Mad about tartan?-Update - YouLookFab Forum

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Mad about tartan?-Update

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Hi Fabbers. Advertising by Specsavers has been doing a number on me. There are these new Vivienne Westwood x Specsavers styles. I have enjoyed tartan ( plaid to many of you but my heritage is British so tartan it is) for decades and I got very drawn to one of the pairs with a smaller bit of tartan. My prescription has been updated although I can still wear the ones you all helped me to choose a couple of years back because the distance part of the progressive lenses has not changed. Only the reading part, and not too much. So I am thinking these Vivienne Westwood ones are just so fun.
I don’t wear that much tartan or red though although I have some. And once I got them home would I end up thinking they were too out there for me and just wear my safer ones?
What do you think?
The Yay or Nay is regarding the new ones.
1. Proposed new option. Haircut one week ago.
2. Regular ones back in May with longer hair.
Thanks for looking.
Update: after much thought I have decided against them. I would like to thank Liz especially who talked about my “matching gene” which made me realise that I would not wear them with lots of my clothes. Also I don’t find nose pads that comfortable.
Today I have ordered a different pair which has a warm pinky-red and some gold on it. It is a similar shape to my current frames. Also some Tommy Hilfiger sunglasses. Will do a new post when I get them.

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Shopping

40 replies

Latest reply was from Sally

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

I love them on you! And I notice a lot of wacky eyewear lately, I think you’ll be right on trend.

rachylou

Veteran

They are soo cool, but I’m wondering if they’re a little big?

Bijou

Veteran

I love them, especially with your shorter hair and matching top. It is great to have more than one pair of glasses and I love how different they are from your current frames.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I like the tartan but I fear the frames are a little too big (wide) for your face? I’m no expert, I will defer to whatever Angie says.

Star (Lise)

Veteran

I think they are cool. It is fun to have options. I have 2 pairs of specs for this reason.

merwoman

Veteran

Oh Jenni these are magnificent!! However, as others have noted I think they are too wide. They may also be too deep, but I think if you got the width sorted you’d be ok. Do they come in smaller sizes?

Liz

Veteran

The tartan is great! I would prefer the frame to be smaller overall (aligning better with your eyebrows and the sides of your face), though I like the general shape on you.

Question: would your "matching gene" come into play with glasses like this, making you only want to wear them if they connected to your outfit/shoes? Or would you be happy wearing them with an outfit that had no connection with red or with tartan?

Janet

(website)

Veteran

They’re really cool! I agree with the observations though that they seem a little wide on your face. Maybe it’s the
camera positioning? Sometimes the forward facing camera on smartphones can create some distortion, as it is a slightly wide-angle lens.

NancyW

Veteran

They seem too wide to me, but I wonder if that is part of the look? I have progressive lenses too and decided a few years ago to have reading glasses made. My Rx is different in each eye so I couldn’t buy readers off the shelf. I love having them and reach for them when reading a book or magazine because I can see the book through the entire lens. Then you could have your tartan and not worry about matching.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I love tartan so may be a teensy bit biased but l think theses look fab on you and if you are worried what they will go with tartan is considered to be a neutral in Scotland so they will go with everything.

Irina

Veteran

I love these! Yes, they look a tiny bit too big but they look so good!
And Jenni, every time you post a picture of yourself with longer hair, I have to say how much I like it

JAileen

Veteran

I just love them!

kkards

Veteran

Love how they match your turtle neck shirt!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Thanks everyone. My husband also thought the fit was not perfect but he felt I would enjoy them so much that wouldn’t matter. I can see in the photos they are a bit wide.
And my other concern is what Liz brings up, that I am so matchy matchy that I might not want to wear them unless they connect with my outfit- I deliberately wore that tartan top to try them on and have other reds but not as many as other colours, and in summer I prefer florals, not sure I would wear them with those…
But the idea is to have a really fun option and also I am ready to edit out some clothes so can look for more tartan or red when replacing.
Are these concerns enough to mean they will end up not getting worn enough? My sensible side worries about that and my fun side says go for it! I was going to get a new pair of sunnies as well but sadly they didn’t have the frames I looked at a few weeks ago in stock any more, they are going to get them back. So I have a bit of time to think about it all.
In the past of course my fun side made me buy a lot of shoes that didn’t get worn enough. I still buy fun shoes but with a lot more restraint, otherwise they go on a wishlist where I can just feast my eyes for fun occasionally

