I had some eyewear insurance allowance to spend this year and was trying to decide what direction to go. Another pair of specs? Or prescription sunglasses? Contacts? Both?

(Unusually compared to my past insurance allowances, my current plan has a generous reimbursement that allows BOTH specs and contacts if applicable.)

I’ve been super lucky to have a stable prescription for glasses for many years, and since my eyes grew less tolerant to wearing contacts, I slowly used insurance vision allowances to accumulate a collection of fun specs to rotate between. This time around I decided to add another pair of specs. I wear them daily, except for rare contacts occasions.

The first 3 pictures are my new specs, @warbyparker Louise in wide, low-bridge elderflower crystal. I wanted a more neutral option that still felt stylish and fun. I also was interested in a second all-plastic pair as sometimes my silicone irritation makes silicone nose pads challenging for my skin.
(Please pardon the not-great quality pictures. I haven’t been able to take a pic in great light AND with makeup/styling!)

Subsequent pictures show the other glasses that I wear/rotate. (@alainmikliparis, @orgreenoptics, and @faceaface_paris from @marketoptical Seattle over many years - I am an extremely loyal customer as no one has beat their customer service and quality of frame selection.)

The last pair is also Orgreen, called Pussycat, inspired by a race car. I love them. I got them in 2011 and they are starting to get rather delicate, and I think they looked most awesome when I had shorter hair, so I don’t wear them as often anymore. Pic 15 is from 2011.

Here are 3 pairs I considered. I think it’s helpful to see ALMOST but not quite possibilities. I’ve learned from shopping with YLF members over the years, and from Angie’s guidelines, to be very discerning and picky, and shop SLOW. (I usually try and think about glasses for months before I buy - even at Warby Parker prices.)

17. FaceaFace titanium, navy and fuchsia. Not as dark as they look in this lighting. Now, I actually LOVE these. The shape is terrific on me. They are light. But they are also styled quite similar to my other titanium specs in 5-7. The colors are similar to the titanium frames in 8-10, but not as good on me. (There are other colors available but the pair I tried would still be the best with my coloring.)
Also my hair was in its faded rosy blonde, not pink or red or purple at that point. I think maybe the frames would get “lost” against my hair when it’s darker and red/pink/burgundy. If I did not have BOTH frames in 5–10 I would have purchased this pair.
18. LA Eyeworks. These are SO close, the color is great and the shape is ALMOST right. But the temples are too heavy and blocky.
19. FaceaFace. REALLY fun turquoise plastic. But they are a lot. The optician said that they would work, but (in my words) it would be less “oh, there’s Kari - she has red hair and great specs” and more “lady with the turquoise glasses.” If these had more dimension - a lighter contrasting color or arms, like my emerald pair in 11-13 - I think they wouldn’t take over my face as much.

20-23 are my prescription sunglasses. A year and a half old, Warby Parker Tilley.

So for what it’s worth, that’s what I got and passed by! (Aside from the many outright no’s and frames that didn’t fit at all.)