How many specs do you have? (And my new ones.) - YouLookFab Forum

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How many specs do you have? (And my new ones.)

Carla

Veteran

How many pairs of specs do you own? Do you rotate through them equally or favour one pair? Which are your favourite, and why? Do you own prescription sunglasses?

6 months ago I got lots of help from this forum when picking out a pair of specs. I had a big transition, since I was going from a single prescription to progressives. (Just a fancy name for trifocals.).

All old glasses were donated since the frames were dated, and I picked out a new pair for 'back up' last week. I'm really loving the new ones! 'Blakely' by Kate Spade. The tortoise has an olive and citron cast that IRL brings out green in my hazel eyes (like when I wear mustard tops), and the turquoise inside is so much fun. They are a tad smaller than the other pair, and are super comfortable. When shopping, I looked for a pair that followed the same lines as the new ones, and shopping was much easier.

I'm also going to keep an eye open for white frames. There isn't much in my community, but since I'm on the move this summer, I'm going to have better access to a larger selection in a couple of months.

Glasses cost a fortune but since I'm not a jewellery person, they are my #1 accessory.

Pics - newest glasses, and the 'older' pair.

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29 replies

Latest reply was from Alexandra

Anonymous

Nice, Carla!

I have three pairs in rotation at the moment.

pil

Veteran

They look great, Carla.
Only one pair here.

Karie

(website)

Veteran

I have 8 pairs of prescription glasses and 3 pairs of prescription sun glasses. I know it's a lot, but I bought several of them all at once a few years ago - I had money in a flexible spending account set aside for DH who was going to get braces but didn't - so I had to use the money in the account or loose it.

Your new glasses look fantastic!

Grey Rainbow

Great frames, very flattering! I wear progressives too and only have one pair at the moment. In need of backup but haven't found anything that works for me. Thanks for the style info and pics -- I'll hunt these down to try for myself.

abc

Veteran

They look very nice. I like how you describe your glasses as your primary accessory. That's reason enough to have what you love and more than one pair if you think it's worth it. If I wore glasses I would have probably two pairs. LASIK eliminated that need for me at least for the time being but I must admit I live vicariously through you, Angie and the forum members that sport specs as a fab accessory!

Dee

Veteran

Your new frames are lovely. I definitely agree with your willingness to spend on glasses. If you wear them daily, why wouldn't you want the perfect pair?

I only have two at the moment, one everyday pair and one spare, and both fun colors, so I'm on the lookout for a black or white pair over the next few months.

catgirl

Veteran

I have way too many, and I just picked up the white ones. I have purple/citron, black with stars, red, green cateye, and two pairs of titanium frames. Oh, and tortoiseshell. In my defense, the oldest pair is 15 years old and only worn around the house as my eyeglass person told me they are too brittle to readjust again. My glasses are my everyday jewelry, so I consider CPW very low.

I was thinking of asking my local fancy consignment store if they would consign two of my less-worn frames, as they are cool and kind of like Fluevogs - never in or out.

El Cee

Veteran

I love your new Kate Spades… very flattering! I have 10 pairs of specs and 2 pairs of prescription sunglasses. I am "blind as a bat" and cannot wear contacts for more than a few hours, so specs are a daily need. I am very lucky in that my eye care plan allows me a new pair every year, and my prescription has held steady for 15 years or more… so I have quite a collection. I rotate my specs according to what I am wearing that day. They are, to me, "eye jewelry" and a very important part of my style.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Love the new glasses, Carla! They'll be a nice change from the other pair, even with their similar shape. And you'll definitely find lots more options after you move.

Currently I have two pairs of glasses and contacts. I wear glasses daily but not for the full day. Mine, like yours, are similarly shaped but one is fuchsia titanium and the other is black with white inside plastic. The black ones get the most wear because they are slightly more comfortable for me.

Suzanne (ambergreen)

Veteran

Well chosen!