JAileen

Veteran

I just googled tartan glasses and a lot came up. I love the idea of these, and while they’re big they don’t look comical or anything. But my point is there are other tartan glasses, depending on how you feel. To be honest, after seeing these, I think I might need tartan glasses, too.

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I love the tartan!

The specs have great potential if you can slide them down a bit to make sure your brows aren't inside the lenses, IYKWIM. Your eyes are quite centered, so I don't think they are too wide.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Thanks Angie it helps to know that you are not immediately against them! They were already adjusted downwards slightly because when I put them on first my husband’s first comment was that they were sitting too high, above my eyebrows. They may be able to have a bit more adjustment.
My husband is having lots of fun teasing me now while I’m deciding.
“Ever since you got your Ancestry DNA results back…” and “Look, here are some tartan earrings…”
The Ancestry DNA which I got back about a year ago showed I had hitherto unsuspected about 45% Scottish ancestry, when I previously thought it was all English and Irish. I had fun with him though because his surname (which I use) is Scottish, and he hasn’t had his DNA done although his parents have. They are not fully Scottish either, some English, so I was teasing that maybe I am more Scottish than him! And he can’t call me “Sassenach”-term from Outlander- any more!

L'Abeille

Veteran

I think you should go for it. Disclaimer, I love anything tartan.

You might escape the urge to match everything to them. My daughter who is very conservative and matchy-matchy makes an exception for glasses and wears red or purple glasses happily with nothing matching in the outfit. Somehow the glasses feel like part of the person rather than part of the clothing.

SarahD8

Veteran

You mention looking for more red and more tartan to replace clothes you're getting rid of -- is that actually a style goal of yours? It seems like the glasses could kick off a fun new direction for your style, OR they could just be bossing you around iykwim.

I would be concerned about your need for matchy-matchy, but I think Abeille makes a good point about part of the person vs part of the outfit.

Maybe you should go try them on again, wearing something you really love that does NOT go with red or tartan!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Ha! I think maybe back to red is a bit of a style goal. I overdosed on red for a good 10 years ages 40-50 or so. My 40th birthday party had a red theme. I liked it well before 40 but the childbearing years in my 30s I was a more boring dresser, not much head space. In recent years I have worn much less of it but this past winter really enjoyed it again with the few red winter items I have.
Tartan as a style goal not so much but maybe one or two items would be fun if I did get these specs. I will still be wearing my current specs a lot, is the idea, as I feel happy they “go” with everything as their pattern and colour is subtle.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I LOVE the tartan for you, no surprise, (actually, I want to steal those, LOL) and my only reservation is the fit -- they seem too high up on your face. But I am excited at the idea and think they'd kick off a great new style evolution for you.

Cee

Veteran

Hey the noo !

Indigoprint

Veteran

Jenni NZ... I might hang onto the Sassenach from your DH. I always interpreted as a term of endearment.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Update in main post.
Am remaining a Sassenach after all. No tartan, but a pinky-red. Will do a new post when they arrive in 3 weeks.

Bijou

Veteran

That is good news, a pinky red frame will be versatile and provides many matching and colour contrast options, as Angie has demonstrated with her red frames.

rachylou

Veteran

Look forward to seeing the pink-red pair! They sound good, you get the colour and style freedom.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Red is a neutral

Exciting!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Nice!

CarolS

Veteran

Exciting. Agree with Angie that red is a neutral!! I have loved wearing my wine/red glasses and I hope you get equal enjoyment from yours. Can't wait to see them.

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