape?
What do you like and dislike about your current glasses?
How to find a good fit, comfort and durability in glasses
According to consumer surveys, most women are more interested in the way eyeglasses look, while most men are more interested in comfort and fit.
But let's face it. Even if a frame looks great, you aren't going to wear it if it's uncomfortable. And if your new eyeglasses are sitting in a drawer somewhere, you certainly aren't getting your money's worth.
Here are quick fixes to common fitting problems:
If a frame looks good, but it slides off your nose. Your optician or eye doctor can fix this during the final fitting, by adjusting the temple length or the way the temple tips wrap around your ears.
If the front is too wide and doesn't fit your face. Your optician or eye doctor can order the frame in another size. If it doesn't come in another size, you could be fitted with a different brand of frame that's similar. Also, some manufacturers have released petite collections with frames that fit smaller faces.
If the nose pads are uncomfortable. Often the optician can replace the nose pads with more comfortable ones or can find a similar style of frame with better pads.
If the frame has too steep of a bridge over your nose. Frame manufacturers have been releasing more styles lately with shallower bridges — sometimes called "Asian fit." Your optician or eye doctor can help you select frames that fit your nose properly.
Durability is another factor that seems to appeal more to men than to women. But you really don't want to buy a frame that falls apart after a few months.
For the best value, don’t be fooled by cheap, low-quality frames that may look similar to more expensive brands. [For more, read 5 reasons to avoid cheap glasses.]
How many frames should you buy?
Most women don't hesitate to buy more than one handbag or pair of shoes, so why do many of us balk at purchasing more than one pair of eyeglasses?
It's OK to view eyeglasses as another fun fashion accessory when you consider that:
You can find great deals on eyewear. Optical stores and online eyeglass retailers frequently have sales, including "two-for-one" or "buy-one-get-one-half-off." Often you can buy new eyeglasses for less than the price of new shoes or a purse!
Most eyeglass frames will last a long time. If you are like most people, your eyeglass prescription isn't going to change every year. You may be able to get years of wear from a good pair of glasses. But why wear the same frame every day?
Add variety to your eyewear “wardrobe.” Some women think gold or silver frames go with everything, and that might be true for them. But is it true for you? Maybe consider copper-colored frames for when you're wearing jeans, a sophisticated tortoise plastic frame for the office, and a pretty rhinestone-studded frame for evenings out. It's fun to consider options.
If you really are on a tight budget, choose one frame that you'll be happy wearing with any outfit and in any situation.
But that doesn't mean you have to choose a plain, thin metal style if what you really like is a colorful plastic frame. Remember, this frame is going to be on your face every day, and you must love how it looks on you.
Anti-reflective coating: Look and see your best
Nothing interferes with the appearance of an attractive pair of glasses more than distracting reflections in the lenses.
For the best-looking glasses possible, choose lenses that include anti-reflective coating to give your lenses a crystal-clear appearance and allow the beauty of your eyeglass frame and your eyes to shine.
Also, eliminating lens reflections increases the clarity and comfort of your vision — especially in low-light conditions, such as driving at night.
Anti-reflective coating truly helps you look and see your best and should be considered essential for any pair of eyeglasses.
Page published on Friday, 22 March, 2019