I used to only have one pair at a time, but I said nuts to that this year and got 3 when I updated my prescription. I always tried to maximize the versatility of my single item, but that got really limiting, especially because I also require a small size, prefer frames that are not deep/large-lensed, and few shapes really suit me.

However, 2 of mine are the same frame but in different colors (I almost never duplicate, even this way, but glasses that really work for me are so hard to find! Nabbed 'em while I could.) Blue/gray is for cooler-toned and often jeans-based outfits, brown for warmer-toned. And finally, pair 3 is gray metal when neither of the other acetate colors truly suits.

I am THRILLED with this arrangement. No more one-and-onlies for me!

Oh, and I also have one pair of prescription sunglasses, an absolute must-have in my book. I don't wear contacts.

Carla

Veteran

Lots of wisdom around specs strategies, here. I'm thinking 3-4 is a good number for rotation, and if the prescription doesn't change much or the frame is fairly classic, the collection can grow.

There seem to be a few Fabbers who are loving the red frame trend, and others who are embracing the white trend, with tortoise a tried and true.

My favourite glasses of the past were a round pair of metal Laura Ashley frames in rust coloured metal, and some half frame oval ones in a dull white gold/pewterish metal. I was forever getting them straightened, though.

Usually I don't pay attention to specs trends until I need them, but I've had a heightened awareness these past 6 months and noticed the following...

-squared shapes are hugely dominant (vs round, aviator, and other styles)
-deeper lenses are coming back (but not oversized)
-shallow ones are still strong
-plastic frames outnumber metal
-dark/high contrast far outnumbers lighter colours or low contrast frames

These are just general observations from an admittedly limited selection of specs shops in a smallish northern Canadian community. I'd love to here observations from bigger more metro comminities.

NDMom

Fabulous specs! I have two pairs that are worn as accessories because I had LASIK many years ago. But now that I need reading glasses, sometimes I wear prescription reading glasses (clear on top) as my jewelry too! I actually went to my local optician and they helped me pick out frames. Kind of costly for reading glasses, but, as you said it is my one main accessory.

Then, when I don't need glasses....such as when exercising, etc. I can easily go without.

adorkable

Veteran

I have only the one - but they are very statement-y, and I would really like a second pair so that I have more options on a day-to-day basis.

psychedelicate

(website)

I only have one pair, sadly. My lenses alone cost hundreds of dollars since they have to be imported, unless I want to walk around with coke-bottle lenses.

Have any other people with really awful vision and issues like astigmatism tried the cheaper places like zennioptical, etc.? I am worried about getting glasses that aren't fit by a professional.

Lyn D.

Veteran

I have 3 pairs at the moment.
The newest is a multifocal worn at work and shopping, the others readers for around the house and Choir practice.
We don't have Kate Spade frames around here!

Carla

Veteran

Adorkable, I think your specs are totally appropriate to you, but I certainly understand the desire for more than one pair, and the flexibility that a wardrobe of glasses would provide.

Psychedelicate (love your monicker, I've used that term before to describe myself at certain times) I have looked for frames around town, but settled for those at my optometrist. No '2 for the price of 1' deals, and no experience with on line purchases. I have progressives (trifocals) and an astigmatism in one eye. Blind as can be without glasses, except for close reading. I would consider purchasing cool frames bought empty, but have the lenses filled by the pro rather than risk the whole kit from a source I could not follow up with locally.

Lyn D. I'm surprised by some of the kit my optometrist has, and when I searched on line, he seems to be keeping fairly recent stock. Still, I imagine with a population base of 35-40,000 and a conservative one at that, our choice is not the same at a large metropolitan area. You may get some OZ specific designers just as we get some Canada specific ones. My new pair from 6 months ago were FYSH designed by Jeannie Bekker, a Canadian designer.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Nice new specs. Specs are my jewellry too, so high five.

I have three pairs in rotation, but only wear the apple green at the moment because they make me sooooooo happy.

adorkable

Veteran

How odd - my post deleted the second paragraph!

