Thank you The Cat, Bijou and Adela for your thoughts. It is true that I would wear them every day since I don’t wear contacts. DD2 (26 y old) visited this evening, so good to see her. She liked pic 1 same as DH!
You are right also Bijou that time is money and I am back to work on Monday, after Thursday I will be full time for several weeks so would prefer to get something ordered in the first half of this week I think. No real rush but I already put it off for 9 months since the eye test was last April. And I don’t want the prescription to change again! Mind you it hadn’t changed that much since the previous one which is why I didn’t rush into the new frames/lenses thing as the then 3 year old ones were still OK. It’s both the metallic paint coming off and that the prescription is not perfect now that is driving me- and that the current ones feel unstylish. In 4 years my hair has got greyer and some sun damaged spots have appeared and I don’t feel pretty any more! It’s the reality of continuing to age especially when I am choosing not to change that by any artificial means. So I will sleep on it for yet another night, it’s bedtime again. I so appreciate everyone’s thoughtful comments xx

Ok. I just did the exchange rate... that is a LOT! Does that include the lenses or is it just the frames?

I will say that the more frequently I like to replace a thing, the less I want to spend.

You are worth it- and I completely understand the feeling of not wanting to spend money on yourself. That said, if you can afford it, I think you should get what makes your heart sing, since this is something you’ll wear every day. Jenn posted an article about spending more on individual items, while buying less, and that really resonated with me. Have you ever kept glasses for 5+ years? Would you be able to change the lenses in these frames, if your prescription changes? I do still like the second pair the best- they seem more modern and fresh, and brighten your face.

I absolutely love #2 on you Jenni. I agree with Carla; if you and especially DH are used to a certain look, they might feel super-statementy, but they don't look it really - they look quite classic but current, and super-flattering.

That said - that is a ton of money imo! I 100% agree that you should get the best you can within your budget since glasses are a daily item. But only you can decide what that budget is. I personally would never buy something where the cost gave me stress unless it was an absolute necessity - but that's me; I'm a very conservative spender on these things

It also sounds to me like #1 maybe feels more comfortable to you, and that's important. I know from experience sometimes what looks great in a photo actually does not feel as good as a simpler, more pared down, or perhaps less 'exciting' version for my actual life and surroundings. Is that possible in this case? Sorry I'm asking my questions than I'm answering!

I agree with comments above that the blue pair looks fab on you. They are very expensive- I totally agree- but I have decided that for myself, because I wear glasses all day every day, and like you, update very infrequently, if I love them I buy them. Having said that, if you don’t love them, then probably best not to buy them!

Definitely #2!

They almost make it look like your eyes are smiling at me!

I’m a glasses collector. Frames are expensive. It is not unusual to pay $800-1000 US dollars for high quality frames and lenses. You wear them every day. They make a big impression and people see them and look at them. Why wouldn’t you spend more on them than furniture that sits idle in your house. The glasses go wherever you go and are useful every single day.

N r 2 is great!

100% #2!

It is pricey. NZ and Canada are similar that way -- my specs were not quite as expensive as that in CAD but almost, due to the combination of frames and complicated prescription.

I understand it is difficult to pay a lot...but maybe consider the cost per wear of the item. Divide by the days in a year and then consider you'll be wearing them all those days for 3 or 4 years.

How about showing us some full body outfit pics with these as well? We can see the proportions then and you can see how it feels to create outfits with a darker frame.

I had some lovely Italian frames that were pricey and I just changed the lenses. I’d still be wearing them if I hadn’t sat on them, ha! So I will say this as well: a really good pair stands the test of time. They were super stylish, but also discreet. I feel discreet is a quality of timelessness.

Just to throw a spanner in the works, Jenni, I like #1 best. And it's not because I shy away from contrast; on ME, I need thick black frames to stand up to my features. But on YOU, with#1 I see you, not the glasses.

In my experience, frame styles change pretty quickly, so I would go first with what you like best, because trying to avoid "dated" is a never-ending cycle.
(Says she, who has chosen "nerd glasses" consistently ever since the eyes needed help.)

On the other hand, babies love bright contrasty frames. Makes it easier to examine them.

So far, I prefer your existing glasses out of all of them. But I DO think you need something a little bolder.

You could also do purple or pink.

I vote for #2 - no contest in my mind . They seem more contemporary, defining and flattering . And I hear you on pricing - as Suz said , we in Canada pay $$$ for designer frames and more complex prescriptions . I think my insurance coverage taps out at $500 every two years - which is certainly better than no coverage at all.

Yes, I must go with the crowd on this one. #2!

