The best specs ever
Why glasses are the best accessory...
Some friends and I met up last weekend for the memorial of another dear friend, which, increasingly is the only time we get to see so many people we know and like in the one place. During the event, a running order was dealt out, NSFW images flashed on the screen (it was a memorial comedy gig in a gay club on Oxford Street… I probably should have mentioned that earlier), and young men in feather bowers and chaps pranced on stage - and all of us got our glasses out of our bags. One by one we all noticed this was happening and had a giggle.
This is the reality of getting older. I had perfect vision for most of my life. On the rare occasion I went to an optician, they would hustle me out the door as quickly as possible to get to the next sucker. My eyesight was so good, there was no point even starting the routine of trying to upsell me on a pair of spectacles. That is, until I hit my 40’s. Now I’m an excellent mark.
For me, it started with not being able to see bus numbers. I put this down to the new low-lit LED boards at the front of the buses. It couldn’t possibly be my eyesight, that was perfect. Then it was the fault of people in my organisation – why did they insist on using such tiny fonts for PPT presentations? Didn’t they understand the purpose of a PPT? (I stand by this accusation…) By the time I admitted defeat last year and walked into the local opticians, I had lost 60% of my sight in one eye. I probably shouldn’t have been driving for the last two years.
However, since becoming functionally blind, I’ve learned there are surprising upsides to having to wear glasses. It’s yet another accessory you can make your own. I often find vintage sunglass frames and just replace the glass with prescription lenses – you were going to do that with the frames in the opticians anyway so why not get something no one else has?
Good frames can make an outfit pop better than any jewellery. Most people look good in glasses, and some people look considerably better. For many people they become an inseparable part of their personal brand. You just need to know where to find them. So below are some of my top tips for scene stealing spectacles.
WithPockets X
Mr Boho
If you like glasses with coloured plastics and tortoiseshell and a distinct 1960’s Bond vibe, Spanish brand Mr Boho are a great choice. Their frames are also considerably cheaper than you’ll find in most opticians.
If you live in Sydney or Canberra, Love Persimmon sell Mr Boho in store and you can try them on IRL.
Vint and York
Vint and York are an online retailer but somehow they seem very New York. Everything is exaggerated, from cats eye to oversized glasses, which they tell me is the fashion these days, the more ‘librarian’ the better – although some tip over into ‘Elton John’, which I’m very here for. I’m not a fan of their Instagram account though, which is why I’m not showing it here. Far too many AI-generated people, and I’m guessing they’re AI generated because there’s no glass in their glasses - otherwise it’s an even more amazing howler.
DMY Studios
If you’re still in 1990’s Love Story mode (and frankly this trend looks set to roll and roll) and you’re after those slim oval frames that we all liked so much back then, DMY Studios is your place. I’ll be honest, these days I have learned to love oversized sunnies and in the harsh Australian sunlight I need them, but if you don’t have my photosensitive issues, I’m sure these are great.
Vicci Eyewear
Can I just say how much I love Vicci Eyewear’s campy photoshoots? So kitsch. They have the full videos on the website and I could probably watch the floofy mafia dogs all day. Again, they mostly do the ‘statement oversized librarian’ look this season, so if you’re a thin, subtle frames woman, this is probably not the site for you. I particularly love the blue pair.
L.A.M.B
This is Gwen Stefani’s eyewear brand. Subtle it is not. But if you’re the kind of girl who likes zebra stripes, rhinestones and ditsy florals, L.A.M.B is the place. It’s not my place, but it will definitely be your place. I can’t link to any of the Instagram posts for this brand as I’m genuinely worried they might give someone a seizure. Maybe you need to be wearing sunglasses to look at it.