What I started to say was that there's a lot of factors to balance, among them:
- how statement-y or classic are your frames?
- how well do they go with your wardrobe?
- how expensive is your prescription / how good is your insurance?
- how much do you have to wear them?

Also, I love the new pair - tortoiseshell looks so, so good with lighter hair.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Gorgeous new specs Carla - they look lovely on you.

I have three pairs in rotation now - a black/white pair, my red pair and my purple/clear pair. I also have my Rayban wayfarer prescription sunglasses.

The way I look at it, glasses are the first thing I put on in the morning and the last thing I take off at night, so I better love my glasses and have a bit of variety.

DonnaF

Veteran

Next month, I hope to have three: Regular progressives which may or may not be transitions, sunnies for the car, and computer/reading glasses. I would love to have more, but my Rx is so expensive even with insurance. Plastic lenses don't work for me for anything other than the computer since they don't have those adjustable nose pieces that keep the specs from sliding down my nose. I will ask about re-using old frames for maybe a second pair. My Rx seems to change every year.

Makrame

Veteran

Nice glasses! I like the shape on you, and the turquoise on the inside of the frames is such a great touch!

I only wear glasses for distance so it is convenient for me to keep some in various locations - one pair is in the car for driving (along with prescription sunglasses), one is in my office for going to lectures and presentations, one at home for watching TV. I also own 3 pairs of prescription sunglasses - one is in the car, one at home for running and gardening, and one new fancy pair is saved for travel and outings. I typically order one pair of new glasses (regular or sunglasses) per year using my insurance. Since my prescription does not change much, I can accumulate multiple pairs over time.

Catnip

Veteran

Your new glasses look great!

Right now I have two pairs of glasses with progressive lenses, one with clear lenses and the other with dark tinted lenses. I usually have more, but I'm waiting for cataract surgery on June 2 (right eye) and July 7 (left eye). After that is over I may not need glasses. Since I look better with glasses. I'll decide what to do after the surgery.

Anonymous

I have only one pair plus an older pair of sunglasses with prescription lenses. I intend to start looking for a second pair of specs this summer after getting an eye appointment.
I like your new pair very much.

Von

Veteran

I have three pairs in rotation, and three sunglasses also (all have to be RX). I do have a favorite pair that I seem to wear more often than the others though.

deb

Veteran

I like those. I currently have five pair in rotation. I just ordered these in blue and these in black. I am retiring my old black frames because they are narrower. I will keep them in case I start liking them again. since I found BonLook and Warby Parker my specs collection has grown. Stylish frames for under $60 cannot be beat. I then just have my prescription put in. I have always purchase a new pair every year so I justify purchasing two pair a year with the lower cost of the frames. Girl math???

Vicki

(website)

Veteran

Carla, I love the new pair you purchased and the inside color of the KS's are great with your eyes.

I only wear "readers" and they are blue, but I'm always on the look out for an interesting pair.

columbine(erin)

Veteran

I'm no help with the glasses. I just love the slightly retro look of the shape of your glasses and hair in the pictures.

froggiebecky

Veteran

Psychedelicate---I've got a horrible astigmatism (very little problems with depth), and I've been warned away from the discount suppliers. Then again, it usually takes the pros a couple of tries to get my glasses right (if they have the rotation off by as little as 2 degrees, I notice)

I seem to be in the minority here! I've only got one pair of glasses, and no sunglasses since I broke my cheap drugstore ones last year. I'd LOVE a pair of prescription sunglasses. Alas, it's not really in the budget. Glasses are several hundred dollars each for me, after insurance. I can't justify that cost in the name of variety.

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

I have two pairs of glasses. The gunmetal-colored thin metal frames get worn just about every day when I'm not wearing contacts. My other pair is plastic - black on the outside and lime green on the inside - and somewhat "statement-y" in that it's larger and sort of bookish looking. I don't wear this one as often because it's less comfortable on my nose than the metal pair.

I have two pairs of non-prescription sunglasses: one for running and the other for everything else. I have to wear contacts with these, of course.