For those who have asked, the approx $1300 NZ is for the frames and lenses together. Pic 1 would still be around the $900 mark by the time I add the lenses, which is what I paid last time 4 years ago. And yes, sometimes in the past I have been able to put new lenses into old frames, so as I am sure the blue ones will be high quality that may be possible in another few years time if the prescription changes. Because my current frames have the paint chipping issue that’s why I don’t want to do it this time. I do like to keep a spare, usually the previous prescription, as I cannot drive or see the computer without some! I actually dropped my current ones in a cafe in Vietnam out of my handbag when I was wearing my prescription sunglasses. Luckily we realised a couple of hours later and went back and found them. Might have been when the paint chipped off!
I think Staysfit would suggest get both...with my tight-wad ways that is probably unlikely.

Also, my insurance only gave a free eye check, nothing towards the frames/lenses so all that will be an out-of- pocket expense.

I hear you. It’s a lot of money, but like you said, either pair would be a lot out of pocket. Personally I think #2 not only looks the most current (not youthful or trendy, but also not “dated”) but also... there’s something about the finish/pattern of #1 that looks cheaply made to me even if it *isn’t*, and I’m not sure why, but #2 looks dramatically better made in those pictures even weighing the difference in price.
I spend more on my glasses for sure than on anything else in my wardrobe, but I get a lot of bang for my buck. I have a strong prescription and don’t tolerate contacts well anymore, so it’s important to get frames that I WANT to wear every day. (I’ve been lucky to acquire a few different frames using some insurance reimbursement since 2011 but only because my prescription stayed stable since then.)
My eyes are my favorite feature and I want a pair of glasses that accents them. I want my glasses to feel current and fun, but not take over my whole face. So I pay attention to what I choose and budget for a special pair of frames as if I was selecting a really special piece of jewelry, like a ring, that I’d want to wear every day.

That approach may not work for you but just wanted to add some food for thought.

Jenni; I hear you on the price, especially if you aren’t as in love with #2 as we (who won’t be paying!) are. I am also in the market for glasses but haven’t found any worthy of showing on YLF. My wardrobe is in good shape, so maybe this is The Year of the Glasses. I would like to be like Kari and Angie and have multiple pairs, but to afford to do so I would have to order online which is about 2/3 cheaper.

Thank you Kari and DonnaF, that is really appreciated. I can afford it either way, and the blue frames are not THAT much more. You are looking at a woman though who has never bought a designer handbag, never paid more than $350-ish for shoes... I don’t spend $900 or $1300 easily. But I can do, I do on travel and I do on certain things for the house. I just want to be really sure, is all. I know that I am blessed to be able to buy these at all and I am glad that there are certain makers who are being “disrupters” of the frames industry for those who would absolutely not be able to afford this sort of money. I have read about the industry and how two big companies, one being Luttoxica, control so much of it. It’s good that some makers are trying to challenge that.

I agree with the others: #2 by a mile!

That said, the cost is really hard to bear, so maybe patience is in order.

It is early in the year: can you increase your insurance to cover more of the cost of specs or does NZ have anything like our Flex spending scheme so you could use pre-tax income?

Not that you're interested in trying things online, but it is possible to order *frames* online and have the *prescription* filled locally, which can be style- and cost-effective. I've done that for my past two pairs, and I believe that's whar Carla did as well.

Also, if your Rx is already 9 months old, I would *strongly* encourage you to wait another 3 months until you can get a new eye test covered by your insurance. Given the cost of the prescription, you really want it to be as accurate and updated as possible when you do get new lenses to make sure they last the longest time for you. Don't skimp on that.

Good luck!

DonnaF, the only reason I have more than one is that by the time I acquired my green titanium specs in 2011, my prescription had stabilized and has stayed stable ever since, and I had a couple insurance changes that let me spend a little more since part of it was reimbursed. I don’t and could not buy them all at once.

I’m glad, too, that there are disrupters like Warby Parker who have introduced new models. My latest clear plastic specs are Warby Parker, as are my prescription sunglasses. The quality is good though not as high as my boutique specs, but they fit me really well, are definitely well made, and they have started offering alternative fits like low bridges and wide frames (I got both of those) to make the fit really good vs. just okay.

And Zenni has got a lot better over the years too. (I know both brands are not available in all locations though.) I hope that we will see more non-Luxottica owned brands enter the marketplace.

(One of my pairs of glasses, the purple cat-eyes, is by a brand that Luxottica acquired, and a few years after the acquisition they really cheaped out on design and materials according to a more recent conversation with someone where I had bought those specs from - apparently I got a pair of frames of the final collection before their manufacturing process was significantly changed. And yet, prices are HIGHER for that brand now...)

I also like #2 the best. Glasses are expensive. I only wear glasses for reading and driving (when I remember). Fortunately, my glasses have lasted for 10 plus years.

That is indeed a lot of money. You’ve received lots of encouragement already to buy the pair that you live, and I definitely concur with that. But I also understand your reluctance to spend that much on a pair of glasses! It’s bizarre that some things are so expensive, isn’t it?!