Thankyou so much everyone for your helpful opinions, and your confidence boosting words - I am tempted to reason with your compliments, about how I look in awkward angles, without makeup, when I don't smile etc - but it's probably more graceful for me to accept your kind thoughts without debate, so I will
The results of your "votes" are: 1 (14 votes including a no contest one from Angie!)
After this comes 27 (8 votes), 11 (6 votes), 31 (2 votes), 24 (1 vote).
Now time to reveal my opinions/experiences.
Pair 1: I accidentally tried these on while taking my son to his optometrist. I had a little flutter of excitement because I really liked them. The optometrist said she owned a pair too; they're one of her faves.
The best things about them - lifting at the sides which is the main thing I've been looking for. Clear yellow inner and side detail lights up the face (I look for flattering side views).
Questions/problems: are these too big for my face? Is the black colour too heavy for me (despite my dark hair and tan skintone, I can look very pale, plus my lips are small). Are they interesting enough?
Anyway, this serendipitous moment made me want to go glasses shopping to see if there's something better out there, or to firm up a sense that I should get these.
I went to a shop I've been wanting to visit for years; Scoogle http://www.scoogle.com.au/
Let me tell you I photographed more frames than I posted here, and I tried on more than I photographed! 2 hours later...
I was surprised that I didn't find much that had the outer corner uplift and inner V that I wanted (my pet peeves about my current specs is they lack these, and I didn't realise what that does for my face until it was missing).
Lots of the frames were round and even deep at the bottom.
I didn't find anything that I felt sure about. Having said that, glasses I've felt sure about in my 32 years of glasses, haven't really done much for my looks either.
The only ones I got excited about were 14-17. That crossover in the centre is gorgeous and the grey softness would be a feminine, retro in a tea-sipping way, change for me.
Next I went to Occhio in Brunswick St. Their frames were a bit more conventional, but that meant the appealing ones tended to stand out more.
There was one pair I actually asked them to hold for me until Friday - pics 21-23! I kept coming back to them and putting them on again and again.
If you've been reading my posts you may have noticed red is my signature colour. I've wanted a red pair for years but been steered elsewhere, or not seen something special enough.
What I love about these is they have a matte woodgrain finish, and the red is actually a muted tomato, incredibly flattering on my skin. A lot of red frames are starting to look noticeably dated to my eye (as if they are from about 10 years ago). These look contemporary with retro flair, which appeals to me a lot.
Although the arms are boring, I think this works because the simple shape takes away from feeling overwhelmed by the idea of red glasses. These glasses also lift at the corners, which is #1 on my wish list.
Problems: not many people here liked them, and some thought they were too big for my face. Also, I won't want to wear red glasses with every outfit, either because it doesn't go, or because it will be too much red in one outfit.
However, this is where I started to consider getting 2 pairs. Having wanted red glasses for years then finally finding some that excite me and seem to work, it seems like I should snap them up. I could see if they have a different frame in this colourway if you really feel the shape isn't great for me.
NEXT: I started studying/cropping photos. There were lots of rejects and the ones I've shown you are all ones I'd consider. Looking at photos showed me how great some were that I'd dismissed (and vice versa).
I think the pink ones in 7-10 do amazing things for my face, including the side view which is just as important to me. I kind of love them now
11-12 go down, not up in the corners , and the deeper bottom goes into my undereye problem accentuation area (lol). But they have this amazing assymetric design that reminds me of retro cartoon picture books (like Madeleine, and Harry the Dirty Dog). They are thus retro fabulous in a very different way than the horde of "retro" frames out there. And I think they look pretty too
Number 27 - the colours are delicious but the frame shape doesn't do much to enhance my face. It's acceptable, but not what I was looking for. I and the women in the shop did love the colours on me (and it helps that it totally matched my outfit!)
No 4, I was surprised this looked better than I expected, so wanted your reaction. I kept coming back to it but I don't think I would really buy it.
18, I've liked ombre glasses for years, and these have a deep glassy red. They just don't quite win somehow, though I do like them.
24-26 - I've been craving this colour for glasses, and they have this gorgeous yellow woodgrain on the arms. The shape and size really changes my face, which I both like and don't like. They look on me how I looked with giant glasses as a little girl, and they kind of make me more cheekboney - I like both effects But they don't camouflage dark circles etc. I like them, but they don't look like me. If I had wads of cash I'd wear these in rotation, but can't really justify them in fact.
30-33 - these (metallic, electric blue that pulls slightly cobalt/purple/aqua depending on the light) are a bit thin, which doesn't look great from afar, but have an easy flattering shape that leans slightly cat-eye, but rounded at the bottom (the eyelift thing=good). I have done blue glasses before in my life so that's not very exciting; on the other hand it's a great colour on me. They are boring but they work. Would be nice in rotation but I don't know if they should be my next purchase.
Thanks again everyone! <333 Remember, I'm going to widen my search before I decide.
